"Lovers’ Moon," a new book of poetry by George O. Martin Jr. of Ellinwood, will be celebrated with readings by the author, Thursday evening, Dec. 29, beginning at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend and enjoy this evening of poetry at the Barton County Arts Center, 1401 Main, Great Bend.

Born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., the youngest of four children, Martin was greatly influenced by his parents. His father was a quiet man, a steam engineer on the freighters that plied the Great Lakes. His mother was a garrulous woman, who loved to tell stories of her own childhood and the history of her ancestors, who had settled in Ontario, Canada.

After graduating from high school, Martin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown during the latter part of the Korean conflict. He was then transferred to the Naval Air Multi-Engine Training Base at Hutchinson. In 1956, after four years service, he was discharged, and returned to civilian life.

His return to Buffalo lasted one year. Within three years, he was back in Kansas, where he has lived since. He retired from a career with the U.S. Postal service in 1988 and presently lives in Ellinwood with his wife and children.

Writing has been a constant pastime since the sixth grade. He began publishing poetry in the 1980s and stories in 1988. His first series of stories appeared in The Hoisington Dispatch under the title "Steam Whistles." In 1994 he began a weekly newspaper column titled, "Boiling Stones, Things a man can do in the kitchen." That column appears in five newspapers, and is in its seventeenth year.

This program is supported in part by The City of Great Bend and CPI Qualified Plan Consultants. The Barton County Arts Council is a non-profit charitable and educational organization, supported by individuals, organizations and businesses, who realize the value of The Arts in our communities.