A retired Air Force pilot’s latest book was recently released, and the rising author is already at work on future projects.

“A Stroke of Genius: Insights of the Dain Bramaged” by retired Lt. Col. William M. “Spike” Jones of the U.S. Air Force, was released on Dec. 15 by Christian Faith Publishing.

The book is a follow-up to his first self-published book, “Glimpses of God’s Grace: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Guy,” a memoir released in 2015 by Westbow Press.

His new book is based on daily writings he posted on the Facebook companion page for “Glimpses of God’s Grace,” and examines the exploits he detailed in his memoir.

His latest book’s title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the brain damage he suffered after a near-fatal stroke. He writes one-handed from his wheelchair — the left side of his body is paralyzed — at the Carrollton residence he shares with his childhood sweetheart and wife of more than 37 years, Shirley.

“I’ve found that I just really enjoy writing,” Jones said. “It’s very therapeutic and time-consuming, and I’ve got a lot of time on my hands.”

Jones carried out 25 years of commissioned service flying for the Air Force. His writings convey the excitement of flying modern aircraft, while delivering messages about faith and God’s plan for every person.

He said his writings continue to inspire him to pursue new projects.

“Sometimes it’s hard to turn your mind off when you’re working on a project,” he said. “Something will occur to you and the first thing in the morning, you’ve got to get on the computer and jot it down.”

He recently submitted his manuscript for “On This Day in 1967: My Father’s Intrepid Voyage to the Vietnam War” to Christian Faith Publishing for review.

The book transcribes daily journal entries by his late father, Jim Jones, from May to December 1967, when he served aboard the USS Intrepid as a maintenance officer during the Vietnam War.

His father’s entries describe squadron operations and targets in North Vietnam, his voyage through the Strait of Gibraltar and his time in the Suez Canal. Jones added notes to clarify the historical context of the entries, along with chapters based on his own faith and military experience.

“It’s a daily record of life on an aircraft carrier as a maintenance officer, and it shows how tight he was with pilots and squadron leadership,” Jones said.

Another project he’s submitted for review is “The Christmas Test: Do You Really Know What You’re Celebrating,” which features approximately 35 questions that come from his experiences teaching sixth grade Bible study class at Harvest Fellowship Baptist Church in Smithfield.

“I wanted to see if what they knew of Christ’s birth from the Bible or from culture and tradition,” Jones said about the questions. “I think it will open a lot of eyes as to how much culture has infiltrated the biblical account of the Christmas story.”

Visit facebook.com/insightsofdainbramaged for more information.