Author Steve Oskie will discuss his books, “Glassman” and “Mean Thoughts,” at the township library.
The Mullica Hill library will host author Steve Oskie at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, when he will discuss two of his books, “Glassman” and “Mean Thoughts.”
“His fiction work – ‘Glassman’ – contains more than 100 references to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore and is a classic in its approach to revealing transition points and influences,” said the library’s Head of Adult Services, Andrew Brenza, “whether they reside in family history and current relationships or new, frightening, and ultimately uplifting opportunities for change.”
The novel tells the tale of Mark Glassman in the year 1979, as the 25-year-old self-taught author tries to devise a course of study at a college while balancing two lovers, Teresa Devlin and Sarah Sloane. It is a sequel to “Mean Thoughts,” which finds Glassman seeking enlightenment in Philadelphia coffee shops, bars and nightclubs in the 1970s but instead finding the rules and wisdom offered by the streets.
According to Oskie’s website, the book was a semifinalist for the Peter Taylor Prize for the Novel, University of Tennessee Press in 2002.
Oskie’s stories draw inspiration from his own experiences, as both he and Glassman are college dropouts, according to the website, Open Books, who try to establish themselves as writers while working odd jobs and living in obscurity.
Along with his fiction books, Oskie was a ghostwriter for “You Only Rock Once: My Life in Music,” the autobiography of late Philadelphia oldies disc jockey Jerry Blavat. Oskie has also written screenplays that have been featured at movie theaters in Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and New York City.
Most notable is “Dead Meat,” a finalist for the Terror Film Festival’s screenplay competition in 2008, according to the author’s website. Oskie’s shorter fiction has appeared in “Textures,” “Pierien Spring” and other literary journals and he is the recipient of three playwriting awards from “Writer’s Digest” and a commendation from the Art Directors Club of Philadelphia.
Oskie’s appearance at the library is free to patrons but requires registration in advance on the GCLS website.
