MCC Alum and Lowell-Native Publishes Book

Lowell-native David Moloney published his book “Barker House” in April 2020. A Middlesex Community College and UMass Lowell alum, he now lectures in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. Before becoming an author, Moloney worked at Valley Street County jail in Manchester, N.H. – his time there inspired him to write his book.

Moloney’s original concept for the book was to write non-fiction based on his experience, but feedback from friends helped him develop his writing into a novel. Characters and storylines are somewhat based on his real-life experiences, with necessary changes to protect the people he knows and to make the overall story more interesting.

While some of the content can be dark, Moloney said he infused his stories with some light-heartedness and humor so each chapter can feel like a fresh start. “Barker House” offers the point-of-view of nine different narrators over the course of a year. Some perspectives have multiple chapters, others disappear or return as secondary characters.

“I wanted to use that structure because that’s how prison works,” Moloney said. “People come and go, it’s a revolving door. I did it that way because it’s a novel in stories – each chapter is its own story but when you read it all together, it’s another larger story. You can read one chapter and still be satisfied, or you can read the whole book and it will come together.”

While working at the jail, Moloney took classes at Middlesex to get an associate degree in Liberal Arts. He had started at another college a decade before, but the credits expired. With a baby at home, his goal was to finish his education as quickly as possible and MCC helped him get there.

“I did the MassTransfer program,” he said. “It guaranteed that my credits transferred to UMass Lowell – that was mostly what I was concerned about. I was 26 and I didn’t want to feel like I was wasting any time. That program guaranteed that every minute I spent on campus would be used towards a four-year degree. It was a seamless process.”

When he first got to Middlesex, Moloney thought he would be the oldest in the classroom and that he wouldn’t fit in. He soon realized there were other students in their 60s and 70s and age didn’t matter. It also wasn’t a problem that it had been 10 years since he was first in school. MCC made him feel comfortable and set him up for success.

“The teachers are great [at MCC] and they understand a lot of the students are working a lot of hours, working third shift, they’re showing up to class in uniform or they have young kids,” he said. “That’s the kind of thing you get with community colleges and Middlesex – professors and adjuncts and support staff at community colleges just know the students they have and the support they need.”

MCC professor Emeritus, prison activist and accomplished writer Jean Trounstine taught Moloney’s English Composition courses. According to Moloney, they would talk about his experiences working in the prison – and still continue to meet and talk about writing every few months.

Trounstine also inspired his decision to teach at the college-level. Now as a lecturer, Moloney believes in promoting a classroom that is welcoming and inclusive, rather than intimidating. Although he was nervous to start at MCC, the culture on campus and the support from his professors put him at ease – and that’s how he wants his own students to feel in his classroom.

“You shouldn’t feel lucky to pass a class,” he said. “I think Middlesex and the way the teachers approach their classes, they understand what college is supposed to be. It should be a learning experience and it should set you up for your next plan in life.”

It’s this culture of openness and success that helps Moloney teach a course ­– on MCC’s Lowell campus – for the Lowell court system called Changing Lives through Literature. The course gives people in the court system an opportunity to read and discuss literature. Many of those who finish the course may see a reduction in court fees or time on their probation.

“A lot of them reluctantly take my class because they hate reading or they haven’t read a book in a long time, and then by the end they wish they could take more classes or read more books,” Moloney said. “We read a book and we talk about the characters’ actions and what they could have done better or differently and I can see them thinking about themselves within the character and within the book.”

Reading helps people learn about different people and perspectives, according to Moloney.

“A lot of times when I see people with hateful comments or rhetoric, I always wonder if they read good literature about characters that don’t look like them,” he said. “I feel like if we just read more, if we just allowed ourselves to see what other people experience, that would help a lot.”

Moloney also reads a lot in order to work on his writing process. He lists authors Jack Kerouac, Charles Bukowski, Tim O’Brien and William Faulkner among his favorites. Moloney suggests to read books outside of a normal comfort zone and to just write and see where it goes.

Every day, Moloney writes about 500 words – enough to flesh out a story but not too much that his writing starts to feel rushed. But developing the story doesn’t stop when he stops writing – he’s always thinking about his characters and working through ways they would react in particular situations. The people and the places he writes about are inspired by the Merrimack Valley – his home and what he loves.

To students, he also advises they continue taking classes so they don’t have to pause their education, despite any circumstances that may arise.

“I love Middlesex,” he said. “And especially during this time, I think community colleges are going to be a smart move. Do your first two years at a community college instead of going to an expensive university online. It’s smart to be cost-effective with the same quality of classes.”

MCC is celebrating its 50th year starting in September 2020. If you have ever taken a class at Middlesex, you are an alumni! To join us in celebrating – and to share your story – contact Amy Lee, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at 978-656-3028 or leea@middlesex.mass.edu. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/alumni/ for more information.

To register for classes, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434. Summer Session 3 is five weeks and starts on July 7. Fall Semester will start on September 9.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!