COCHECTON – Local Cochecton resident, Joan Glase, has recently published a novel, Searching for John Smith. The book contains all the elements of a page-turning story. Travel and adventure, mystery and romance, heartbreak and joy fill the pages of her first self-published novel.

When asked about her inspiration, she commented that a trip she took years ago in Baja, Mexico, led her to imagine a story centered around the desolate desert roads with abandoned cars lining the shoulders. The hotels were empty and the beaches were breathtaking. She crafted a story that incorporated those elements, focusing on loneliness, finding love and loss. 

The book also includes several scenes set in San Francisco where Glase spent a significant amount of time.

The main plot of the story takes place in the 1970s, before cell phones and the internet, and focuses on how difficult it was to track down people without today’s modern technology.

Glase was originally a fashion photographer in NYC before relocating to Cochecton in 2003 with her husband, artist Rocky Pinciotti, and their son Gabriel. She switched careers and went into public relations, working for the non-profit, The Arc Greater Hudson Valley (formerly SullivanArc). Since retiring in 2022, she has focused her energy on writing and publishing. As she explains, self-publishing allowed her to maintain total control over every aspect of her work, resulting in a novel that truly represents her vision. 

She will hold a reading, talk, and book signing at Domesticities  & The Cutting Garden, 4055 State Route 52, Youngsville on Sunday, August 3 at 2pm; and at the Ethelbert B Crawford Library in Monticello on Tuesday, September 30 at 6pm. All are invited, and books will be made available for purchase.

Searching for John Smith can be purchased on Amazon.com in hardcover, paperback, or digital eBook. For more information visit joanglase.com.