Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Marty Nichols of St. Augustine, Florida (left) juggles paperbacks from as Sgt. Kenneth White shows good cheer after a USO-sponsored “Operation Thriller* meet and greet with the authors at Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait, November 8, 2010, the second of their events in a week-long tour of the Persian Gulf. During their time on the front lines, the authors will share insider writer techniques, pose for photos and shake hands with troops. USO Photo by Mike Theiler