Sandy Alfaro Crusader staff Lidia Hook-Gray is a realtor, a local historian, and now an author. Hook-Gray recently published a pictorial book titled “Liberal and Seward County,” composed of photographs, historical maps, and journals relevant to the Seward County area and nearby areas like the Oklahoma Panhandle. She will have a book signing on Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to noon in the SCCC cafeteria. The signing will be part of the Sunday brunch served that day, and all of the community is invited to attend. Although Hook-Gray had been collecting historical documents for many years, she was contacted by Arcadia Publishing in November 2010 to turn her hobby into her first book. Hook-Gray was hesitant when they first told her about the opportunity because she was new to the book publishing world. She recognized that there were many unused photographs with great stories behind them — stories that no one would know about unless she published them. She agreed to become the author of “Liberal and Seward County” and had fun with the project. Arcadia Publishing then quickly sent her the outline of what she needed to do. She began her work in November 2010 and worked up until February 2011, when the book was completed. Many of the photographs she owns are used in the book, as well as a few from the Seward County Historical Society. Hook-Gray is very satisfied with her completed book and the process she went through to have it published. “It was a brand new experience,” Hook-Gray said.