John Bullock, a writer from Hilton, has seen the publications of his first novel after about 10 years of dabbling in writing. "I've been writing for about 10 years and had another book underway, which was set in the same area as Under a Friendship Moon but I needed a break from what was turning into an extremely long novel," he said. "This book started out as a short story but I soon knew it would be much more." What started as a short story nearly three years ago soon developed into a full length novel, Bullock said. "With support from my family and the members of the Hilton Writers Guild, I devoted the first two years of my retirement to this project," he said. "I'm so glad my friends in the Writers Guild can finally see the finished work and understand how the excerpts they've been reading for several years all fit together." Bullock said he never really had an interest in writing as a young person but as he began to read more for his own pleasure his interest in writing grew. "I've published various newspaper articles and have a Christmas poem published in a holiday book called Christmas in the Country, he said. His book was published in May by iUniverse and is available at most internet bookstores, such as www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com and www.borders.com. Colleagues from the Greece School District, where Bullock taught for 31 years, helped immensely with proof reading and editing, he said. Bullock and his wife, Marcia, and son, Sean, live in Hilton. They have two other children, Cristin and Ryan, who live in Lynchburg, Virginia. He explains that he grew up just over the hill from Friendship, New York (where the book got its title), in the small town of Richburg. "It was my goal to capture some of the small town flavor that makes this area the perfect setting for characters that come to appreciate the simple pleasures of life," he said. The following is from the book cover description. The dog pictured on the cover is Bullock's Golden Retriever, Crystal. The story is seen through the eyes of Jack Flanigan, who has struggled with alcohol and ghosts from his past. A serendipitous twist of fate has Jack dog-sitting Darla, an orphaned Golden Retriever. Under a Friendship Moon tells the heart-warming story of how a dog can change the way a man looks at his life. The little town of Friendship, New York harbors some fine rural folks and some secrets. Jack and Darla share adventures, love for a woman and they both begin to find inner peace with the losses that life has dealt them. Under a Friendship Moon will unlock the secrets and paint a vivid picture of the bonds between a man and his dog. The impish Darla will bring laughs at the most dismal of times; she'll touch the hearts of those around her and she'll fill in the missing pieces of her master's life puzzle. |
Above, author Jack Bullock and his Golden Retriever Crystal. (submitted photo)