State Library of Pennsylvania Virtual Author Talk:
Joel Burcat discusses his latest book, Strange Fire

Date: March 23, 2022   12 Noon – 1 PM
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Join this virtual author talk to meet and hear from author Joel Burcat.  The author writes environmental thrillers set in Pennsylvania. State Library staff will facilitate a Q and A after the program.

In Strange Fire, a fiction novel, frackers have invaded Pennsylvania and round-the-clock operations conducted by Yukon Oil and Gas at their snake-ridden Campbell pad may have poisoned a residential well and threaten a town’s water supply. Who is contaminating water wells in Bradford County? Why are contractors disappearing? Mike Jacobs, a 29-year-old impassioned environmental lawyer with Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, is back in this romantically charged environmental legal thriller about fracking and drilling for natural gas.

State authorities say the drilling did not cause the contamination. The neighbors have sued, and Mike must defend the state. Because of the unique nature of the case, Mike finds himself on what he considers the “wrong” side, defending a position in support of the drilling company. Mike begins to suspect the neighbors are right and must get to the truth of the matter while he can do so. Mike works closely with a geologist, Missy Shelton, who becomes more than merely his co-worker. As their feelings for each other grow, danger lurks for them both.

About the Author:   Joel Burcat is a Harrisburg resident, novelist and environmental lawyer. His award-winning debut novel, Drink to Every Beast, about midnight dumping, was the first in his series of Mike Jacobs environmental legal thrillers. His second published novel, Amid Rage, about a war over strip coal mining, was the next in the series and was released on February 2, 2021. It has also won several literary awards.  His third novel, Strange Fire, was released on February. 2, 2022. All three of his novels have been published by Headline Books, Inc.

Visit the author’s website to learn more.