April 22, 2019
English Professor Publishes Concluding Book in Fantasy Trilogy
PITTSBURGH, April 22, 2019 – Dr. Joshua D. Bellin, professor of English at La Roche University, published the final novel in his Ecosystem Trilogy on Monday, April 22. Titled “House of Earth, House of Stone,” the novel concludes a series that began with “Ecosystem” and “The Devouring Land.”
The trilogy is set on a future Earth in which the physical environment has mutated into a collective sentience known as the Ecosystem. Human beings, including teenage narrator Sarah, fight for survival in a world where Nature is aggressive, unpredictable, and deadly.
“Writing this trilogy has been a dream of mine for many years,” Dr. Bellin said. “The series combines two of my lifelong passions: fantasy fiction, and environmental advocacy. ‘House of Earth, House of Stone’ was published on Earth Day, and that reflects my belief that fantasy fiction can be relevant to the global environmental issues we face today.”
Dr. Bellin joined the La Roche faculty in 2000, and teaches composition and literature. One of his most popular classes, “Literature of the Environment,” offers students the opportunity to learn about environmental writers such as Henry David Thoreau and Pittsburgh native Rachel Carson, as well as to explore their own relationship to the natural world. “We go outside for class a lot,” Dr. Bellin said.
To celebrate the completion of the trilogy, a launch party will be held at Riverstone Books in McCandless Crossing on Tuesday, April 30, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature a reading from the novel, refreshments, and books for signing and sale.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts university in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers 66 undergraduate programs of study, six master’s degrees and one doctoral degree, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential university provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,400 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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