Tag: The Dark Hurts

John Phillips has lived in Cross Creek for more than 10 years with his wife, Cristy, and their two dogs, Princess and Zack. After a career and quite a bit of international travel, he finally checked a long-standing item off his bucket list.

He’s now the published author of a novel, entitled The Dark Hurts.

“About 14 years ago, when I was doing a lot of international travel, the story developed in my mind,” says Phillips. “I wrote the first three chapters one night in Japan when I couldn’t sleep.”

It’s a fictional book, set in San Francisco. Phillips describes it as being about the many different emotions in life. He says it’s the story of what a disaster can do, not only to a city, but also to a particular family.

The Dark Hurts Offers Some Light

In the process of promoting his self-published book, he was contacted by Focus on Women magazine, a Baltimore-area publication. He says his book was chosen to be featured on the magazine’s website by a panel of its readers. The Dark Hurts will be featured in the magazine’s online bookstore, and proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Afghan Women’s Fund, a charity the magazine supports with its sales.

“I’m pleased they’re using my book as a tool to raise money for a good cause,” says Phillips. “I’m more than happy to have a part in helping these women who have been through horrific experiences – they’ve been raped, mutilated, kidnapped and taken away from their families. It’s my understanding that the Fund has returned several Afghan women to their families.”

Phillips is originally from Southern England and has a son and grandchildren in England. He says he moved to the U.S. in 1998 and is now a U.S. citizen.

Writing Now A Lifelong Goal

His life is now dedicated to being a full-time author. He has two more books in the works, including The Piano Man, which will use the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as a setting. Phillips has met with Polk Sheriff Grady Judd to learn about the agency, and Sheriff Judd even sent Phillips a picture of himself with The Dark Hurts.

“I’m delighted with the response to my book,” says Phillips. “It was released six weeks ago, and has several five-star reviews on Amazon.com in both the USA and the UK.”

He says the reviews help him to see that his book is having its desired effect on readers, including one that says, in part, “[Phillips] has a gift for writing emotion onto the story. He is descriptive and thorough, without stalling out the story. There are layers here that intertwine into an awesome tapestry, solid and masterful. It is a great read and I look forward to more.”

To learn more about the book, or to enter the author’s selfie contest to win prizes such as a travel voucher and an Amazon gift card, visit Facebook.com/authorjphillips.