gifted black athlete, escapes Virginia, and with the help of a friend he
enrolls in the predominately white Bloomington High School in Central
Pennsylvania.
Set in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania, “One Grey Night It
Happened” recognizes the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of
Pennsylvania’s wilderness region.
Running from a notorious mountain clan, a young and defiant Jeremiah Willis
departs Arrowhead Mountain and enrolls in Bloomington High School. A black
transfer student and gifted athlete, Lucas Bradshaw, enrolls that same
morning.
The day before he enrolled, Lucas witnessed a school massacre in his Virginia
school, Robert E Lee Academy, and now is the target of a massive manhunt.
Sparks fly when Jeremiah and Lucas meet. They form an unlikely alliance and
become allies in the fight against bullies, racists, and corrupt officials.
The boys share a deep reverence for nature. When developers plan a
million-dollar Dream House on Arrowhead Mountain, Jeremiah and Lucas work
together to protect the forests. Suspense mounts at a torrid pace. Either
tragedy or triumph awaits Jeremiah and Lucas.
Michael Fields, now retired, taught and coached in both public and private
high schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, New York, and Southeast Asia
for thirty years. He has drawn on this experience to portray a “realistic and
sometimes explosive” school environment. In 1967 the author met John Steinbeck
in Northeast Thailand. John Steinbeck told him, “If you’re going to do this,
write about things you know, write about things you really care about. And
don’t quit your regular job.” Following Steinbeck’s advice, the author did
both.
