Writing a thousand words a day, seven days a week for six months produced the first draft, and two years later, the novel “Wild Hands Toward The Sky” by Ray Elliott was finished.

Elliott, an Eastern alumnus from Urbana, took an early retirement to write “Wild Hands Toward The Sky.”

“The novel has been in my head all of my life,” Elliott said.

“Wild Hands Toward The Sky” is a novel about a 5-year-old boy named John Walter McElliogott from a rural Illinois farm community whose father died in World War II. McElliogott finds himself drawn to the men of the area who served in the war and returned.

The veterans teach McElliogott lessons they have learned about life, responsibility, duty and honor. McElliogott attempts to apply what he learns to his own life in order to form his identity.

Elliott, who was born in 1940, grew up with veterans of World War II in Robinson, Ill. Elliott noticed that suicide, alcoholism and domestic abuse were among the things that the veterans went through upon their return home.

“(What they went through) was difficult to internalize,” Elliott said.

After interviewing World War II veterans and putting his career at a slight halt, Elliott dedicated three years to writing the novel.

“I woke up every morning at 4:23, which was when I was born ,and wrote until I had a thousand words,” Elliott said.

He sent the first draft to an agent, who complained that it was too long. Elliott revised his draft and had his wife, the editor of alumni publications at the University of Illinois, read and edit the novel.

“Wild Hands Toward The Sky” was completed this summer.

Elliott began his higher education at the University of Illinois as a business major. After one semester, he decided he didn’t want to study business and joined a construction company. The company then laid him off.

Elliott then decided to attend Eastern to study psychology because it was only 50 miles away from home. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in psychology in 1969 with a minor in journalism. Elliott was a staff writer for The Daily Eastern News, but didn’t have the time to be an editor.

“I was a bartender at Roc’s, Sportsman’s, the Moose and the Elks, and often that took 40 hours a week,” Elliott said.

Elliott earned a master’s degree in English from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois. He decided to study English because he was influenced by Robinson native James Jones, author of “From Here to Eternity.”

“I read four to five novels a week while I was in high school,” Elliott said.

Elliott decided to study journalism because having a byline interested him.

Besides writing a novel, Elliott has been a newsletter editor, teacher and professional writer.

Elliott taught journalism and was the advisor for the student newspaper at Charleston High School for the 1972 to 1973 school year.

He was a daily columnist for the Robinson Daily News, and his columns were published in other area newspapers. Elliott considers this to be one of the best jobs he has ever had.

“I was able to write 600 to 700 words on what I thought about things every day,” Elliott said.

Elliott is now a member of a literacy program in Robinson, which he and his wife began, and runs a publishing company called “Tales Press.”

He has co-authored another novel which has been published by Tales Press.

“It’s called ‘Bittersweet,’ and it’s about the Heath candy company,” Elliott said.

Elliott is pleased with his accomplishments.

“I’m doing what I have always wanted to do,” Elliott said.

To read an excerpt from “Wild Hands Toward The Sky,” to purchase the novel and to purchase other books published by Tales Press, visit www.talespress.com.