For Neil Connelly, a faculty member in the English Department at Shippensburg University, school board meetings became an unexpected source of inspiration for his latest book, Slubber Doffers.
Connelly had been serving as a member of his local school board when the COVID-19 pandemic changed the tone of public meetings. Residents began speaking more freely about their frustrations, concerns and personal hardships.
“I’ve always been interested in voice and how different narrators use language,” said Connelly.
As Connelly served on the board and listened to residents, he began to wonder what was happening beneath the surface of their lives. This curiosity fueled his storytelling and became the foundation for the novel Slubber Doffers told through public-comment speech at school board meetings in the fictional Pennsylvania town of Salvation Station.
Released on September 15, the book follows the town’s residents throughout the school year. Their meetings cover a cryptic sinkhole in a school athletic field, the death of a beloved crossing guard, school traditions, local history and conflicts involving race, gender and politics.
Slubber Doffers provides readers with a close look at the people behind the microphones. “Everyone has their own story,” Connelly said. Each speaker arrives at the meeting with their own public persona, but their rants gradually reveal their private lives and struggles.
The book’s title refers to Salvation Station High School’s mascot. Historically, a “slubber doffer” was a worker in an old textile mill, whose job was to remove full bobbins/spools of yarn from spinning machinery. Since the work required reaching into tight spaces inside machines, the job was often given to small children.
In the novel, a character challenges the mascot’s legacy, arguing that it makes light of the injuries suffered by children. The debate becomes a part of a larger discussion about the traditions a community protects and the stories it tells about itself.
The book features nine recurring voices and approximately a dozen other characters who speak at board meetings. The main characters include an academic, a conspiracy theorist, a New Age advocate, a high school student seeking recognition and other familiar community members.
Connelly emphasized that he wants readers to look beyond their first impressions of the characters in the story, as well as the people they encounter in their day-to-day lives. “I think we’re all complex,” he said. “As Walt Whitman said, we contain multitudes.”
The sinkhole in the athletic field serves as a major plot point in the story. What begins as a problem that forces an athletic team to find a new practice location becomes more serious when a dog emerges carrying a suspicious bone. The mystery of the sinkhole and the death of a crossing guard then coincides with the stories of the town’s residents.
Connelly describes the book as a character-driven novel rather than a traditional murder mystery. The heart of the story comes from discovering who each of the main characters truly is.
Slubber Doffers also implements elements of humor. Connelly shared that humor is a part of his daily life, both in his teaching and writing. In the story, it helps make serious issues more approachable. The result is a satirical yet empathetic portrayal of each of the characters.
“I hope the book speaks to the value of every life,” Connelly said.
In addition to his work as a professor and an author, Connelly serves as the faculty advisor for The Reflector, Shippensburg University’s literary journal, sharing the role with his colleague Dr. Santalucia. He is also the Keeper of the Writers’ Lighthouse at Ship, a free resource for high school creative writers. Beyond maintaining the website, Connelly visits six to eight high schools each semester to discuss writing, publishing and the Scholastic Writing Contest, where he serves as the contest’s regional director for Southcentral Pennsylvania.
Slubber Doffers is now available for purchase through several major booksellers, including Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1967022259?lv=shuf&psc=1&source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&channelId=520&ref_=bing_fplfs&plpRedirect=mhFallback
