Town Talk: A conversation with local author William F. Gray: The Man Behind the Door

In this Town Talk, our publisher Mike McCool speaks with local author William F. Gray. William is the author of “The Man Behind the Door.”

Having lived most of his life in the area surrounding Winchester, Virginia, William F. Gray is a self-published author. An avid reader all his life, William has taken his life experience and passion for writing and turned it into his first full-length novel. Based largely on his father, “The Man Behind the Door” explores both the anger and the grief a child can feel when losing a deeply troubled parent.

William will be at the Royal Oak Bookshop, 27 S Royal Avenue, Front Royal, Virginia, on November 26, 2022, from noon to 4 pm to sign his book, “The Man Behind the Door.”

Here’s a highlight from the book:

When Leigh Glasscock was a child, his mother’s mental illness and eventual suicide defined the man he grew up to be. After Leigh starts his own family, his trauma and addiction now threaten to continue the cycle with his own children.

In 2000, two brothers were left orphaned when their father killed their mother and then took his own life. Now adults, Larry and Frank’s search for answers about their lineage and what it means for their own children put them on a path back to that very night.

Meanwhile, the Winston family finds themselves living in the same house where Larry and Frank lost their parents. When things begin to take a sinister turn, their young son Andy is the only one to realize that something is not quite right as his father’s personality begins to change…

In his debut novel, William F. Gray explores a cycle of abuse and neglect passed down from one generation to the next by introducing us to a character based on his own father. Full of heartache, suspense, and twists, “The Man Behind the Door” takes us on an emotional journey detailing a search to find the answer to the ultimate question: why?

His book is also available on Amazon.

Town Talk is a series on the Royal Examiner where we will introduce you to local entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profit leaders, and political figures who influence Warren County. Topics will be varied but hopefully interesting. Let us know if you have an idea or topic or want to hear from someone in our community. Send your request to news@RoyalExaminer.com.