Dr. Greg Bower is a man of many talents.

Bower, who lives on a small ranch north of Quitman, is the superintendent of the Como-Pickton school district. He has been an English teacher, principal and assistant superintendent. Add to that list an author of a western novel.

Bower has a doctorate from Lamar University in education, a master’s degree in history from UT-Tyler and a master’s from Texas A&M Commerce in English. 

Bower has published “A Man Reborn: A Jesse Coldtharp Western.”

Bower’s novel is available through Amazon. He sold out of the first 125 books and is getting more printed. He also plans to add to the saga of Jesse Coldtharp.

“I’m an old English teacher and I think every English teacher has an aspiration to write a book when they can find the time to do it,” Bower explained. “Two years ago I started writing it, putting it aside and then picked it back up. I worked on it all this past summer. It took me about three months to get it done.”

Bower has always been a fan of the western genre. “I grew up reading Louis La’Amour and Zane Grey, all of the great western novelist. I always have wanted to write a book similar to those I read growing up,” Bower remarked. “I even named my son Dakota Zane after Zane Grey.

In “A Man Reborn,” Bower shows how a man can journey through life struggling to find the basics of life through friendship and love of another.

Jesse survived even after his best friend betrayed him and a woman broke his heart and scarred his spirit. His adventures began when he saved the life of a man who was an old marshal. The two, along with a friend, Zeb, set out on a journey on which Jesse would find spirituality and love.

The Amazon short review notes Jesse Coltharp was a man who didn’t run from trouble, but he rode as far and as fast as he could to escape the pain of losing his best friend and fiancé in the same day. 

Bower said his wife, Alice, among others, were patient with him constantly talking about the book and proofing it at times.

Bower came to Como-Pickton after a stint as assistant superintendent in Quitman. He has gone from teaching English in Garland to administrative positions in Corsicana and Crosby as a high school principal.

In his six years at Como-Pickton, Bower has seen the growth of the physical campus, the addition of new athletic facilities and a raise in the overall academic program.

The Como-Pickton School Board received an award as “School Board of the Year,” and Bower has been named “Superintendent of the Year” for Region 8 Education service area.

“I am proud of the remodeling of the softball field and the construction of our new baseball facility was all done without having bond issue,” Bower noted.

“I was not a good writer in my younger days,” he said. “As I grew older going through college and teaching I developed writing to a point where people began to comment on my writing skills. I got to where I really enjoyed writing. I started with poetry and short stories. Finally, I decided I wanted to try and write a novel. I love westerns and I read them all the time.”

Bower has fond memories of watching westerns on television with his Dad. 

“I use to hear the TV late at night so I would get up and sneak back in the room where my Dad would be stretched out watching an old western. I would curl up beside him and watch with him,” Bower remembered. “I like to write from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. I did get most of the book done during summer vacation. I always thought those westerns were only read by older people until I finally read one and found out why so many people read western novels. They are just good.”

Bower gets inspiration from Zane Grey. “The thing I like about Zane Grey is everywhere he wrote about he used actual places. He writes about things and places that actually exist. His detail to those places is amazing,” Bower said.

For the Jesse Coldtharp character, Bower said he simply made him up from his imagination.

“I wanted to write a book that evolved around a couple of things. For guys, what drives them is loyalty and friendship. The honor of sticking with your friends even in the tough times is essential,” Bower said. “I tried to put myself in Jesse’s shoes while I was writing the book. I think Jesse represents any man at any given time in their life and how he handles certain situations.”

Bower is already working on a sequel.