John Bullock reads from his novel, Making Faces

John Bullock John Bullock is from England and has lived in the U.S. for eleven years, the last four of which he has spent in Athens, Ohio, teaching, and coediting the New Ohio Review literary journal. His short stories have appeared in The Antioch Review, Clackamas Literary Review, and the anthology Open Windows III. Here he reads from his recently published first novel, Making Faces.

Making Faces is narrated by fourteen-year-old Matt Bowen, an only child, born and raised in an English seaside bed and breakfast. In this coming-of-age story, Matt questions identity in all its guises. Among other things, he commits a series of break-ins, ostensibly to avenge his father's nonpaying customers (his father also runs a greengrocer's), but also out of adolescent curiosity. He wants to find out how other people live.

On a more fundamental level, Making Faces is about family, friendship and forgiveness. The featured chapters introduce Matt's Indian neighbors, the Bhargavas, whom Matt's father -- a classic bigot -- organizes a petition against to make them leave. Matt's fascination, and ensuing friendship, with Sid Bhargava (the youngest son) is his biggest secret. In a bid to become his own person, Matt is forced to walk the line between being a true friend and a loyal son.

Bullock sees Making Faces as the first in a series of three books (a seaside trilogy) that follow Matt Bowen's bumpy journey through adulthood.