Somerset County woman pens novella about two friends growing up in Hollsopple
Apr. 4—HOLLSOPPLE, Pa. — Growing up in Davidsville, Janette Gruss came from a large family, attended a Catholic grade school and graduated from Conemaugh Township Area High School.
As a child, Gruss always had the inclination to become a writer.
"Honestly, from the time I learned the alphabet and could read words somewhere inside, I knew I was a writer like it was a God-given thing," she said during an interview at her home in Blough. "In fact, going through some of my mom's drawers after she passed away, I found a lot of little poems I wrote in grade school."
After raising a family and retiring five years ago from a career in health care, Gruss pursued her dream.
Gruss published a short novellla in paperback titled "Coal Town Girls." The story centers on Joan and her friend Mary coming of age in a 1940s mining town.
Readers share Joan's struggles as she comes to terms with a father who has been absent until circumstances bring them together after he serves time for manslaughter. Joan's friendship with Mary helps carry her through.
The novella, published under the name Jan Goldyn, did not come together quickly. It began as a collection of articles written for the Conemaugh Township Area Historical Society. The articles explored the culture of Hollsopple in the 1940s.
"They were about my mom and her friend, who are the characters in 'Coal Town Girls,' " Gruss said.
"I remember them talking on the back porch," she said. "I would hear a lot of their stories when I was growing up. "They were lifelong friends and they would talk all the time about the things they did growing up."
The impetus for writing the book came after she joined the Scribes Writer's Group. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month at Mary S. Biesecker Public Library in Somerset.
"I was there one day and there was a flyer asking anyone who enjoyed writing if they wanted to join the group to critique, share and give advice to each other," Gruss said, "so I decided to go and it has been great for me."
Debra Kinney, a published author, started the writers' group six years ago. She called "Coal Town Girls" mesmerizing.
"It was so compelling I just wanted to hear more," Kinney said.
The story takes the reader back to Hollsopple of the 1940s.
"The words take you back in time and you hear the dialect they speak," Kinney said.
Gruss said she worked with River Styx, a St. Louis-based magazine that publishes poetry, short fiction and essays twice a year. Kathy Bratkowski, the magazine's contributing editor, helped Gruss put the book together.
"She was a wonderful mentor," Gruss said.
" 'Coal Town Girls' is evocative, the voice distinctive — literary fiction with beautifully atmospheric scenes," Bratkowski said.
Gruss said she is writing a prequel to "Coal Town Girls" focusing on the same characters.
"I'm really excited about that," she said. "I'm having fun. I've written several chapters.
"It wasn't until recently I decided to do a lot more writing because I never felt I had the time before," Gruss said.
Gruss finds it gratifying to have published her first book.
"I'm most proud that I decided to take the plunge and put my work out there," she said.
The 114-page, self-published novella is available on Amazon.com.
