Transitional Period

Anthony Rizzo’s girlfriend Andy has just broken up with him. He’s a few months away from finishing his undergraduate degree in psychology, a feat which has taken him somewhat longer than the allotted four years. The fact that he is adhering to a strict regimen of drugs, alcohol, and sleepless nights isn’t helping matters. As he himself is quick to point out, he is in no hurry to join the job market and the “real world.” Anthony has become disillusioned, if not disgusted, with college, and with Pittsburgh, where he has spent the last twenty-two years of his life. Despite his self destructive behavior, he will graduate in a matter of months…and he isn’t quite sure what will come next. Transitional Period is an examination of the current college lifestyle. It deals with some extremely difficult subject matter frankly and honestly, including socially accepted binge drinking, drug use, and the complexities and duties of friendship. It is in turns funny, painful, and thought provoking, and sometimes all three simultaneously.

Steven Finkelstein was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Walnut Hills High School, graduating in the spring of 1999. He moved to Pittsburgh later that same year, attending Point Park College until 2002, at which time he transferred to the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated from Pitt in April of 2004 with a B.A. in English Writing. He has written several books, a screenplay, a comic book series, and many short stories and essays. Over the past few years he has had stories featured in a wide variety of different publications, both online and in print, here in the U.S. and abroad. Since late June of 2009 he has resided in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Megan.