Vashon resident, fisherman and writer Richard Bard recently published “West of Spencer,” a novel that draws on his experience in the salmon trolling industry.

Bard has a long history as a journalist, and some years ago published a novella, but this is his first full-length work of fiction.

He’ll read from the book at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, at Vashon Bookshop.

“I always wanted to try a novel,” Bard said. “But until I sold my boat a few years ago, I was too caught up in actually fishing to devote the time.”

Bard says he chose as a subject what he knows best, and believes “West of Spencer” accurately portrays the often rough and dangerous life aboard an ocean-going fishing boat, as well as on the docks and in the cafes and bars of a fishing town.

But he wanted it to go deeper than “The Deadliest Catch” with salmon instead of crab. So even though there’s plenty of high winds, rough seas and blood on the deck, it’s also a love story in which the lead character, Bo, struggles to figure out why he keeps destroying all his relationships.The search for understanding goes even deeper as Bo questions how he turned out the way he is: Was it a practical joke by some trickster of a creator?

Bard said he wanted the story to have a lighter side, too.

“I had some great friendships in the fishing fleet — it’s full of extreme, really entertaining characters — and I hope I was able to recreate some of them in a fictional way.”

“West of Spencer” is available in bookstores in Alaska, Washington and elsewhere, and in e-book form. With the tide of easy-to-publish books becoming a flood, Bard is prepared for the challenge of getting it noticed. Early reviews have been good, he says, which could help.