East Pittsburgh Downlow
A former welder turned community college professor, Sellick Hart narrates East Pittsburgh Downlow, the story of people who struggle to pay their bills but know they want a better life. The characters are waitresses, UPS employees, and bartenders. They are former professional athletes and drug dealers with dreams. They are students of all ages. Everyone understands that now is the time to make their dreams come true. Every day, the world is a little uglier. Every day, you get paid a little less. Sellick wants to write a literary novel about the people he teaches, students who work full-time while taking classes in Air Conditioning & Heating Repair. Sellick knows about careers. He grew up in dives and trailers, attended university on a wrestling scholarship, and graduated with a useless English degree. He spent years welding on bridges, eventually publishing western novels under the name Montana Jones. East Pittsburgh Downlow is the story of Sellick’s mom who refuses to grow old. It’s the story of Megan, the student that wants to date Sellick. After the class where Megan turns in another brilliant story, Sellick answers a call from his former wrestling coach Lawrence Riggins, the greatest heavyweight collegiate wrestler of all time and a former all-pro guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Riggins is five minutes out of jail. He needs a ride, a friend, and to get off drugs. Everyone is on drugs, what you score and what doctors prescribe. Brandon, a student who only writes violent satires, may be off his medication. He may be carrying a gun. Fat Bill, a former student, has joined the Marines, only he’s a pacifist. He’s thinking of going AWOL. If so, he’ll need counsel. John Grisham, the lawyer who shares a name with the writer who publishes legal thrillers, is available when he’s sober. Pittsburgh’s most famous citizen, Mr. Rogers, said “In times of crisis, look for the helpers.” East Pittsburgh Downlow is the story of the helpers. It’s the story of the helpless and people desperately trying to help themselves. In more than 600 pages, lives will change and end and people will be re-born. Families will be saved. Love will find love because that’s what love sometimes does.