He Hitched a Ride to a Different Life. Only Time Would Tell if it Would be Better or Worse…

Tennessee, 1955. Conley Ford learned quickly the world’s full of hard knocks. Seeking the wrong kind of excitement, the restless thirteen-year-old falls in with a group of older boys joyriding in stolen Mercury cars… until he is arrested and put on probation. With a harsh father waiting and too embarrassed to face his classmates as a jailbird, the impetuous youth leaves town, making it all the way to New Orleans.

No stranger to demanding work from the age he was old enough to walk, Conley uses his wits and street smarts to commandeer a hot dog cart and make some cash. But when a turf war and a near-fatal accident sends him back home, the resourceful teen faces a choice between staying in misery or once more striking out into a dangerous world.

Can this troubled young man ever find somewhere he can thrive?

Inspired by real events and told through cleverly crafted storytelling, Mary Ford depicts an adolescent who grew up impoverished and with minimal affection but still found the strength to follow his gut toward something more. As his journey takes him to Cincinnati, Chicago, and other far-flung parts of the United States, a lost young traveler ends up finding acceptance and hope in the one place he never expected.

Boy at the Crossroads: From Teenage Runaway to Class President is a warm-hearted coming-of-age adventure. If you like heroes overcoming adversity, vividly painted recollections, and stories of resilience, then you’ll love Mary Ford’s engaging tale. Boy at the Crossroads has won three literary awards: Gold 5-Star Award from the Historical Fiction Company; First-Place Award, Colorado Independent Publishers Assoc.; and Honorable Mention, International Book Awards.

Mary Ford is an award-winning journalist who spent twenty-eight years as the editor of two small-town community newspapers in Massachusetts: the Cohasset Mariner and the Hingham Journal. She met her future husband, Conley, in 1971 in California where she was teaching English, and has always been fascinated by his story.

When she retired at the end of 2018, Mary penned “Boy at the Crossroads: From Teenage Runaway to Class President” inspired by her husband’s youth. The book was published in 2021.

Conley and Mary were married in Los Angeles and were featured on the Newlywed Game with Bob Eubanks. After their first appearance, the popular couple was asked back for the Newlywed Alumni Game. They came in last both times. Their incompatibility lasted for nearly fifty years. With Conley’s job transfers, the couple lived in California, Japan, France, Missouri, Minnesota, England, Illinois, and Massachusetts.

 “Boy at the Crossroads” is Mary’s first novel. You can visit her website: maryfordedit.com