Former Collinsville resident, Bob Keith Bonebrake, will launch his newest book at the Collinsville Library, Sunday March 24 from 2 until 5 p.m.

The new book, entitled One Lousy Friday Before Easter, is an unusual hybrid including a personal memoire, a short biography of Bonebrake’s late sister Marilyn Bonebrake LaPointe, combined with a Christian apologetic or defense of the Christian Faith. The story is a personal reflection on faith lost in grief and reclaimed in rationality. The author will discuss and read selections from the book during the event, beginning at about 3 p.m. Several chapters in the book deal with local Collinsville events and residents.

Bonebrake says one of his primary reasons for writing the book was to provide a way to raise funds for the new Marilyn Bonebrake LaPointe Scholarship at Oral Roberts University. Both Marilyn and Bob were graduates of ORU. All proceeds from the first year of book sales will go to the scholarship and Bonebrake will give a signed, personal gift copy of the book to the first 1,000 people donating $30 or more to the scholarship fund.

Bonebrake, a Collinsville High School graduate, had a long career as a journalist, editor and writer in Oklahoma, Washington D.C. and California. During the early 1980s he served the international wire service the Associated Press as state sports editor for Oklahoma. During that time he covered a National Championship season for the University of Oklahoma’s football team, including the Heisman Trophy season for running back Billy Sims. Later, he was a long-time chief Business/Oil Editor for the Tulsa World. Additionally, he also worked as the Sports Information Director at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, filling that role during one of the most productive eras in ORU athletics. During his tenure pitcher Mike Moore was the number one pick in the nation during the Major League Baseball draft. In addition he handled publicity and marketing for the Midwest regional basketball tournaments for both the NCAA and NIT national championships. In a rare move, both groups selected ORU’s Mabee Center for its regional tournament in the same year.