SOCOBY is a symbolic, cautionary tale about good versus evil, but the story and its associated illustrations also guide the reader to realize that there is an ultimate decision all of us on planet earth must make. SOCOBY is a representation of each and every one of us as we travel through life's journey, and reaching that ultimate decision will eventually be our choice alone. What is that fundamental decision? Take the time to explore SOCOBY to find out the answer.
About the Author: Iowa native James W. "Bill" O'Clock was raised in South Dakota. Though his professional career spanned over 40 years in disciplines such as engineering, management and bioethics, Mr. O'Clock enjoys many other activities including writing poetry. The author's interest in poetry first started when he was in college, and it continued to grow as writers such as C.S. Lewis inspired him to use his poems to convey symbolic values and ideas. Now retired, Bill O'Clock is rewriting some of the poems he penned almost 50 years ago, and SOCOBY is the first. SOCOBY is ripe with possibilities for all of his creative writing imagination; to see it come to life with vivid and stunning illustrations is a dream come true. Even more satisfying is that SOCOBY is a family collaboration, since the illustrator of the book happens to be his youngest son, Peter and the editing done by his wife Pirkko.Peter D. O'Clock was born in Arkansas, but spent his formative years in Maryland and is the adopted son of the author and his wife. His gifting for art was evident at a very young age, and as soon as he could pick up a pencil he started drawing. His parents encouraged Peter's creativity and it wasn't long before he went from doodling during classes to pursuing his passion using computers. As technology advanced, both 2D and 3D imagery captured his eye, revealing many fascinating possibilities for the future of art. One of those possibilities was realized as Peter attended the Art Institute of Washington Summer Studio prior to his enrollment, where he received the "Best in Show" award. Soon after he completed a bachelor's in Media Arts and Animation, he took on the project of illustrating SOCOBY. The fantastic imagery required presented a great challenge to make the book look both stylized and grounded. Peter's efforts to create the classic storybook look with rich details and otherworldly landscapes provide the visuals that bring the poem to life. His ultimate goal and dream is to start his own company and impact the creative world on the level of Walt Disney.