John Mahoney, a former Vineland High School for 25 years and Cumberland County College teacher for 15 years, has published his first novel, A Quart Jar of Peaches, now available from amazon. com or Barnes & Noble.

Better know for his international wine education seminars, the author of seven prior books (mostly about wine) has now written a memoir about a young boy growing up in South Jersey, near Vineland. It takes place during the summer of 1956.

“It’s a great winter read,” said Mahoney. “The book can be read three ways, straight through, then after a break from it, a re-reading of just the sub-chapters, and thirdly, a reading again but skipping all the sub-chapters.”

Mahoney adds that both young and old will find things to contemplate in the story. It’s told through the eyes of a 12-year-old who wishes that time would stop, and that summer would go on forever without ancy changes to him, his friends, or his family. He sadly learns about death.

Mahoney writes mostly about wine and its civilizing factor, but said the challenge of writing a novel that everyone can enjoy was a task that he’d put off for too long.

“I hope the book will be the first in a series covering the life and adventures of the book’s central figure. Growing up around Cumberland County has given me a full bank of experiences to draw upon.”

Mahoney also noted that all profits from his books go into scholarship funds.