Bliss

Bliss was modeled after the north Texas town of Lewisville. The hilarious characters readers meet throughout the book can be found in "Everytown, USA." The rural hamlet that is Bliss sits in mesquite-infested fields about 30-miles north of Dallas.

Disenchanted residents of the big city flock to Bliss in the early eighties to escape the congestion and frustration of living in a burgeoning metroplex. The traffic nightmare of commuters clogging I-95 on their way to and from jobs in Dallas add to the frustration of Bliss's swelling population.

In 1986, Ross Ryan has returned to his roots in north Texas fresh from four-years of frolicking as a ski bum in Winter Park, Colorado. Desperate for a job he accepts a position with the Bliss Health Department as summer help. His job description includes driving around the growing hamlet in an obsolete cop car sending notices to home and business owners to mow tall grass and weeds, clean up unsightly material, and remove inoperative vehicles. Ross feels like the mother of the entire city imploring her children to clean up their messes.

At the end of his summer stint, Ross is offered a full-time position with benefits as a health inspector, if he agrees to attend training paid for by the town. With no better prospects Ross signs on and his career with the Bliss Health Department spans seven years.

Ross encounters old-school operators of food service establishments that often greet him with, "I didn't know Bliss had a health inspector," as he puts his newly learned knowledge from the Texas Health Department to the test in an often hostile and uneducated environment. The results are gut-busting funny. When Ross is promoted to Assistant Fire Marshal the rollicking laughter continues for another three years.

Everyone who has experienced the antics of a small town will enjoy Ross's views from the inside of Bliss City Hall. Join Ross as he takes on small-town politics, headstrong business owners, and greedy corporate outsiders during the explosive development of Bliss.