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Hal Evans -
Come Day in Night book cover
A Hardin County native will appear at a couple of libraries July 14 for book discussions and book signings.
Author Hal Evans will be at the Silsbee Public Library, 295 N. Fourth St., from 9-11 a.m. and at the Kountze Public Library, 800 Redwood St., from 1-3 p.m.
Evans will discuss and sign his first novel, “Come Day in Night,” a young adult novel. He released the book last month.
According to Evans, his novel is about a white high school student, Sam White Jr., who is asked to start playing at the Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church – a predominantly Black church – on Sundays in a small Texas town.
“It takes place in a fictional town called Silton, But is an amalgamation of towns and experiences in Southeast Texas,” he said. “The book takes place in an eight-week period in 1968. It begins on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination and ends a week before the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.”
According to Evans, in the book, “Tensions begin to heighten in Silton, which refuses to acknowledge change in the Civil Rights era. Sam begins to question the morality of his own family’s ties to the Confederacy when his Black classmates reveal their family histories.
“Sam’s father takes him to a KKK rally to set his son straight, an act that does nothing to change Sam’s stance. He then begins to speak out against the strong racial dogma apparent in his town, spurring several attacks on himself and his friends.
“Meanwhile, Sam’s mother remains locked in a mental asylum for reasons he does not know. Family relationships are tried and new friendships unfold in this coming-of-age story about racial tension and doing what is right during hardship and inequity.”
He already had two children’s books published.
He was born in Huntsville but moved to Silsbee when he was 8 years old. He is the son of the late Gene and Bety Evans. Bety taught Speech, Theater and American History at Silsbee High School for 25 years or more.
While at SHS, Evans was involved in band, choir, theater and was president of the Creative Writing Club.
After graduation, Evans attended Lamar University and earned his bachelor’s degree in English.
Evans resides in northwest Harris County.
Evans noted he has another novel in the works – a murder mystery. He also has eight more children’s books written and illustrated to publish.