Cochran, Bill

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Cochran, Bill

Personal

Born in Baltimore, MD. Education: Attended Menlo School and Occidental College.

Addresses

Home and office—Dallas, TX. E-mail—bill@thebillcochran.com.

Career

Writer, creative director, and comedian. Richards Group, Dallas, TX, creative director, 1993—. Ad Libs, performer, beginning 1997.

Writings

The Forever Dog, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.

Sidelights

Bill Cochran's children's book The Forever Dog was inspired by the passing of his golden retriever, Mo, who died of leukemia in 1994. On his home page Cochran discussed how the decision to write a memoir honoring his beloved pet came about. "I was on vacation in California and I remember looking out across the ocean on Pacific Coast Highway and clearly still feeling like Mo was somehow still with me," he recalled. After completing the first draft of his story, Cochran shared it with friends and family members, and the positive reaction he received convinced him to try publishing the work as a book for children. As the author explained, although the book was rejected at first, it ultimately found a publisher through a chance encounter with a children's book editor and was released in 2007.

The Forever Dog follows the friendship of young Mike and his dog Corky. Mike and Corky develop a deep friendship that involves long walks, naps together, and shared secrets and jokes. The boy and his dog eventually make a plan to be together forever, but their plan is shattered when Corky dies unexpectedly. The dog's death causes Mike to go through a series of emotions ranging from anger to sadness. However, the boy eventually comes to terms with his pup's death when he realizes that Corky has never really left him. Julie Cummins, reviewing The Forever Dog for Booklist, noted that Cochran's debut is a "compassionate story that will help kids cope with a pet's death and death in general." Likewise, School Library Journal reviewer Lee Bock commented that The Forever Dog has "much to offer to children … because of its sensitive treatment of loss."