A. Tom McCoy

Most of my life was spent in Bakerton Pennsylvania, a small coal mining town in the soft coal region in the center of the state. I worked ten years as an underground coal miner in a local mine. An injury forced me out of the mines so I returned to Penn State University. One of my English professors commented one day that "you should write a book." I understood him to mean that the book was a writing assignment so I wrote the first draft in about three weeks. (I am a bit hard of hearing) The professor, when handed the manuscript, told me that he had not meant it literally but I left the rough manuscript at his request. When I returned to his office several days later, I heard the most god-awful commotion that included a roaring laugh,a crash and more laughter. When I looked into the open door of his office, the professor was sitting on the floor red faced with tears streaming down his face. My precious manuscript was scattered about him on the floor. After he had composed himself, he said I should have the manuscript proof read and published. I had no idea how to go about that so it was then that the real work started.