PRESS RELEASE:

 

Thirteen years after its Croatian edition, Bernard Jan releases January River in English in 2020 to be available to its readers worldwide.

 

As the author says in his Acknowledgements, “I wrote this book out of love for the American dream, a great American novel and New York City.”

 

January River is a novel about five friends, one dog and one river carrying a secret. When one of their friends goes missing, everything comes crashing down for the small group of childhood friends in the small town of Greenfield. Ethan takes it hard. Not even his brother Will and their dog can console him. Then life bares its teeth again, scarring Ethan with another tragic event. He loses his dog, his only consolation.

 

As soon as he gets the chance, Will leaves Greenfield and Ethan follows a few years later. They start a new life, far from the ghosts of their childhood and the river that gives and takes life. While Will discovers his love for the open seas and spends his best years aboard various ships, Ethan stays in New York City. There he finds his one true love and builds a career as a bestselling author.

 

But how long will Ethan’s happiness last as doubts creep back into him and shatter his reality? And will his reconciliation with the past come at too great a price?

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In his beautiful and heartwarming coming-of-age literary fiction with episodes of mystery and romance cross-genre story, Bernard Jan speaks of true friendship, first darlings, and real loves. With gentle words he describes our connection with nature and love for our four-legged friends who quickly become honorable members of our families. But he also speaks of the dark secrets we carry in our hearts, the weight of their burden that threatens to drag us to the bottom unless we find strength to untangle ourselves and set them free. Because all rivers carry their secrets, but not every river is ready to keep its secret forever.

 

January River is Bernard Jan’s first novel published in English. His earlier books are two novellas Look for Me Under the Rainbow and A World Without Color, which is also a true story.

 

January River is available on Amazon as eBook and paperback.

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The book is translated into English by Dragan Tomaševski and Bernard Jan
Editing by Trish Reeb

Proofreading by the Hyper-Speller at wordrefiner.com
Cover design by Domi at Inspired Cover Designs

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More information about January River on Bernard Jan's blog Muse.