Rockwall County author releases new trivia book

Book signing Jan 10 at Half Price Books in Rockwall

ROCKWALL, TX (Jan. 1, 2015) What did Yankee Doodle call the feather in his cap?  When did Friday the 13th become considered unlucky? These are some of the questions and answers in Joe B. Hewitt’s new book, Trivia for Adults.

Hewitt, longtime resident of Rockwall County, will show and sign his new book at Half Price Books, 959 I-30 East in Rockwall on Saturday, January 10, from 1:00 to 4:00 p. m.

“This book of trivia is different. The questions are original and the answers are expanded,” Hewitt said. For example, what did Yankee Doodle call the feather in his hat? Rather than the simple answer, “Macaroni,” Trivia for Adults explains, Macaroni, which was the slang term for fancy lace.

Another example, rather than the simple answer,  Friday, October 13, 1307, Hewitt’s book gives the date and circumstances. On Friday, October 13, 1307, the Knights Templar were arrested, charged with heresy, tortured and killed on orders of King Philip of France and with the blessings of Pope Clement. The Knights Templar were religious zealots armed to protect Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land. Over a period of 200 years they grew into a powerful military force and provided a place where gold could be deposited safely. Some consider the Knights Templar as fathers of modern banking. They loaned fortunes of money to the Vatican and to the French monarchy, which debts were cancelled upon the death of the Knights Templar.

Author Joe B. Hewitt started writing as a newspaper reporter for the Lima, Ohio, News. He covered the police beat, courthouse beat, and was an investigative reporter. He owned and published Texas weekly newspapers.

His newspaper career ended when he was called into the ministry. While still a seminary student he started a new church in Richardson. During the first several years at that church he worked as public relations director for a church-supported temperance organization. In that capacity he wrote teacher in-service training manuals on drug abuse, designed catalogs, edited a monthly magazine, wrote and voiced public service radio announcements, and appeared on television interview shows regarding drug abuse education, and spoke at high school assemblies and churches.

During those years in the pastorate he wrote a nonfiction book on personal experience that has sold 45,000 copies. He wrote curriculum for Bible study teachers and teachers commentaries for LifeWay, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention as well as the youth devotional guide, and Open Windows the 1.1 million-circulation adult devotional guide. For 10 years wrote columns for the Rockwall Success, and Rowlett Lakeshore Times, local newspapers.

Hewitt served as a temporary missionary in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Oregon, Idaho, New York, and pastored a church in England for a month in an exchange with the pastor of the English church. He served as volunteer chaplain and coordinator of jail ministries for the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Department for 10 years. He also served two days a month as volunteer chaplain at Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett for 10 years.

After retiring from the Pastorate in 2001, Hewitt began training as a mediator and has served Dallas and area courts as a court-appointed mediator to settle lawsuits. He is a member of First Baptist Church, Rockwall,, State Bar of Texas, ADR Section, Texas Association of Mediators, and Mensa, the high IQ society. He is rated by the Texas Mediators Credentialing Association as a Distinguished Credentialed Mediator.

Hewitt received a BD degree from Bible Baptist Seminary, and an MA degree in Biblical Studies from Dallas Baptist University.

His nonfiction books include, I Was Raised a Jehovah’s Witness, 4th Edition; Rescuing Slaves of the Watchtower, and Rescatando a los Prisioneros de los Atalaya.

Hewitt’s novels include Murder on the Sky Ride, a murder mystery set in San Marcos, Texas; Mystery of the Vanished Gold, a mystery set in Dallas, Texas; and My Love, My Enemy, a historical/spy thriller/romance set during the Civil War.

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