Rod Olson released his second book detailing his upbringing in Black Lick. (HALO Publishing)

By Josh Imhof, Indiana Gazette

Rod Olson hasn’t lived in Black Lick since graduating college. Now a successful retail consultant, he lives in New York City but often finds himself thinking back to his childhood home.

“I often say you can take the boy out of Black Lick,” he said, “but you can’t take Black Lick out of the boy.”

These memories culminated into the creation of his second book, “Little Brothers and Other Observations,” which he released in March 2025. In it, Olson recounts stories of his upbringing that dive into the nuances of his family and other aspects of day-to-day life.

These lessons shaped his perception of the world and helped guide him through a new chapter of his life in New York, something that wasn’t always easy.

“It was a bit of a transition,” he said. “It was a different lifestyle, a different way, different people.”

He would recall the words of his mother and father during this time, with phrases like “you’re not competing against anyone but yourself,” leaving a lasting impact on him.

Originally, Olson kept these writings private, quietly reflecting in hotel rooms between cities.

“It’s a form of relaxation for me,” he said. “I wrote for myself. I kept journals.”

It wasn’t until he started researching the history of his hometown that he considered publishing.

During the 20th century, Black Lick was one of Pennsylvania’s coal mining hubs, attracting many immigrants looking for work in the industry. Olson’s grandfather was one of them, settling from Italy.

After a deep dive, Olson reached out to Linda Goodlin, one of the authors who he had read, to ask her some questions about the topic. It was Goodlin who prompted him to send his writings to her publishing company, something Olson had few expectations for.

“It was kind of novel to me,” he said. “I don’t anticipate. I don’t hope. I just wait and see.”

On many occasions, he has received messages from people who have relived their own childhood memories as they read, from experiences at school to time spent with grandparents.

Others who did not have as close a connection with their family also found comfort in his words, like one woman whose family did not celebrate holidays.

These interactions have left a lasting impact on the Black Lick native.

“My heart was touched. I conveyed something that gave them pause,” he said.

Olson has continued to write and has not ruled out the possibility of publishing again.

“If I do another one, I hope I can touch them again.”

Josh Imhof is a student at Duquesne University and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns.