By Kayla Evans
for the Opelika Observer
“The Girl Whose Laughter Reminds Me of Clarions” is a story of lifelong love between Bobbie and Jim, who meet at the age of five.
J. Dunlap wrote a classic southern gothic novel with over 700 pages full of strong family ties, religious beliefs and incorporated supernatural experiences.
Bobbie, talented in music with an exceptional voice and pitch, proclaims that she and Jim would be married someday. Their time in the early teenage years is rough as they go through many tough trials and struggle with the difference between good and evil.
With Jim’s love for poetry and art, the two later start a business with the little money they have, but shortly after, they separate. During this time, Jim begins to grow the company.
After eight years apart, they marry and begin to enjoy their life together and the wealth they gained from the business.
While having the life they always wanted by raising children and donating to charities, they begin to hold meetings to tell people of their hardships. Bobbie turns the meetings into concert tours.
The entire book shares the story of two people who explore free will, good versus evil and the nature of God.
J. Dunlap began writing the book in 2016 and wrote a little bit every day for a year. The next few years consisted of editing and rewriting parts of the books. On May 1, 2020, the book was published.
“It’s a story about good and evil, but it’s also a love story and has supernatural love,” J. Dunlap said.
Born in 1941 in Abbottsford, he grew up in a small Georgia community. His family has lived there since the 1820s, and he fell in love with the place and the nature that surrounded him. As a philosophy major at Auburn University, he found his love of philosophy and later moved to Lee County with his wife.
“The Girl Whose Laughter Reminds Me of Clarions” can be purchased on Amazon at www.amazon.com/GIRL-WHOSE-LAUGHTER-REMINDS-CLARIONS/dp/B087CVXTCF.