Fred Sokol will share his latest novel Silverbirch Summer.

April, 18 years of age, leaving her Long Island home for the Catskills late in June of 1965, yearns to spread her wings. She adored the boy next door, Richie, the best friend with whom she’d played basketball forever and, for the past six months, her serious romantic crush. April’s girlhood hero was Bob Cousy, the so-called Houdini of the Hardwood. She was wearing the Celtics jersey her mom had sewn for her. April never had a security blanket but she would always treasure the Cousy.

Between her senior year of high school and first year of college, April imagined a sweetly innocent upcoming couple of months: a time to find herself. She would quietly reminisce about her childhood and even of the recent senior prom.

April saw herself teaching swimming and basketball shooting techniques to little boys and girls. Then, during August, she would prepare for the next adventure.

Little did she anticipate that this would also become a summer of choice: three very types of men caught and captivated her. Suddenly and unexpectedly, April’s emergence as a young woman simultaneously thrilled and perplexed her. How could she possibly make a decision?

Silverbirch Summer reflects upon April’s girlhood and youth while primarily exploring her coming of age during July and August of 1965. It has appeal for adult readers and those a bit younger as well. Told through a young woman’s voice, it is memory fiction.

Fred Sokol, in semi-retirement, writes novels and plays, including the novels, Destiny, Mendel and Morris and the scripted work The Forever Boys and The Lewis Sisters. Fred also continues to review professional theater in Connecticut and the Berkshires for talkinbroadway.com. He co-authored Muses in Arcadia: Cultural Life in the Berkshires. Fred enjoyed four decades as a community college and college professor—and directed 45 theater productions. Fred and his wife, Betsy, live in Longmeadow, Massachusetts.