Greg Dawson came to the Indianapolis Star in 2000, recruited  by his longtime buddy exec editor Tim Franklin.

For three years, the witty, irreverent Dawson was the voice of consumer advocate Herman Hoglebogle, an old chestnut created by the Indianapolis News and successfully revived by Dawson under Franklin's leadership.

But while Dawson was busy writing flip, sometimes sarcastic and always funny answers to readers' questions, he had a book in his head: the heroic and horrific story of his Jewish mother's life in Europe during the Holocaust.

Now, the former Indianapolis Star reporter -- one gets tired of writing those words -- is the author of "HIding in the Spotlight," published by Pegasus Books and available for $25, the story of his mother's life and times.

Former Star reporter Marc Allan -- again, the weariness -- breaks this story within a story in the current issue of NUVO, the altnernative newsweekly. Allan's piece, published May 27, notes, that Dawson first told the story to readers of the Bloomington Herald-Telephone when he worked there.

"'This is a stretch for me,' Dawson told Allan. "'I spent most of my career avoiding long-form narrative writing."

Dawson, who left Gannett in 2003 and works for the Orlando Sentinal in Florida, makes good copy. Read Alan's story at:

http://nuvo.net/news/article/greg-dawsons-happy-ending

And if you remain interested, you can hear him speak Aug. 6 at the Jewish Community Center -- details are in Allan's copy.