Author, Elburn native visits library today

George Bryan Polivka is a member of the Kaneland High School Hall of Fame, in part for winning an Emmy for his television documentary "A Hard Road to Glory." It details the difficult path of black American athletes in times of prejudice.

Now he is a published author and he returns home to visit the Town and Country Public Library in Elburn from 1 to 4 p.m. today to talk about his books and sign copies.

Harvest House published Polivka's "The Legend of the Firefish" in March and "The Hand That Bears the Sword" in July. A third book, "The Battle for Vast Dominion," will be published in January to complete his "Trophy Chase Trilogy."

"I've written about a dozen books, but these are the first ones I have had published after about 25 years of trying," he said in a telephone interview Friday.

He lives outside of Baltimore, where he works for Laureate Education, which operates a network of campus-based colleges and online universities.

His trilogy features Packer Throme, a young man who has been expelled from a seminary and sets out in search of redemption. He stows away on a pirate ship that happens to be in pursuit of a horrible sea monster called Firefish.

"My novels are set in the mythical land of Vast," Polivka explained. "It's a time of long ago, like early 18th century America or England, with tall ships and cannons."

Polivka is a 1975 graduate of Kaneland High School, where he played football and was a member of the state championship track and field team in 1975.

He insists he didn't contribute to the championship, but winning an Emmy solidified his place in his high school's hall of fame.

He attended Elburn Elementary School, which is now the Elburn and Countryside Community Center. His parents, Nancy and James, live in Geneva.

Polivka and his wife, Jeri, his high school sweetheart, have two children in high school.

He says he is a morning person and will frequently get up at 4 a.m. to write for about two hours before his day begins.

"My publisher is good at pushing authors to promote their books, and it's been a great opportunity to re-connect with people," Polivka said. "I have also lived in Alabama and Texas so I know people in different parts of the country."

To learn more about his books, visit www.nearingvast.com.