Sewickley bookshop to host 'Pittsburgh Dad'
Yinz better get dahn to that Penguin Bookshop over in Sewickley this weekend.
Chris Preksta and Curt Wootton — co-creators of the hit Web series “Pittsburgh Dad” — will be visiting the local bookstore, located at 417 1⁄2 Beaver St., starting at 2 p.m. Saturday to debut their book bearing the same title.
Penguin Bookshop is hosting the Pittsburgh-native duo as its featured event in celebration of Saturday being national Independent Bookstore Day.
Preksta and Wootton will sign copies of their book during the meet-and-greet session for anyone who wants one — even readers who can't make it to the event.
Penguin agreed to ship signed copies anywhere around the country to those who preorder by calling the store or using the online ordering system.
“We have so many fans spread out around the world that can't fly in for the signing,” said Preksta, the show's director. “We wanted to figure out a way that they could still get an autographed copy.”
Wootton, the face of the “Pittsburgh Dad” character, said he finds it important to support the print medium, and with Penguin Bookshop being one of the few independent book stores left in the Pittsburgh area, putting this event together was a no-brainer.
Being an independent media group themselves made the connection even more appropriate, Preksta's said.
“Me, personally, I like to shop at independent and mom-and-pop stores,” he said. “We're the TV equivalent of a local hardware store.”
Penguin Bookshop owner Susan Hans O'Connor said she is excited about the chance to help local authors in the context of Independent Bookstore Day.
“One of the most important things independent bookstores can do is host and celebrate local authors,” she said. “It's a way to celebrate the success of local authors while recognizing the importance of independent bookstores.”
Although the book bears the Pittsburgh Dad moniker, the subtitle — “Everything Your Dad Has Said to You” — is a more accurate portrayal of the comedic content, which is relevant to readers in all regions of the country.
“It's not all Pittsburgh-oriented,” Wootton said.
“You'll find a lot of things in the book that any parent or grandparent across the country could relate to.
“It's exciting to get something with a more broad spectrum out there. It gives you time to sit back, relax and read through to find some comedy we couldn't fit in the show before.”
Gary Horvath is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at ghorvath@tribweb.com or via Twitter @GHorvath_Trib.
