Three and a half years is about how long it took former Wylie East High School teacher Mr. Rod McCall to write his book “For the Love of Eryk.”

Mr. McCall, held a book signing at Conversations Coffee Bar Nov. 12, from 5-8

p.m. This is the first time for Mr. McCall to publish a book and have a book signing.

“I met fantastic people who helped me publish my book,” Mr. McCall said.

He divided the book into two parts. In the first half of his story, he wrote about his journey through the divorce process, where he and his ex-wife battled for custody of their child, Eryk.

The courts ultimately granted McCall full custody of Eryk, removing all parental rights from his ex-wife. In response to the decision, she left the courthouse and proceeded to take the lives of both her son and herself.

“It was hard reliving these bad memories while writing the book,” Mr. McCall said. “I want Eryk’s story to get out to people.”

The second half of the book is about research that has been done on Parental Alienation by big name researchers as Richard Warshak, Craig Childress, Amy Baker and multiple others. It contains other people’s stories and advice as well.

In trying to get Eryk’s Law passed, it originally called for a child to be taken into Child Protective Services while the custody trial takes place. McCall believes this could have saved his son’s life.

“Eryk’s story shows what can happen when one parent tells the child to only love one parent, because that is what happened to Eryk,” Mr. McCall said.

Several students helped Mr. McCall to get this law to pass, but they faced roadblocks with the original plan, and are now pushing for 50-50 co-parenting, where parents would split time with the child equally during the divorce process.

“For the Love of Eryk is bigger than a book. It is bigger than Rod. It is bigger than Eryk,” Mr. McCall’s former student, Nikki Culver, said. “It’s a man who poured his heart out into the pages of this book to prevent another family from having to experience the pain he did.”

McCall says he found strength and courage to help other people, while he himself had hit rock bottom. He hopes to help many young people by sharing Eryk’s story.

“Writing my story and sharing it was very therapeutic and a way to cope for me,” Mr. McCall said. “The important thing to remember is that no matter what happens, there is always good to find.”

To purchase Mr. McCall’s book For the Love of Eryk visit fortheloveoferyk.com.