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John Luton and his wife, Cheryl |
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.Dr. John Luton, a Regent University School of Communication & the Arts alum, recently won an editors choice award from iUniverse, Inc. for his first novel, Bluebird in Belgium. According to iUniverse.com, Bluebird in Belgium is a heartwarming tale of childhood innocence, the love of family, and a search for meaningful existence during war and peace. It is also a tale of joyful encounters, painful separations and the miracle of memory.
Luton, who grew up captivated by his fathers childhood and wartime adventures, decided to preserve those memories in a book. Bluebird in Belgium, which takes place in Elizabeth City, NC and Belgium, is a fictionalized account of John Elwood Lutons life. Daddy encountered
tragedies during this life, but his faith in God, and the love of family, continued to keep him centered, Luton said. Although daddys been gone for more than 24 year, his stories fill my heart and mind--and his wonderful Christian example continues to inspire us.
The narrative begins with John Elwoods death during the blizzard of 1980. From this point, the story unfolds through the miracle of memory. John Elwood, who was nicknamed bluebird by his mother for his beautiful blue eyes, was a North Carolina native who joined the U.S. Army to fight during World War II. The story follows the bluebird and his adventures in Belgium during the 1944 Battle of the Bulge.
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Luton's award-winning book |
While there, he is befriended by a wonderful Belgian family [the Ducombles] who help to preserve his life while unforgettably touching his heart, Luton said. At the end of Bluebird in Belgium the narrator returns to the starting point and tells how the experiences shaped the outlook for the future, Luton said.
Please join Luton at on March 24 at Page After bookstore, 111 Water St., Elizabeth City, N.C. for his first book signing.
Bluebird in Belgium can be also purchased from the publisher, iUniverse at www.iuniverse.com and will soon be available from all major online distributors, such as Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million. Luton is a 2000 Ph.D. graduate in Communication Studies at Regent. He currently serves as an associate professor of mass communication at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, NC. He and his wife, Cheryl, reside about three miles from the setting of most of his novel. <![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]> <![endif]> For more information about Regent University, call 1-800-373-5504 or visit www.regent.edu. Also, be sure to sign up at www.regent.edu/news/signup to receive electronic news headlines from the Regent University Office of Public Relations. | Back to Top |
PR/NEWS CONTACT: BAXTER ENNIS Director of Public Relations Phone (757) 226-4093 Fax (757) 226-4434 e-mail: bennis@regent.edu |
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