Page Turners: Retired Beaver County musician's debut novel mentions local landmarks

(Page Turners is a monthly look at new book releases by Beaver Valley authors).

"Across a Border"

-- by Bill Pate

A retired musician, music teacher and music retailer, Pate incorporates detailed Beaver County history, chronicles pop music from the 1960s and 1970s, and weaves a tale of supernatural mystery in his debut novel.

The plot synopsis: "After a successful quarter-century as a musician and record producer, Bobby Sawyer learns that his first musical partner and mentor is terminally ill. Bobby returns from his home in Florida to his original hometown of New Brighton to say his farewells. Wishing to do more for the dying man who did so much to pave his way to success, Bobby learns of an ancient Haitian spell handed down from runaway slaves who passed through western Pennsylvania almost 150 years earlier. The spell restores Bobby's mentor to life, but in resuscitating his friend, Bobby alters not only his own existence, but changes the rest of the world, as well."

Local readers may recognize lots of landmarks and businesses and may even find similarities between characters in the story and the real-life folks who inspired them, Pate said.

A New Brighton native, Pate developed DRUMTRAIL, an award-winning educational program that he presented over 1,500 times throughout a five-state region. His career culminated with the design and implementation of a music therapy program for Gateway Rehabilitation Center, enabling him to assist hundreds of patients find their spiritual path to 12-step recovery. Most recently, he was invited by the New Brighton Historical Society to serve as a conductor for its Underground Railroad Walking Tours.

Pate will host an "Across a Border" book launch and signing at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at Row Press on Insurance Street in Beaver.

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As a musician, Pate played in the bands Papala Dee, Herde, LoosEnds, Hot Grits, W.C. and Gold Rush, The Zoo, Silverado, The Skeeter Hill Band, Three Way Street, Big Jake & the Phat Cats and BP3 (The Bill Pate Trio). He also owned Brighton Music Centers throughout much of the 1990s.

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This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Page Turners: Retired Beaver County musician's debut novel mentions local landmarks