WELL READ Magazine August 2023

TheCuriousLivesofNonprofitMartyrs

by GeorgeSingleton

CelebratedSouthernauthorGeorgeSingletondeliversanew collectionofshortfiction,brilliantandabsurd,forfansofGeorge SaundersandTomFranklin Arestaurantownerrunsintotroublewhenhiswifestartsawellintentioned,poorlynamedroosterrescue.Aboynavigateshis parents'splitbetweenastretchedphonecordandafloodedseptic tank.Adrunksequesteredinthemiddleofnowherewakesupto findatractorparkedinhisdriveway.AndinabigCadillac,a grandfatherandagrandsonandawaywarddoghittheroad, searchingforalifenotdownloadable,normeasuredin bandwidth. Looselylinkedbycharactersandthemes, TheCuriousLivesof NonprofitMartyrs followsshystersandschemers,filmbuffsand futureornithologists,unlikelydo-gooders,andthemenwho makeupVeteransAgainstGunsinNorthAmerica,alldoingthe besttheycanwithwhattheypossessinsmartsandcunning.With Singleton'ssignaturecomicflair,thesestoriespeerthroughthe peepholesofsmall-townSouthCarolinaintothelivesof everydaymartyrs--prodigalsons,waywardfathers,andallthose whoarealittleofeach.

"LegendarySouthCarolinaabsurdistSingletonweighsinwith anotherrollickingcollection....ASouthernoriginaladdstohis galleryofSouthernoriginals." --Kirkusstarredreview "Singletondeliversanoffbeatcollectionfilledwith Southerneccentrics....Singletonlightsupthecolorfulandodd situationswithwitandverve.Southernfictionfanswillhavea blast." --PublishersWeekly

GeorgeSingletonhaspublishedtwelvebooks,including These PeopleAreUs;TheHalf-MammalsofDixie;WhyDogsChase Cars;Novel;DrowninginGruel;WorkShirtsforMadmen;Pep Talks,Warnings,andScreeds;StrayDecorum;BetweenWrecks; Calloustown;StaffPicks;YouWantMore:SelectedStories. He hasalsopublishedovertwohundredstoriesinmagazinesand journalslikethe AtlanticMonthly,Harper'sOneStory,Playboy, GeorgiaReview,Zoetrope,North AmericanReview,Story,LitMag, SouthernReview,Mid-American Review,FictionInternational,The Quarterly,CarolinaQuarterly,Agni, OxfordAmerican,VirginiaQuarterly Review,FivePoints,BlackWarrior Review,Subtropics,TexasReview, and GlimmerTrain.HelivesinSpartanburg SC.

Echoes:or,TheInsistenceofMemory

by TomShachtman

Available8-22-23

Ell,amillennialofEuropeanandMexicanheritage,hasone humorouschildren'sbookpublished,buthermoreseriouswriting projectsarestalled,herboyfriendhasdumpedher,andsheis deeplyfrightenedbyarecurringdream.Tosolveherproblems,she delvesintofamilymysteries-CivilWar-eraslaveholding,madness, andtheftofartifacts.Thekeytoall,previouslyunknowntoEllbut remarkable,isafemaleConfederatewarriorancestorwhose recurringnightmareechoesherown.Bytracingbothoftheir dreamstoancienttimes,andbyusinginsightsfrommodern genetictheory,Ellsolvesthemysteriesandenablesherselfto moveforward.

"Ell'sownsearchingidentitymergeswiththatofherrediscovered WarriorPrincessasthenovelmovesbeyonditscharactersto explorehowournotionsofhistoryandmemoryarecomprisedof aninfinityoffragmentsthatinterrelateinmanyways."

-KennethKnoespel,poetandprofessoremeritusinhistoryand literature,GeorgiaTech

PraiseforTom’sfirstnovel, MemoiroftheMinotaur:

“Arompingconfessionalriffontheclassictale,aportraitoftheartistas ayoungbull.Shachtman’srolickingproseweavesmythologyintoa grippingyarnandgivesantiquity’svoicelesscelebritymonsterasoaring humanheart.”—CharlesGraeber,NYTbestsellingauthorof TheGood Nurse and TheBreakthrough.

“Afineread.Exciting,entertaining,witty.Evenmore,arare experience.Despitethebloodandgore,thebookresonateswith wonder,andlingersinourmindsforweeksafterward.Its conclusionsaregenerousandthoughtful.A‘classics’challengefor readersthatstunsuswithitsbraveryandhumor.Ilovedit.”— JohnNeufeld,authorofinternationalbestsellers Lisa,Brightand Dark, and EdgarAllen.

“…athoroughlyengrossingrompfromstarttofinish,withahealthy dollopofmythologyandancienthistorythrownin!” Helen SeslowskyofOblongBooks&Music

“TomShachtmanisaword-master;ifyouareafanofNeilGaiman orSalmanRushdie,youdon’twanttomissthisbook.SeldomhaveI writtenareviewinwhichIcanquietthevoiceofthecriticwhile losingmyselfinthestory.AsIreadTheMemoiroftheMinotaur, thatcriticalvoicewasveryquiet;IamnotexaggeratingwhenIsay theproseissonearlyflawlessthatwemayaswellcallitperfect…” ReviewbyCatherineBeeman

TomShachtman haspublishedfortybooks.Hishistoriesinclude TheDayAmericaCrashed,SkyscraperDreams,AbsoluteZeroand theConquestofCold,and TheFoundingFortunes;hissocial analyses, Rumspringa and TheInarticulateSociety;non-fiction children’sbookssuchas GrowingUpMasai; andaneclectictrilogyofshortnovelsabout sealions, Beachmaster,Wavebender,and Driftwhistler.Hisaward-winning documentarieshaveairedonABC,CBS, NBC,PBS,andBBC.Heholdsdegreesin experimentalpsychologyandindramaand hastaughtwritingatNYUandlecturedat Harvard,GeorgiaTech,theLibraryof Congress,Stanford,andotherinstitutions.

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tofindoutmoreaboutthe authorsandcontributorsyou seehere.Lotsofgreatextras likereviews,events,personal stories,thingstocelebrate, andopportunitiestowinfree booksdirectlyfromthe authorsineachissue!

“WritingmakesthedaysmattersoIstartwithwriting.That said,thispastyearwasanexception.Thelogisticsofhaving threebookscomeoutinatwelve-monthperiodleftnobrain spaceforcreativity.”

MandyHaynesinterviewsauthor,blogger, andfriendtoeveryoneshemeets, CynthiaNewberryMartin,followedbyher essay-HOWWESPENDOURDAYS

WhenIstartedwriting,IhadnoideathatIwouldmeet somanysupportiveandencouragingpeople.Writerswho arereaderswhobecomefriends,likeDarrelynSaloom, whoImetwhenshewroteareviewforoneofmyshort storycollections.Iwasblownaway,butthatwasonlythe beginningofhersupport.ThroughDarrelyn,ImetCynthia whenshecontactedmetoseeifI’dbeinterestedin writinganessayforherblog,CatchingDays.Me?Would Ibeinterested,shootyeah!Iwasoverthemoon!When youreadCynthia’sessayfollowingtheinterview,you’ll seewhy.Icouldn’tbelieveshe’dreadmystories,much lessincludemeonherblog.Butthat’swhatwritersdofor eachother-andnowit’smyturntoshinealighton Cynthia.Letmeintroduceyou!

, LoveLikeThis,and TheArtofHerLife.Herfirstnovel, TidalFlats,wontheGoldMedalinLiteraryFictionatthe 2020IndependentPublisherBookAwardsandthe14th AnnualNationalIndieExcellenceAwardforFiction.Her websitefeaturestheHowWeSpendOurDaysseries,over adecadeofessaysbywritersontheirlives.Shegrewup inAtlantaandnowlivesinColumbus,Georgia,withher husband,andinProvincetown,Massachusetts,inalittle housebythewater.Herthirdnovel, TheArtofHerLife, wasreleasedinJuneofthisyear.

CynthiaNewberryMartin istheauthorof TidalFlats

CynthiaNewberryMartin

Ihavesomecatchinguptodo!IlovedCynthia’snovel, TidalFlats,somuchIcouldn’tstoptalkingaboutitfor weeksonceIfinished.ThisisthereviewIleftwithin minutesofclosingthebook: “TidalFlatsismuchmore thanastoryaboutmarriage.IlovedthisnovelbyCynthia NewberryMartinandcouldn'tputitdown.Ireaditintwo sittingsbecauseIwasfullyinvestedinthecharacters.I HADtoknowhowCasswouldcometotermswithher buriedsecret,howfarEthanwouldgotorepairthe damagehecausedtotheirmarriage,thefateoftheFates andHowellHouse,andifCasswouldfindthecourageto trustherselftomaketherightchoices.Life-andmarriage -isfullofcompromises.IfoundmyselfnudgingCass towardsfindingherselfandcheeringheronwithevery turnofthepage.WelldoneCynthiaNewberryMartin!”

ThereweretimesIwantedtohugthemaincharacter’s neckandtimesIwantedtowringit.Maybebecauseshe wassorealandherstorywassobelievable.AndThe Fates!Ineverwantedtowringtheirnecks.

Somanyinterestingcharacters,Ihadtoask,“Whowere yourfavoriteonestowrite?”

“Whoweremyfavorites?TheFates.Thethreeolder womenwholiveatHowellHouse—(Cora)May,Lois,and Atta.IcreatedthemfromtheclothoftheGreekFates— Clotho(whospunlives),Lachesis(whomeasuredlives),

CynthiaNewberryMartin

andAtropos(whocutthemshort).IgaveMayknitting needles;Lois,ameasuringcup;andAtta,scissors.And thentheirrealpersonalitiestookover.Beforearrivingat Howell,eachlivedadifferentkindoflife—twowere married,onehadchildren,onehadneitherspousenor child.Eachiswiseinherownway,”Cynthiaanswered. “Whowasthehardest?”

“ThemaincharacterCass—she’ssoprivateandprefers tokeeptoherself.Untilthe2018revision,shewasa writer,butthatversionofthenoveljustdidn’tsing.It wasn’tuntilIgotheroutofherapartmentandoutinthe worldreadingtoMaythatshewasabletobeallthatshe couldbe.Whoknew,”laughedCynthia.

Eventhough TidalFlats isthefirstpublishednovel,it wasn’tthefirstoneshecompleted.

“Ittooksixyearsfromfirstwordsonthepageto publicationforTidalFlats.IstartedthisnovelinJanuary of2013andwasworkingonthepublisher’seditsin Januaryof2019beforeitwenttopress.Ifinisheditthe firsttimein2015(sointwoandahalfyears).Myagent sentitoutbutcouldn’tsellit.Overtheyears,Imadea numberofbigrevisions,thelastbeingin2018.

Actually,Iwrote LoveLikeThis beforeIwrote Tidal Flats

.Istarteditasmyyoungestoffourwasstartinghigh schoolwhenIcouldfinallyseethefinishlineoftheempty house.AndthenIthought,whatwouldbetheworstthing

thatcouldhappennow.Ha.

Ittookthirteenyearsfromfirstwordsonthepageto publication.ButIwrotethenovelinthreeyears.Thisone wastheeasiesttowrite.Onlyonebigrevisionin2018 whenIchangedfromthreepoint-of-viewcharactersto two.”

Wow…twonovelsfinalizedinthesameyear!I wondered,didshehavethestoryalreadybrewingforher thirdnovel, TheArtofHerLife?

Cynthislaughed,“Haagain.Thisnovelisactuallythe firstnovelIeverwrote.Istarteditinthelatenineties whenIdecidedIwantedtobeawriter,andIlearnedhow towritebywritingit.”

“Howlongdidittaketocomplete?”

“Twenty-fiveyearsfromfirstwordsonthepageto publication.IworkedonitfortenyearsbeforeIfeltasifit werefinishedenoughtomoveontothenextthing.And thenIwouldre-readitovertheyearsasIfinishedeachof theothernovelstoseeifIstilllikeditandtomakethe writingbetterasIbecameabetterwriterandtochangecar phonestocellphones…”

“Werethereanysurprises,lessons,ordiscoveriesyou madeaboutyourselffinishingyoursecondnovel?”

“IwrotethesecondnovelwhileIstillhadakidinthe house.WhenIre-readitbeforepublication,Iwasshocked athowtrueitwas,”answeredCynthia.

CynthiaNewberryMartin

“Whataboutafterfinishingyourthirdnovel?”

“Thisisthenovelmyagentsignedmeon—shelovedit butcouldn’tsellit.AlthoughIwishithadbeenpublished eonsearlier,I’malsogladitwasn’t.Thisisthemost complexofallofmynovels,andIdon’treallythinkIwas agoodenoughwritertotellthisstoryuntilnow.

Unbelievablytome,Ireviseditagoodbitafteritwas acceptedforpublication.EvennowIseeplaceswhereI couldmakeitbetter.

MyeditoratFomitepushedmetowritesomenew scenes,andthosearesomeofthebestinthebook.Andthe ending,Ichangedthatquiteboldlyatthelastsecond— afterIreadthenoveloutloudandheardtheclunkatthe end.”

“Youhavesuchafulllife-howdoyoufindtimeto write?”

“ThequestionisnothowdoIfindtimetowrite;it’s howdoIfindtimetodotheotherstuff…Writingmakes thedaysmattersoIstartwithwriting.Thatsaid,thispast yearwasanexception.Thelogisticsofhavingthreebooks comeoutinatwelve-monthperiodleftnobrainspacefor creativity.SolastMay,whenitwastimetostart developmentaleditson TheArtofHerLife andthenon LoveLikeThis,Istoppedworkingon TheGloveFactory, mynovelinprogress.Icurrentlyhaveaself-imposed deadlinetogetbacktoittheTuesdayafterLaborDay.

WhenIlastworkedonit, TheGloveFactory wasabouta librarianturnedprivateinvestigator(marriedanddivorced threetimes)whoreturnstotheCapeCodtownwhereshe usedtolive—whichleadsheronaquestfortheplaceof thepastinthepresentandtheneedtomakepeacewithall herpastselves.”

“Whoisyourfirstreader?”

“MyfriendKarenNelsonwhoImetinmyfirstwriting groupbackin2007.She’sawriterherself,aswellasthe co-founderoftheliterarynonprofitWritingbyWriters.”

Timeformyfavoritequestion.“Isthereonebookthat youcanrememberthatmadeyouwanttobecomea writer?”

“Yes,thereis,thankyouforasking!EllenGilchrist’s TheAnnaPapers becauseoftheboldvoice.Also,Anne Tyler’s LadderofYears forthestoryandJamesSalter’s LightYears forthewriting.I’vealwaysbeenareader,but whenIwaspregnantwithchild#3,practicinglawbecame onethingtoomuch.ForthesixyearsIwasathomewith thekids,readingconnectedmetotheoutsideworldandto otherwomenwhowerethinkingandfeelingthesame thingsIwas.Whichfeltlikesomeonehadthrownmea liferope.Insteadofgoingbacktocreatingwillsandtrusts Iwantedtothrowtheropetoothers.Soitwasreallyall thewritersIwasreadingintheninetieswhomademe wanttowrite—BarbaraKingsolver,AnneLamott,Ann

Patchett,JosephineHumphreys,KayeGibbons,Margaret Atwood,ElizabethBerg,AnneRiversSiddons…I’m leavingoutsomany.”

“Whoareyoureadingnow?”Mysecondfavorite question.

“GeorgiawriterGingerEagerandKentuckywriterKaty Yocom—lookingforwardtotheirnextbooks.Loved, loved,loved Homestead byAlaskawriterMelinda Moustakis.LastweekIrereadAnnGoethe’s Midnight Lemonade publishedin1993—addhertothatlistabove. Overtheweekend,IreadHeatherNewton’s The Puppeteer’sDaughters,whichIloved.Andnextupisa rereadofCarolShields TheStoneDiaries alsopublished in1993—anothertoaddtothelistabove—andareadof SariBotton’s AndYouMayFindYourself…Confessionsof aLate-BloomingGen-XWeirdo.”

Andmythirdfavorite.“Whoisyourfavoriteauthorof alltime?”

“EllenGilchrist.I’veread,andstillhaveonmyshelf, alltwenty-threeofherbooks(minusthepoetry).AsI mentioned,Ilovehervoiceandalsotheway,whenshe waswriting,thathercharacters’liveswouldspillintonew storiesandbooks.SuchpleasureinfindingRhodaand NoraJaneagainonthepage.”

“YouliveinGeorgiaandMassachusetts-whichhome doyouprefertowriteinoristhereadifference?”

“OMGyesthere’sadifference.Ha.IgrewupinAtlanta butmovedtoColumbuswhenIgotmarriedthirty-eight yearsago.Forthelastthirty-threeyearswe’velivedina largehouseinthesuburbswhereweraisedourfamily.I’m readyforasmallloftdowntown,butmyhusbandlovesthe house,whichisnestledupagainstthewoods.

Provincetown,inMassachusetts,ismyfavoriteplaceon earth.ThisiswhereIcameaftermylastchildleftfor college,andI’vebeencomingonceamonthsinceJanuary of2013.IrenteddifferentplacesforyearsuntilIrented theone-bedroomcottageonthewaterwhereIam currentlysitting.”

“Tellusabout50Bookstores,50Writers,50Books.”

“WhenIfoundoutthatinadditiontothereleaseofthe TidalFlats paperbackonJune14,2022andthe publicationofmysecondnovel, LoveLikeThis,onApril 4,2023,mythirdnovel, TheArtofHerLife,wouldbe publishedonJune6,2023,IwantedtodosomethingBIG tocelebrate.

Afterall,Ihadwaitedalongtimeforthis.Istarted thinking…Igetalotofenergyfromachallenge.Iasked myselfwhatthehardestthingwasaboutbeingpublished byasmallpress…Gettingthewordout.SoIthought, whataboutaneventineachofthe50states…AndthenI thoughtbutnoonewillcomebecausenoonewillknow you.SothenIthought,joinwithalocalwriter.Andthen

CynthiaNewberryMartin

brainstorm,alocalwriteralsoofasmallpressbook!

Thiswasrightasthepandemicwassettlingdownbut peoplewerestillnotbackinbookstores.SoIthoughtlet’s celebratetheseindiebookstoresandencouragepeopleto comeonout.So…I’monabooktourtovisitatleastone indiebookstoreineverystate,totalkwithreadersnotjust aboutmybookbutalsoaboutthebookofalocalauthor alsopublishedbyasmallorindiepress.

ItisFANTASTIC—beinginmagicalbookstores, meetingallthesewritersinperson,andreadingamazing booksIneverwouldhaveknownaboutotherwise.”

So,doyouseewhyIsaidCynthiaisafriendto everyoneshemeets?Wehaven’tevenscratchedthe surface.Justwaituntilyoureadheressay, “HowWe SpendOurDays”.

HOWWESPENDOURDAYS

AliceElliottDark spendsherdaystakingbathsand hopingforanswers. EricNguyen startshisdaysatfiveam withoutanalarm.Inthewarmermonths, KiriePedersen livesinatentonacliffhighabovethewateronthe OlympicPeninsula,writinginaseriesofdailysessions shecalls“ticks.”

Intheearly2000’s,whenblogswerealltherage,I vowednottostartoneuntilIhadapublishedbook.Years wentby,friendsstartedblogs,andIwasstillworkingon myfirstnovel.Oneday,Iwashavinglunchandlearned thatyetanotherwriterfriend withoutabook wasstartinga blog.

Despiteneverdoinganythingwithoutdeliberation,in lessthantwenty-fourhours,myblogwasupandrunning. Icalledmybrotherandaskedhimforthenameofhis websiteguy.ThewebsiteguytoldmetouseWordPress.I choseatheme.ThenIneededaheaderandremembereda photoI’dtakenoflittlecottagesoutsideofProvincetown.

Ialsoneededaquote.TapedtomydeskwastheAnnie

Dillardquote,“Howwespendourdaysis,ofcourse,how wespendourlives.”AndIneededaname,soIpulledthe AnnieDillardbookoffmyshelfandfoundthequoteand keptreading.“Ascheduledefendsfromchaosandwhim. Itisanetforcatchingdays.”

“CatchingDays,”Ithought,andtypeditin. ItwasThursday,September4,2008,andIkeptgoing, writing myfirstpost.Here’sabitofit.

AnnieDillardalsowrites,“Thereisnoshortage ofgooddays.Itisgoodlivesthatarehardto comeby…alifespentreading–thatisagood life.”TodayI’mreadingSavingAgnesbyRachel Cusk.Itwasthe1993WinneroftheWhitbread FirstNovelAward.Unfortunately,theWhitbread Awardshavegonethewayofstadiumsandare nowreferredtoastheCostaBookAwards,asin thecoffee.

Idecidedthattogetthebloghabitstarted,Iwouldpost everydayforamonth.

IalsodecidedIwouldmakeupfornothavinga publishedbookbymentioningabookineverypostI wrote.

Sixmonthswentby,andIwasstillwritingposts.Iwas alsonoticingthatsomanyoftheblogsIreadinvitedguest

bloggerstowriteapost.Iwantedtodothattoo,butI wantedsomethingalittledifferent.

Backintheseventies,mypassionwasFranceandall thingsFrench.IlivedinToursforayearteachingEnglish toFrenchhighschoolstudents,andeachweekIlooked forwardto Elle magazine.ThefirstpageIturnedtowas alwaysthecolumndedicatedtoadayinthelifeofa woman.Headsofcorporations,housekeepers,mothers, salesclerks—eachweekadifferentwomanwroteabout howshespentherdays.

Writers,Ithought.

Iemailedmyfriend PamHouston,whoImetafter takingoneofherclassesattheFineArtsWorkCenterin Provincetown,andaskedherifshe’dbethefirstguest writer.OnAugust1,2009,Pamwroteaboutoneofher days.

Thedaybeginsatfirstlightwhenmyyoungest wolfhound,Liam,singsasong.Hethrowsback hisheadandhowlstogreettheday.Itsoundsa littlelikeadonkeyandalittlelikeanelephant… SometimesIcangobacktosleep,butmoreoften thannotIgetupandreadtoeaseintotheday.

ThisweekitwasMargaretAtwood’snewone, anotherreviewforOprah. TheYearofThe

Flood….adystopianfuturewhereeverythingis

screwedupallthankstomenandtheirpenises. VerydrollinAtwoodfashion.Incredibleworld building.

OnSeptember1,2009, DaniShapiro,whoImetwhenI tookaclassfromheratSirenland,wroteaboutoneofher days.

Attheendoftheday,familyliferesumes.The threeofushavedinner–casseroleleftoversfrom aMoosewoodCookbookrecipeforMichaeland me,chickenfingersandpastaforJacob–andat thistimeofsummer,aRedSoxgameisalmost alwaysontelevision.“Mom,didyouseethat? Mom,lookatthatcatch!”Iglanceupfrommy iPhone,jugglingthecompetinginterests.These yearsofhavingayoungchildathome,of domesticlife,ofwritingbooks–theseyearsare fullandrichandcomplicated,andevenasthe hourspassbytoofast,IknowonedayIwilllook backatthemlongingly.

Myplanwastostartwithbiggernamestohelpreaders findCatchingDays,butmyultimategoalwastohighlight lesser-knownwriters.AndIfigured,bycontinuingto invitebignameseveryonceinawhile,readerswould

comelookingforthemandhopefullyhangaroundtofind therestofus.Iwantedonewritertoleadtoanotherwriter toleadtoanotherone.

OnDecember1,2012, DanChaon,whoImetwhenhe wasaguestlectureratVermontCollegeofFineArts, wroteaboutoneofhis“days.”

Ihatewakingup,andIavoiditasmuchas possible.Ihaveactuallybuiltmyentirelife aroundnotdoingit.Ihavearrangedmyteaching schedulesothatIdon’thaveanyclassesuntil afternoon,andIhavetrainedmydog,Ray Bradbury,toignoretherisingsunandtheringing ofneighborhoodchurchbellsandthechirpings ofnastylittlebirds.

Toelicitthedetailsthatconnectusaspeople—walking thedog,takingthekidstoschool,pilesoflaundry—I askedeachguesttowriteaboutaparticularday,whichof coursemightincludewritingormightnot.Whatcounted wasthattheywereawriter,andwhatwewantedtoknow washowtheyspenttheirdays.

DawnTripp contactedmeaftershereadareviewI wroteofanotherbookoverat ContraryMagazine.On March1,2013,shewroteaboutoneofherdays.

[T]hismorningat5a.m.,itisthereaderwhois withme,inthechairbesidemychairdownstairs atthekitchentableinthehalf-darkofthehouse. AsIbegintowriteintothisnewscene–an exchangebetweenafamousartistandhersister–IamkeenlyawareofhowIwantthereaderto feeltheintentbehindthemomentIamdrafting. It’soddlyexhilaratingtowritethisway.Youare fiercelydeterminedtomovethisstrangerwho youhavenotmet,whoyoumightnevermeet,to leadthemthroughyourvisionforastory,andto bringthemtosee,tofeel,tobemovedbythese linesofpencilortypeonapage.

At6,theclockchimesand,asalways,it’sa smallstruggletoputmymindbacktogether,and shiftgears.Iwakeupmyboys,fixbreakfast, packlunches,glanceatthenews,getthekids dressedandwrappedintheircoatsandoutthe doortothetruck.

Until2017,inadditiontotheessayandfourphotos(one ofthewriterthatisnotaprofessionalphoto,oneinsidethe house,oneoutsidethehouse,andoneofwhatever),Ialso askedeachwriterthesamethreequestions.

1.Whatisthebestbookyou’vereadinthelast fewmonthsandhowdidyouchooseit?

2.Wouldyougiveusonelittlepieceofwriting advice?

3.Whatisyourstrangestreadingorwriting habit?

Butin2017,awriterpointedout,ifyou’reawriter,you likelyhavelotsoffriendswhoarewritersandsometimes youhavelotsoffriendswhohavebooksoutatthesame time,andthatquestionputsawriterinabadspot.Which madesense.Soin2017,Ibrainstormedotherquestions andnowtrytomixthingsup.Althoughrecently,I’ve returnedtotheobsession/habitquestionasoneIaskeach writer.

2017wasalsotheyearofanotheroneofmyfavorite essays—thatof JerichoParms,whoispartofmyVCFA writingcommunityandtheauthorof LostWax:Essays.

Herdaybeginswiththisparagraph:

Inthemorning: Mycoffeetastesweak.Outside thegroundisstillbarebutthetreesarecoming backtolife.Budsdabblethebranchesin

chartreuseagainstthedampfog.LastnightIfell asleepreadingNellieBly,andIwokeupthis morningthinkingofoneofherfamiliar

exclamations:“Iwanttobeontheothersideof theworld!”It’snotevenfullylightoutwhenI realizethiswillbeoneofthosedayswhenI battlemyself.

Fromthere,Jericho’sessaymovesnonlinearlyto Onmy writingdesk,Intown,andatonepointto Ifthiswere anotherday.

In2012HowWeSpendOurDaysfeaturedlong-time friend,commenter,andsupporterofCatchingDays, DarrelynSaloom,whoIthinkIfirstmetonTwitter. DarrelynwroteaboutoneofherdaysinNovember.

Sunshinepeeksthroughbedroomcurtains,but thenakedfloorboardsarecold.Isliponapairof socks,putonthekettle,andcomfortmy traumatizedalarmcat.Shefollowsmeontothe backdeckwhereIwatchmyhusbandpusha wheelbarrowfromhorsestallstobarn.ThenI hearthetractorcrankup,andthemorningis mineforwritingafterIwalkthedog.

Yearslater,DarrelynsuggestedIread Sharpasa Serpent’sTooth by MandyHaynes,thecreatorandeditor ofthismagazine.Ilovedit.AndinNovemberof2021

Mandywroteaboutoneofherdays.

Buttodaywillbespentonthephonewitha weddingcoordinator,acalltothevenuewhere theweddingwasheld,andaconversationwith thenewbride.Theselastfewmonthshavebeen hardonallofus,butthey’vealsotaughtme somevaluablelessons.Ashumans,wehaveto beabletogowiththeflow.Aswriters,well,we shouldneverturndownanopportunitytoheara story.Payattention—therearecharacters everywhere.

Alsoin2021,inDecember,oneofthetwenty-five MacArthurFellowsfor2022contributedadayfromhis life—thewonderful J.DrewLanham,whoImetvirtually whenhetaughtataWritingbyWritersworkshop.

AsIwritethisessay,IconsideragainthatIhaveno submissionprocess,althoughI’vebeengivingthatsome thought.Itrytopromotevoicesthatneedtobeheard.Itry topromotewriterspublishedbysmallandindiepresses.I trytoinvitewriterswhosebooksIlove.Ienjoyinviting writersImeetalongtheliteraryroad.Sometimes publicistssendmebooksinthehopesI’llinvitethewriter todoapost.Writersthemselvesoftenemailaskingifthey

canwriteapost.ButIhavetoliketheirwork.Ihaveto likethewriting.Intheend,Idoliketherandomnessof howitallfallstogether.

WhenIfirststartedtheseries,Iwrotetotwoofmy literaryheroes—AnnieDillardandEllenGilchrist—and eachonewrotemeback,alovelyletterdecliningmy invitationtowriteaboutoneoftheirdays.ButTHEY WROTEMEBACK.

GingerEager isaGeorgiawriterImetthroughthe GeorgiaWritersorganizationwhodidtheGeorgia50-state bookstoreeventwithmeandwhoIfeaturedinNovember of2022intheHowWeSpendOurDaysseries.Inoticed thediversitystatementshepostedonherwebsiteand askedherifIcoulduseitonmywebsite.

Iamcommittedtodiversity,equity,kindness, andinclusion.Thesevaluesdemandlifelong learning.Ifyouexperiencesomethingonthis websiteorinmysocialmediapresencethatdoes notsupportmyintentions,pleaseletmeknow.

AndI’velearnedalotthroughtheyears.Forone,no matterhowbusyIamorhowpressedfortimeorhow smallthechangeis,ifIwanttoeditanotherwriter’s words,Iwilltakethetimetoask.Imet RebeccaMakkai at Ragdale,andshewroteanessayfortheseriesbackin

Novemberof2013.Iwasrunningshortoftime,andI madeaneditwithoutdoublechecking.AndIknewbetter. Iapologized.Shewasgracious.AndIrestoredthepassage toherbeautifulwords.ButIstillfeelmortifiedaboutit, happytoknowIwon’tmakethatmistakeagain.Here'sa littlepieceofRebecca’sday.

Thedaystartswithmydaughters,newlythree andsix,screamingaboutaballoonthey’veboth laidclaimto.Myhusbandhasfedthem breakfast,andasIemergefromtheshower,he dropstheminourroomsohecanheadtowork. Theydecidetheywantto“dothetwist”onthe bedroomrug,astheydidyesterday.The problem:yesterdayIsangthemtheSamCooke songaboutthetwist—butnow,asIsearchthe closetforsomethingtoteachin,allIcan rememberis“Let’sDotheTwist”and“Let’s TwistAgain,”neitherofwhichisright,Iknow. Andmykidsknowittoo.Imanagetodressand locateaSamCookeCDandloadthegirlsinto thecar.Wefindthesong(“Twistin’theNight Away”—ofcourse!)andIgetamoment’speace.

Ialsowanttoapologizeto ChristopherCastellani every timeIseehim.ImetChrisatareadinginMarchof2013.

HesaidhewouldwriteaboutoneofhisdaysfortheMay 2013feature.Butthenhegotbusywithaconferencefor GrubStreet,andMay1cameandwent,andIhadnever notpostedonthefirstandsoIdidn’tsaynoproblemget toitwhenyoucan.Isaid,I’venevernotpostedonthe first.Hestayeduplatethatnightandwroteit.Iposteda daylate.Andlifewenton.Iapologized.Hewasgracious.

By9:00Iwalktothecoffeeshoparoundthe corner,whichcharges$2.75forasmallcupof hotwaterpouredslowlyandlovinglyover grounds.It’smoreofacaress,really,whatthey dotothosegrounds.ItmakesmesohappyI almostdon’tmindthe$2.75.Ifindatableinthe atriumnexttoanoutlet,setupmylaptop,and stumblethroughthedarkalleyofmynew novel’sfirstchapter.BesidemeisTennessee Williams’sMemoirs,whichIkeeppickingupfor inspiration.Whenthebaristaisn’tlooking,I’ll sneakabiteofthepeanutbutterandjelly sandwichI’vehiddeninmybag.Threeanda halfhoursgetsmeafewpotentiallyworkable lines,someideasI’lllikelyshootdown tomorrow,andmaybehalfascene.Itoldyou:a perfectday.

SometimeafterJuly1,2014—maybeJanuary1,2015— Istartedpayingwritersasmallhonorarium. Fenton Johnson,whoImetasafriendofafriend,explainedthat payingawriter,evenalittlebit,showsrespectfora writer’swordsandrespectforanauthor’sworth—two thingsIcertainlywanttoshow.Here’sanexcerptfrom Fenton’sday.

IwaswalkingwithPamHouston,thehuman, andIhadbeencomplaining.Non-Southernersdo notrealizethatsouthoftheOhioobjectingtothe natureofrealityisjustaconversationalmode–a wayofmakingaparticularkindofmouthmusic thatisnotintendedtocarryanylarger implicationsaboutthespeaker’stemperamentor frameofmind.Manyofthemostlight-hearted SouthernersIknowarethemosteloquent complainers.Someofthemfindtheirwaysto becomingwriters.

In2019,whenmyfirstnovel, TidalFlats,cameout,I movedthe HowWeSpendOurDaysseries tomynew website.Atthesametime,Idecidedtostopembeddingthe photosintheessaysandtoincludethemaspartofa slideshowattheendofeachessay.Littlebylittle,I’m updatingtheformatofolderessays.

AnotherbigstepcamethispastJanuarywhenIalso startedpublishingtheserieson Substack.Nowmore readerscanfindandenjoythelatestessays. Subscriptions areavailabletoo.Andallessays,includingtheolderones, arestillavailableonmywebsite,whereyouwillalsofind acompletelistofwritersbydate aswellasalphabetized byfirstname.

ThefirstessayintheserieswaspublishedonAugust1, 2009.AsIwritethistoyou,themostrecentessaywas publishedonAugust1,2023.That’s169daysinthelives ofwriters—steppingstonesofdaysfrom2009tothe middleof2023.

WhenIstartedtheseries,Ineveranticipatedthepeace thatwouldcomefromhavingrecordedthedayofawriter whoisnolongerwithus.I’dliketoleaveyouwithalittle partofadayfromthewonderful RichardMcCann,whoI metwhileIwasatVermontCollege.

Nowthattimehaspassed,Iwriteaboutthese momentspiecebypiece—Iwriteslowly,inthe summer,say,atYaddoorlyingbythepool.My practiceonidealdayslikethese?First,a morninglatte.Thenwriteathickparagraphor two.Takeawalk,whilerevisingandmemorizing

thesentencethatIbelievewillcomenext.Have asecondcoffeeatastreetcafé.Lookaroundat thepassers-by,realizinghowluckyIamstillto bealive.Gobackhomeandwritestuffdown—

enoughstufftogivemetheconfidencetokeep movingforward.

“CynthiaNewberryMartin'snewnovelis aboldtranscendentmeditationondesire, memory,motherhood,andthepowerof arttoremakealife.Ilovedthisbook.I couldnotputitdown.There'saspare lyricgracetoMartin'swriting,andin thisstory,shecapturesthenuancesof ordinarylife-whatweloveandfearto risk,whatweloseandachetohold.The ArtofHerLifeisarare,exquisitework offiction.”-DawnTripp,authorof Georgia,anovelofGeorgiaO'Keeffe

TheArtofHerLife CynthiaNewberryMartin

"LoveLikeThisisanastonishment.The novelcomesonlikeaquietexploration oftheemptynestsyndrome,butquickly deepensintoanexplorationoffemale identity,desire,andtheutter unpredictabilityoflove.Cynthia

NewberryMartin'sproseisconfident, precise,and,whenrequired,asboldas abillboard.Thestoryshe'scrafted shockedanddelightedme."

Steve Almond,authorof AlltheSecretsofthe World

LoveLikeThis

CynthiaNewberryMartin

"CynthiaNewberryMartinisa tremendouswriter,withaWoolfiantalent fortakingthefullmeasureofsmall moments.Herworkisbothsubtleand revelatory,andI'vebeenwaitingalong timeforthisbook."—RebeccaMakkai authorof TheGreatBelievers and Music forWartime.

TidalFlats

CynthiaNewberryMartin

WHATAREYOUREADING?

WHATAREYOUREADING?

MurderUnderaWestern Moon byAbigailKeam

MonaMoonandhernewhusband, RobertFarley,DukeofBrynellethare abouttoboardanoceanlinerto MerryOldEnglandfortheir honeymoonwhenMonareceivesan urgenttelegramfromRupertHunt, hereyesandearsintheMooncopper mines.

POTENTIALRIOTATMONTANA MINESTOPDEADMINERSTOP POSSIBLEMURDERSTOPCOME ATONCESTOPRUPERTHUNT

SincethecopperminesarethefinancialbackboneofMoon Enterprises,Monahasnochoicebuttodropherplansand traveltoMontanaonthenexttrain.SheandRobertdescend intoaworldofseethingresentments,bitteraccusationsagainst MoonEnterprises,andbaddecisionsthatposeathreatto Mona’sworld.Shetravelsincognitotosearchoutthetruthof Rupert’sallegationsagainsttheminingmanagement.She mustdecideifRupertistryingtopreventaninnocentman frombeinghungformurderorifheispartofagrandioseplot againsther.Afterall,MonahadbeenkidnappedbyRupert whilesearchingfortheSwiftsilvermineayearago.Rupertis ascoundrel,butMonahiredhimtobeherscoundrel.Isthis anotherofRupert’sgames?Regardlessofthethreat,Mona mustgettothebottomofit.ThankgoodnessRobertisbyher side...orcouldRoberthavehisownagenda?

TheSmuggler'sDaughter by Claire Matturro

RaySlaverson,aworld-weary Floridapolicedetective,hashis handsfullwiththemurdersoftwo attorneysandathirdsuspicious death,allwithintwenty-fourhours.

Raydoesn'tbelieveincoincidences, buthecan'tfindasinglelink betweenthedeadmen,andheand hispartnersoonsmashintoan investigativestonewall.

KateGarcia,Ray'sfiancée,knowsmorethansheshould. Shehelpedoneofthedeadattorneys,justhoursbeforehe tookabullettothehead,studyanoldnewspaperinthe librarywheresheworks.Katemightbetheonlyperson stillalivewhoknowswhathewasdiggingup-exceptfor hiskiller.

WhenKatestartstryingtodiscoverwhat'sbehindthe murders,sheturnsupdisturbinglinksbetweenthethree deadmenthattrackbacktoherfamily'stroubledpast.But shehasplentyofreasonstokeephermouthshut.Her discoveryunleashesacat-and-mousegamethatthreatens tosinkherandthoseshelovesinahightideofdanger

TheBestoftheShortest: ASouthernWriters

ReadingReunion Editor: SuzanneHudson with Joe Formichella and Mandy Haynes

Featuringstoriesby: MarlinBarton+Rick Bragg+SonnyBrewer+ DougCrandell+PiaZ.

Ehrhardt+DavidWright

Falade’+BethAnn

Fennelly+JoeFormichella

+PatriciaFoster+TomFranklin+RobertGatewood

+JasonHeadley+JimGilbert+FrankTurner

Hollon+SuzanneHudson+JoshilynJackson+Bret

AnthonyJohnston+AbbottKahler+DougKelley+

CassandraKing+SuzanneKingsbury+Bev

Marshall+MichaelMorris+JanetNodar+Jennifer

Paddock+TheodorePitsios+LynnPruett+Ron

Rash+MichelleRichmond+DayneSherman+

GeorgeSingleton+RobertSt.John+Sidney

Thompson+DanielWallace+DarenWang+James

Whorton,Jr.+MacWalcott+KarenSpears

Zacharias

“Thiscollectionisquitepositivelyonfirewithhumor andheartache,darknessandlight,andcountless blazingturnsofphrase.Anessentialadditionto everySouthernreader’scollection.Ihaveknownand admiredafairnumberofwritersinthesepagesfora longtimebutseeingtheirworkalltogetherlikethis fillsmeupwithlove,love,love.” —MichaelKnight, Eveningland,winnerofaTrumanCapoteAward,a NYTimeseditor’spick,andaSouthernBookofthe Year (SouthernLivingMagazine)

PUBLICATION:NOVEMBER18,2023

TheBystanders by Dawn Major

ADYSFUNCTIONALFAMILY SEEKSADO-OVERINA QUAINTTOWN,BUTIN ADDITIONTOPACKINGUP THEIROWNPERSONAL DEMONS,THEYDISCOVER THELOCALSAREN'TSO WELCOMING.

TheBystanders payshomageto

Americana,itssmall-towneccentricities,andtherural peopleoftheNorthernMississippiDeltaregionof SoutheastMissouri,auniqueareaofthecountrywhere peoplestillspeakPawPawFrenchandhonorOldWorld traditions.

"Intelligent,humorous,andsublimelyoriginal...amaster tapestryofruralMissourilifeinthe1980s..."-Robert

Gwaltney,awardwinningauthorof TheCicadaTree

"FlanneryO'ConnorandEudoraWeltymoveover,thereis anewvoiceonthestage,DawnMajor'sfirstnovel,The Bystanders,isabouttoentertheranksofSouthern Literature."-J.M.White,Authorof PullingDownTheSun and TheBeyondWithin

Tell-TaleBones:ASarah BoothDelaneyMystery by CarolynHaines

CarolynHaines's Tell-Tale Bones marksthenextnovelin theseriesthatKirkusReviews characterizesas"Stephanie

PlummeetstheYa-Ya Sisterhood"featuringsassy Southernprivateinvestigator SarahBoothDelaney.

PrivateInvestigatorSarahBoothDelaneyandherpartner

TinkieareinSheriffColemanPeters'soffice,consulting Colemanaboutcoldcases,whenElisaReddstormsin withacaseofherown.ShewantsColemantoreopenthe investigationofhermissingdaughter,LydiaReddMaxell, theheiresstoalargefortunewhodisappearedalongwith herfriendBethanynearlysevenyearsago.Lydiaand

Bethanywererumoredtobeworkingashumanrights organizersabroad,butElisasuspectsLydia'sproblems mighthavestemmedclosertohome.NowLydia's husband,Tope,issettoinheritthefortune,andElisa believeshe'sbehindthedisappearance.

TheCicadaTree by Robert Gwaltney

Thesummerof1956,abroodof cicadasdescendsuponProvidence, Georgia,anaturaleventwith supernaturalrepercussions, unhingingthelifeofAnaleise Newell,aneleven-year-oldpiano prodigy.Amidstthisemergence, darkobsessionsarestirred, uncannygiftsprovoked,and secretsunearthed.

DuringavisittoMistletoe,aplantationownedbythe wealthyMayfieldfamily,AnaleiseencountersCordelia MayfieldandherdaughterMarlissa,bothofwhom possessanotherworldlybeauty,alinealtraitregardedas thatMayfieldShine.Awhisperandanactofviolence perpetratedduringthisvisitbyMrs.Mayfieldallconverge tokindleAnaleise'sfascinationwiththe Mayfields.Analeise'sburgeoningobsessionwiththe Mayfieldfamilyovershadowsherownseemingly, ordinarylife,culminatingindangerousgamesand manipulation,settingoffachainofcataclysmicevents withlife-alteringconsequences-allofitunfoldingtothe maddeningwhirofacicadasong.

RedClaySuzie by Jeffrey

DaleLofton

Anovelinspiredbytrueevents

Thecoming-of-agestoryof Philbet,agay,physicallymisshapenboyinruralGeorgia, whobattlesbullying,ignorance, anddisdainashemakeshisway inlifeasanoutsider--before findingacceptanceinunlikely places.

Fueledbytomatosandwichesandgreenmilkshakes,and obsessedwithcars,Philbetstruggleswithlifeandloveas agayboyinruralGeorgia.He'shappiestwhenhelping Grandaddydigpotatoesfromthevegetablegardenthat connectstheirhouses.ButPhilbet'sworldisshatteredand hisresilienceshakenbyeventsthatcrushhisinnocence andsenseofsecurity;exposehismisshapenchest skillfullyhiddenbehindshirtsMamamakesathome;and convincehimthathe'snotfittobelovedbyKnox,the olderboyheidolizestodistraction.Overtime,Philbet findsrefugeinunexpectedplacesandinnerstrengthin unexpectedways,leadingtoaresolutionintheformofa letterfrombeyondthegrave.

NoEvilIsWide istheviolentstoryofan unnamednarrator,theprostituteheistasked to“find,”andCarpenterWells,amanwhohas losthissoulandwanders,empty,unableto quenchhisdesire.Theremembrancesofthe narratorrevolvearoundsexualawakening, familydistance,anddissolution—howthey crumbletocommonandinevitableanimalism. Itisfilledwithphilosophicalepistlestothe readerthatconcretizethethemesofthework. Thenarrativethatallowsthereaderpurchase withinthetextbeginswiththenarrator locatingtheunnamedgirlwhiletheworld devolvesintoachaoticmadnessofbombings anddestructionnotdissimilarto contemporaryexistence.Thischaosservesas anuncannyreminderoftheeverydayviolence weoverlook.

InApril2020,attheheightofthepandemic inNewYorkCity,Andrew,theassistant directorofafuneralhomeonemilefrom ElmhurstHospital,the“epicenterofthe epicenter,”meetsalegendaryConeyIsland witchdoctor(LelyaDorche),whomakes himanofferthatcouldbetterhischancesof keepinghisCOVID-positiveelderlyparents andhisseverelyasthmatic13-year-oldson, Miro,offtheever-expandinglistofvirus mortalities.Tokeepuphisendofthe bargain,Andrewwillhavetofindhisway toBulgaria(nosmalltaskconsideringthat there’sabanonpassengerflightstoEurope) tosecure10litersofarareMacedonian pinesap,akeyingredientofLelyaDorche’s provenremedy.

PassportStamps:SearchingtheWorldfora WartoCallHome isacandid,darklycomic, andemotionallynakedtaleofaformerNPR journalistwho—drivenbygrief,loss,andthe desiretofindhis“tribe”—seekssolaceinthe world’smostdangerousplacesandhis pursuittojointheranksofcombat-tested warcorrespondents.Thelearningcurveof reportinginhostileenvironmentsissteep andattimescomical,atothersnearlyfatal. Heencountersalotofdust,ragged infrastructure,weaponry,scarydriving, whiskey,lust,andwaytoomuchfood poisoning.Whentheassignmentends,heis lefttoconfrontthementalandemotional impactoftheyearsofdanger,death,and destruction.

MADVILLEPUBLISHING seeksoutandencouragesliterarywriters withuniquevoices.Welookforwriterswhoexpresscomplexideasin simpleterms.Welookforcriticalthinkerswithatwang,alilt,oraclick intheirvoices.Andpatois!Weloveagoodpatois.Wewanttohearthose regionalismsinourwriters’voices.Wewanttopreservethesoundofour historiesthroughourvoicescompleteandhonest,dialectalfeaturesand all.Wewanttohighlightthosefeaturesthatmakeourculturesspecialin waysthatdonotfocusondivision,butrathershineanappreciativelight onourdiversity.

AllNight,AllDay:life, death&angels editedby SusanCushman

AllNight,AllDay isan inspirationalcollectionof personalessays,stories,and poemsbyoutstandingwomen authorswhowriteaboutthe appearanceofthedivineintheir lives.Someoftheseangelscome tosavealifeorchangeaflattire. Someappeartowarnpeople,tell themwhattodo,suggestmorevegetablesandmaybe bettershoes.

Contributors:CassandraKing-SuzanneHenleyRiverJordan-SallyPalmerThomason-Natasha

Trethewey-SonjaLivingston-JohnnieBernhardFredericaMathewes-Green-AngelaJackson-Brown

-ChristaAllan-ReneaWinchester-Jacqueline

AllenTrimble-MandyHaynes-WendyReed-Lisa

Gornick-JenniferHorne-AnnFisher-Wirth-

AveryellKessler-LaurenCamp-CathySmith

Bowers-NancyDorman-Hickson-JoannaSiebert-

SusanCushman-ClaireFullerton-JulieCantrell

Annie'sSong:Dandelions, DreamsandDogs byAnnie McDonnell

Inthisshimmeringdebut-acrossgenreblendofmemoir,auto-fiction, magicalrealism,andpoetry-Annie poursoutherdreams,herloves,and herhopesalongwithher complicatedgriefcompoundedby betrayals,medicalmisdiagnoses, andinnumerablelossesthatwould breakmostpeople.Her determinationtolivealifeoflove,joy,andmeaningdespite hergreatsufferingshinesthroughoutthedarkthemesof manyofheressaysandpoems.Annie,whoisintheend stagesofStiffPersonSyndromeandhasseveralotherrare diseases,writeswithrawemotionabouttraumasfromher childhoodbestfriend'srapeandmurdertoherownlifealteringcaraccidentatage19toherdecades-longodyssey throughamedicalsystemwherewomen'ssymptomsare frequentlydismissed,misdiagnosed,andminimized.Annie's experientialmemoir,forwhichshe'sprovidedQRcodes linkingtoherfavoritesongsthroughout,allowsthereaderto getahintofwhatit'slikelivingsuspendedbetweenthis earthlyexistenceandtheafterlife.Thisisherlovesongto traumasurvivors,doglovers,andloveseekers.Shelives eachdayandnightknowingthathernextbreathcouldbeher lastandkeepsherheartfocusedonheaven.

WalkingTheWrongWayHome by MandyHaynes

Spanningnearlytwentydecades, thestrugglesandvictoriesthese charactersfacearetimelessasthey allworktowardsthesamegoal.

Aplacetofeelsafe,aplacetocall home.

SharpasaSerpent'sTooth:Evaand otherstories by Mandy Haynes

Eachstoryfeaturesafemale protagonist,rangingfromtento ninety-fiveyearsofage.Setinthe south,you’llfollowtheseyoung womenandgirlsastheylearnthat they’restrongerthantheyever thoughtpossible.

Oliver by MandyHaynes

“DearGod…andJesusandMary…”

Eventhougheleven-yearoldOlivia israisedSouthernBaptist,shelikes tocoverherbaseswhenaskingfora favor.UnlikeherbrotherOliver,she struggleswithkeepinghertemperin checkandstayingoutoftrouble.But Oliverisdifferent,andinthesummer of’72heprovestoOliviathere’s magicineverything-it’suptousto seeit.

“Yesthesearedistinctlysouthernstories-buteventhat hugecategorycan’tcontainthem.Theyarealsobig hearted,brave,feministstories.Theyareexaminations ofgoodandbad.Theyareshortstorieswithlong,deep roots.Theywon’ttakelongtoread-buttheywilltake holdandstaywithyoualongtime.” FiveStarReaderReview

C���n�so�� �r�� L���la��Co��!

KeepingitRealwithsouthern author,GeorgeSingleton byDawnMajor

Award-winningauthor,GeorgeSingleton,haspublished ninecollectionsofshortstories,twonovels,andonebook onwritingadvice.Heshortstorieshavebeenpublished over250timesandhaveappearedinreviewsand magazinessuchasthe AtlanticMonthly,Harper's, Playboy,theGeorgiaReview,Story,OneStory,the SouthernReview,Agni,Zoetrope,Epoch,Oxford American,Subtropics, andelsewhere.He'sreceiveda Guggenheim,theCorringtonAward,andaPushcartPrize. He'samemberoftheFellowshipofSouthernWritersand livesinSpartanburg,SC. TheCuriousLivesofNonprofit Martyrs,publishedby DzancBooks—recentlyawarded the2023AWPSmallPressPublisherAward—ishistenth collectionofshortstories.

ImetGeorgeSingletoninthelastweekofmylowresidencyMFAprogrambeforeIgraduated.Hewasthe keynotespeakeratourcommencement,whichsoundsall veryposhandhighbrow,andcanbe.Theinstructorswore velvetrobesandfunnylookingvelvethatswithtassels, andwalkedtothestageasthoughtheyweresorcerers marchingouttoperformsomeritual.Georgekeptitrealin aballcapthatlookedlikeithadtakenitslastbreathtwo yearsprior.Ifyou’rewonderingwhyI’mcommentingon Singleton’sfashionchoices,itisbecauseitsayssomething abouthim.Ican’trecalltheexactstatementhemadethat night,buthesaidsomethingtotheeffectthatmostofusin

theroomwouldnevermakeapennyfromwriting.Healso stayedinthemoldydormswiththegraduatestudentsand broughtoveracaseofPBRandsharedsomeincredible stories.LikeIsaid…keepingitreal.

I’vesincereviewedGeorge’sworkandinterviewedhim acoupleoftimes.HewasonaWilliamGaypanelinthe springwithme.WhenDzanc’seditor,MichelleDotter, askedifIwouldbeinterestedinrunning(no,notruining) hiscampaignfor TheCuriousLivesofNonprofitMartyrs, IwasthrilledandIadmitIwasatadscared.George doesn’treallyholdback,i.e.,thecommencementspeech.I learnedalotfromhimoverthemonthsofsettingup authorevents,interviewsandreviews,andthepromotion ofthisbooktobookstoresallovertheSouth.Thisalsoput morepressureonmeaboutthereviewandinterview.I keptthinking, it’sgottabeperfect.Ineededtodissectthe helloutofthiscollection.

Withinafewpagesofreading TheCuriousLivesof NonprofitMartyrs,Irealizedmyapproachwasoff.Iput thestickynotesaside,thependown,andIgaveintothese stories.Whatshouldyouexpect?Naturally,you’re guaranteedseventeenoff-the-chainstoriesfullof Singleton’sarchetypal,oddballcharactersplacedinto absolutelyabsurdsituations.Therearetheclassic Singletonianlinesyoufindthroughoutliketheonefrom thestory,“WhataDimeCosts:”“…Imight’vementioned

howVelcro-strappedshoesheldbackchildrenfrom growingintopeoplewhocouldappreciatetheblues, chickenlivers,agoodthunderstorm,acryingmother,a boywithamakeshiftscraperunhinginglatexpaintfroma cementdriveway,ahand-dugswimmingpoolsixfeet deep.”Youareguaranteedlaughs.Butkeepinmindthat whileyoumayfeellikeyou’reinthepresenceofold friendsand do pullupalawnchair,thereiswaymore writtenbetweenthelinesatworkhere.In“Dispensers,” whenthemaincharacter’swifefindsanewcauseina nonprofitgroupcalledVAGINA(VeteransAgainstGunsin NorthAmerica),it’swhathedoesn’tsaytoherthatsaysit all:

“Ididn’tsay,“Oh,you’llchangeyourmind whenthenextshinycausecomesalong,”even thoughI’dseenMazie—andme,forthat matter—getcaughtupinpro-choice,anti-Big Pharmaprotests,pro-alternativeenergy investments,anti-plasticbagrants,pro-coyote sponsorship…We’ddriventothestatecapitalso wecoulddispensepamphletsabouteducation reform,marijuanalegalization,somethingabout cleanwater,somethingaboutminimumwage, somethingaboutinsecticidesvis-à-visfireflies andhoneybees.So,Ijustsaid,“Iagree.”

Singletoncommentsonthebordercrisis,education inequality,guncontrol,massshootings,thepandemic, pollution,poverty,pro-choice,wagedisparity,andwar, andofcourse,setsthesemodernsocietaltopicsaround storiesthatallincludenonprofits.Collectively,Ithink thesestoriesexpressSingleton’sfrustrationwithboth thosewhodancearoundcausesandtheneedtoforman organizationforeverysingledamnissue,butultimately, thatinthistimeinhistory,wehavesomuchtofixand cannotseeourwaythroughit.SothoughwhatSingleton’s characterdidn’tsayintheabovequotemaygounheardby thecharacter’swife,itisn’tlostonthereader.Withall those“somethings”orallthelatestcausesbecoming blurredinthemix,Singletontouchesonsomething fundamentallyWesternhere.Wecanturnthewaroffin Ukraine.Wecanturnoffthebordercrisisbetween MexicoandtheU.S.,andwecandothisbyliterally turningoffthenews.Singleton’sworldofnonprofitsand do-goodersjumpingcausesmaybecomedicand hyperbolicinitspresentation,butit’snotthatfarremoved fromourveryownworld.AnditisSingleton’s craftsmanship—theabilitytogivehisreadersalaughas wellasmakeobservationsonafailedsociety—thatplaces himasoneofbestsatiricalwritersintheWesternCanon.

collection:“ASouthernoriginaladdstohisgalleryof Southernoriginals…Thestoriesdon’talwayshave destinations,butoneofthefundamentallawsof Singleton’sinventedworldisthatdestinationsareway overrated.Nobodycomplainsthatacarnivalisn’ttautly plotted;youjustplunkdownyourdimeandwaitfor wonders.”

ThereviewerstatedthatinSingleton’sworld “destinationsarewayoverrated.Nobodycomplainsthata carnivalisn’ttautlyplotted;youplunkdownyourdime andwaitforwonders.”Igetthe“nodestination”comment uptoapoint.That’swhatmakeshisstoriesfunreads,and I’vealreadyalludedtothelettinggopart.ButI’mnotsure hisstorieswouldworkiftheywere“tautlyplotted.”It mayoverhitthemark,assumingyouthinkamarkisthere, whichIdo.

Forme,thedestinationisthatpuremomentofcomedic irony.IfyouliveintheSouth,youknowthecharactersin hisstories.Thehumorisputtingthesecharactersatthe samebarorBBQjointwherealltheirpolitical,religious, socio-economicdifferencesalongwiththeirflawed thinkingandbeliefsystemsareputonastagetobe lampooned.Itnevercomesoffasmean-spirited,though. It’ssimplybrimmingwiththerichestparody.Butlet’ssee whattheauthorthinksabouthisnewcollection.

DM:Doyouthinkyoursatiricalstoreshavea “destination?”Whatwouldyoulikeforyourreadersto “get”attheendofthestory,orisitenoughtomakea readerlaugh?

GS: InalltheseyearsI’veneverthoughtofa “destination.”Attheendofthestories,Ihopethatthe readerlearnedsomethingabouthumans—thatheorshe laughedacoupletimesalongthewayandthought something attheend.Ifthere’ssomekindof“typesof writing”continuum,onewouldhave“Receive Knowledge”atoneendand“PureEntertainment”onthe other.HowtoFixaVWengineononeend,and encyclopedias,etcetera,andmaybecomicstripsatthe otherend.I’dwantmystoriestobeinthemiddleofthat continuum.

Atthesameresidency,ItookaworkshopwithGeorge, andinadditiontohissuperpowerskillsintellingagreat shortstory,hehasanuncannyabilitytoremembernames. Letmesaythathisworkshopwaspackedfull,butifhe didn’tcommitthestudent’snametomemoryonthefirst round,hehaditbythesecondone.Andifbychanceitdid sliphismind,he’daskme(notagreatsource)orask someoneelsewhattheirnameswere.SomeIcouldn’t recall!Ifeelbadaboutthat.Thestudentshadbeen

togetherallweek.Nowyoudotendtogetgroupedwith thestudentsyoustartedwith.Irememberfacesbutam terriblewithnames,whichmeansI’lltalkyouupand downbutmaynotknowyourfirstname.Sorry.

Tome,thissaidsomethingfundamentalaboutSingleton andthevalueofatleastlearningaperson’sname.Butthe actofnamingseemstobeespeciallyimportantinhis writing.Perhaps,heremembersnamesbecausehewill eventuallyusesomeoffbeat,twistedversionofitinalater story.It’seasytoimagineSingletonsnickeringtohimself whenCockWalker’snamefromtheshortstory“WhatA DimeCosts”poppedintohisheadspace.There’sa quintessentiallysouthernsceneatHalfwayBarbequein thestory,“StandardHole,”wheretheauthortoyswiththe namesBarackObamaandJesusChrist:

“Amanatthecashregisterspokeintoawaxcup withthebottompunchedout,likeamakeshift megaphone.Heyelledout,“BarackObama? Orderup.”ThedinersatHalfwaywentquiet, thenmostofthembooed…“Thecounterman yelledout,“Jesus?OrderupforJesus,”anda coupleofpeoplegotupandlefttherestaurant,as iftheyfearedaSecondComing.”

Yeahsure,everyoneisgoingtolaugh,butshouldwebe

gnashingourteethalittlebit,too?Let’sbreakthisdown more.WhatifPresidentObamaandtheLordwereeating BBQinahometown,SouthernBBQjointwhereallthe localsgather?Whatwouldthatlooklike?Maybe,the townspeoplewouldfinishthierlastmealbeforexiting,but Icouldeasilyimagineafewboos,oratleastsome mumbling.Singleton’streatmentofnamesisdesignedto produceareactionliketheonethatoccurredinhissetting, HalfwayBBQ.In“WildMe,”thecharacterpondersonthe namingonnonprofitsandthinkstohimself:“Ithought abouthowI’dmadeamistakeinmynonprofitways,thatI should’vebeenworkingfortheHumaneSociety,or PBR—PitBullRescue—oroneofthosemoreinclusive andfar-reachingplaceslikeVulnerableAnimalsGive IncessantNurturingAffection.I’mnotmakingupthese acronyms.Nonprofitpeopleneedtothinkaboutwhat they’redoing.”Mmm…goodpointthere.Thinkabout whatthey’redoing,theacronyms,orboth?Ifyouhita spacebetweenthelastsentencethat“thinkingaboutwhat they’redoing”commenttakesonawholenewmeaning. So,whatisinaname?

DM:Whyistheactofnamingcharacters,andby proxythenonprofitsinthiscollection,soimportantto you?Andhereisachickenandeggquestion.Doesthe storycomefirst?Forinstance,didtheacronymsofthe

nonprofits,likeSPARTAN(SupportPatchesAgainst RegularTarandNicotine)comebeforethestory, “WildMe,”ordidyouworkthenamesintothe narrative?

GS: Thankyousomuchforthecomplimentabout rememberingnames,Rebecca.Andthestorycamefirst. Sometimesittookforevertocomeupwithadoable acronym.

Asfortheimportanceofnaming,well,really,no,Ican’t say.Igetnamesoutofobituariesandoldphonebooksor flat-outmakethemup.NormallyIdon’twanttopick commonnamesjustbecausethey’re,Iguess,common.I’d bewillingtobetthatareaderisgoingtohaveabetter pictureinhisorherheadofacharacternamedMelvinor VelveythantheydoofJohnandMary.Itprobablyhelps me“see”thecharacters,too.

Asforthenonprofits—Ijustusedacronymsfor whateverthecharacterssupported.Imean,ifIhadagroup thatworriedaboutclimatechange,whywouldInameit SCCNforStopClimateChangeNow,unlessIwantedto beboringanduncreative?

DM:Idon’tknowifIshouldthankyouforthestory, “CockRescue,”orlamentthatyoumostlikelygaveyet anotherauthorpredatoroutthereagreatbusiness

plan.Ifpre-literaryagentsdon’talreadyexist,theyare rightaroundthecorner!Yes,you’repokingfun.But onaseriousnote,whatisupwiththewritingworld thatyoucanconceiveofsuchanindustrymaking moneyoffthebacksofwriters?Let’sgetreal.What areyourpetpeeves?Whatwouldyouchangeright hereandnowinthisindustry?

GS: Ithinkthereareindeedsomehuckstersoutthere, chargingwaytoomuchmoneyforeditingservices,or promisesofaliteraryagent.Iwishthatthebigpublishers wouldn’tproducesomanyofthesame-typebooks “writtenby”politicians.Iwishthatpublisherswouldgo backtothedaysofreasonableadvancesfor“literary works,”andthatroyaltieswouldgoupfromwhateverthey arenow:6-8%?Iwishmorepeople—withtherapid growthofADHDandflat-outshortattentionspans— wouldbeginloveaffairswithshortstoriesandpoetry.

WhathappenedtoPRpeopleinthepublishingindustry? Goodgod,awriterisnowexpectedtoself-promote.Ifind itwhorish,embarrassing,belittling.AmIsupposedto spend50%ofmytimeworkingonstories,then50% becomingacarnivalbarker?Whencarnivalbarking,it’s impossibletogetontothenextproject.I’vehadgreat, greateditorsovertheyears—ShannonRavenelat

at DzancBooks,MichaelGriffithat LSUPress,MegReid at HubCityPress,MichelleDotterat DzancBooks.Also, therehavebeengreateditorsatallthemagazinesand journalsI’vepublishedwith.Iwouldalmostbetthat they’dagreewithmeoneverythingmentionedabove.

Thecoverartistheimagefromthepaintingtitled, “Camargue”bytheItalian-born,classicallytrained, contemporaryartist,CristinaVergano.Apartialimageof herpainting“IntheNatureofThings(SinusPelagi)”is alsoonthecoverforanotherSingletonshortstory collection, TheHalf-MammalsofDixie.Hersurrealhybrid portraitdepictingahalfmermaid,halfmonkeyis reminiscentofDali(obviously),Goya(thoughnotas dark),andBotticelli(inreferencetosomeoftheangelic facesoffemalesshepaints).

DM:Didyouchoosetheartworkforyourcovers?

WhatattractsyoutoVergano’sartwork?Howdoesher artworkconveysomethingmoreaboutyourwriting?

GS: Ididn’tchoosethatcover.I’veneverchosena cover.Now,Michelleat DzancBooks hadafewoptions andaskedwhatIthought.Itjustsohappenedthatwe agreed.SamethinghappenedwithTheHalf-Mammalsof Dixie—ShannonRavenelfrom AlgonquinBooks asked

whatIthought,andweagreed.CristinaVergano,outof theblueacoupleyearsago,contactedmeandsaidshe’d lovetohaveherworkonafuturebook.Whatanhonor,I thought.IloveCristina’sbizarre,surrealworks,andI thinkthatmycharactersoftenfindthemselvesinsurreal situations.

DM:You’vebeencalledtheCheeveroftheSouth andthiscollectionisbeingmarketedtofansofTom FranklinandGeorgeSaunders.Whatarefiveshort storycollectionsthatshouldbeoneveryshortstory writer’sbookshelf?

GS: TheCollectedWorks ofJohnCheeverandFlannery O’Connor, MyPeople’sWaltz byDaleRayPhillips, Music oftheSwamp byLewisNordan,and SomethingRichand Strange:SelectedStories byRonRash.

DM:Ihearyourcollectionofessaysiscomingout thisyear.Willyoupleasesharealittleaboutthat?Also, what’sontheagendaforGeorgeSingletonnow?

GS: Mybookofessaystitled Asides comesoutinmidNovember.I’mjustwritingstoriesthesedays.Slowly. Waytooslowly.MaybeI’vesaideverythingIneededto say…

DawnMajorisanassociateeditoratSouthernLiteraryReviewand graduateoftheEtowahValleyCreativeWritingMFAProgram.In2019, shewasawardedtheDr.RobertDriscollExcellenceinWritingAward,as wellasReinhardtUniversity’sFacultyChoiceAward.Shewasarecipient oftheJamesDickeyReviewLiteraryEditorFellowshipin2018.Her publicationsmaybefoundin:WellReadMagazine,HeavyFeather Review,SouthernLiteraryReview,GeorgiaGothicAnthology,Springer MountainPress,ElderMountain:AJournalofOzarkStudies,Five Points,amongstmanyothers.MajorisamemberoftheWilliamGay Archiveandhashelpededitandpublishthelateauthor’sworks.Shealso advocatesforsouthernauthorsonherblogSouthernRead.Shelivesin Atlanta,GAwithherfamily.TheBystandersisMajor’sdebutnovel.Visit www.dawnmajor.comformoreaboutMajor.

ABleedingHeart AnnHite

ThefirstwalkItookaloneinthecharmedwoodsout behindourcabin,Iheardavoiceringinginmyheadlike thechurchbellatBlackMountainChurchondownthe mountainapiece.LaterwhenIgotolder,morebook learned,Iwouldexplaintheexperienceawayduetomy four-year-oldimagination.Butdeepinmyheartresided theknowledgethatthistalereallyhappened.Mama warnedmemorethanoncetostayawayfromtheforest. Notbecauseshebelievedinmagic.Naw,shenever believedinnosuchthingaslongasshewasalive.She wasbeingamama.SeeIwasfirstinherlifeexceptforher healing.Healingwasinherblood.Itwaswhatmadeher thewomanshewas.Andthatverymorning,shetookoff withMr.Williamstofixhisfive-year-oldson’sbrokenleg. “Robertgotonouroldmuleandshethrewhimfora loop.”

MamafrownedatMr.Williams.“Boysthatyounghave nobusinessonthebacksofmules.”

Mr.Williamsnodded.“Yesma’ambutRobertisaboy

withhisownmindthatnothingseemstochange.”

Mamalookedatmestandinginthedoor.“I’llbeback, Maude.Youstayclosetoyourgranny.”

“Yes,Mama.”

AssoonasMamaslippeddownthedrive,Icheckedon Granny,whohadslippedintooneofhercatnapsafter tellingmethestoryofhergrandmotherPolly,whose CherokeenamewasTreewalker,giventoherbyher grandmother,thefirstgrannywitchonthemountain.Polly walkedthemountaindayandnightwithoutanyfear.See atnight,Iheardaprettyvoicealltissuesoftwithpuffsof lavenderfloatingoutofthemagicforest.Lord,Ikeptthis tomyself.MamaworriedtoomuchanywayandGranny wouldhavegoneonherowntofindit.Theywasthat different.Plus,sharingthingswiththemtwodidn’talways gowell.Afewdaysbefore,ItoldMamaIsawfolksin colors.Mamawasabrightgreenofnewleavesinspring. Grannywasawarmyellowlikethebuttercupsdottingthe meadownearourcabin.

“Maude,thereisnosuchthingasseeingpeoplein colors.It’sjustyourimagination.”Mama’srealpractical sidewaswhatmadeheragrannywitch.

“Ah,now,Rebecca,thechildmayseecolors.Shenever tellsuntruths.”Grannyhadbeenthegrannywitchbefore Mamalikehermother,grandmother,andgreat grandmotherbeforeher.Thewomancouldnameevery

plantonthemountainandtaughtMamaallsheknew.

“Don’tencourageher.”Mamasnapped.Shewasso differentfromfolksonBlackMountain,sheseemeda stranger.GrannysaidthatwasMama’scollegelearning.It separatedMamafromtherestofthemountain.That’show MamametDaddybutthat’sastoryIpushedoutofmy mindeachtimeitcreptin.Mamabroughthimbacktothe mountainwiththeideaofhelpingthefolkstounderstand science.Daddymusthavebelievedshecoulddosucha thingcausehefollowed.Ofcoursethatturnedintoabig jokebehindherbackandDaddyleft.Heonlyvisitedhere andthere.

Iputonefootinfrontoftheotherandtookmyselfto themagicwoods.Thetreescametogetherandformeda coverblockingoutmostofthesunlightwithjustsome sprinkleshereandtherelikeacandleflamemovingina breeze.ThemountainLaurelwasburstingintopinkishwhitestarblooms.ThelasttimeDaddycametovisit,we wenttothemeadowatnighttolookatthestars.Somany filledtheskymybreathleftmychest.Henamedevery singleone.Evenletmenameacouple.Butwandering throughthemwoodswasnotthetimetostartthinkingon Daddy.Mysenseshadtobesharp.

OntheforestfloorwasabunchofBleedingHearts,tall darkpinkflowers,thatswayedinthewind.Theyweremy favorite.AbleedingheartiswhatIhadwhenDaddy

wasn’there.Ibentoverandcuppedafewstemsinmy fingers.Justafewsprigsforthehouse.

Don’tbreaktheflowers.Theyhurtjustlikeyou.

Thewordsfloatedthroughmymind,petalsfallingtothe ground.

“Whereareyou?”IlettheBleedingHeartsbe.

Onlyaredbirdsittingonalimbabovemyheadsang. Grannysaidtheybroughtthedeadtous.Abumblebee bouncedfromoneMountainLaurelbloomtoanother.

ThesoundofDragonflyRiverprovidedmusicandthe soundofthemovingwaterpulledmetowardsit.Thewind blewstrandsofmyhairintomyeyes.Howcouldsomeone withredhairhaveagrannywhowaspartCherokee?This wasthequestionIaskedalotjusttoseeMamasquirm, knowingshewouldhavetotalkaboutDaddy.Ilovedmy daddybest,butIwouldn’ttellMamaanysuchthing.

Wasn’tabitofsenseinhurtingherfeelings,andseeing howDaddywasneverhome,IneededMama.Myredhair camefromhim.HewasIrish.HisdaddycametoAmerica fromIreland.Daddypromisedonedayhewouldtakeme withhimforhisfirsttripthere.

Iputmyfeetstraightintotheriver.Mybreathleftmy bodyandmytoesnumbedjustlikewhensnowhadfallen inmybootsthepastwinter.Thewindkissedthehotparts ofmybody.

“Girlsyourageshouldn’tbeintheriveralone.”

Iturnedtoseewhohadcaughtmeandsliddownonmy behind,turningitnumb.Abeautifulwomanwithlong blackhair,straightandshiny,heldoutherhand.

“Comeon.You’llcatchyourdeath.”

Iclosedmyfingersaroundhercoldhand.Afiery burningrushedupmyarm.Shepulledmefromthewater.

“Yourgrannywillbedisappointedyoudidthis.Andyour mothertrustsnothing,especiallyyou,littlegirl.”

Lord,thiswomanknewthemandwouldspillthebeans. “Ijustwantedtowalk.Mygrannytoldmeabouther grandmother,whowalkedthismountainfromalittlegirl untilshegottooold.Nightandday.Neverafraid.Idon’t wanttobeafraid,butsometimesIam.Iwanttobestrong likeher.”

Nocolorsurroundedthiswoman.Everyonehadacolor. Whynother?

“Tellmewhatyou'reafraidof.”Hervoiceblendedwith therushingwater.“Let’swalk.”

“I’mnotafraid.”Wewalkedsidebyside,andIwas warm,butifIfellbehind,acoldcreptintomybones.

“Youjustsaidyouwere.Tellme.”

“Iamafraidofmydaddynevercomingback.”Thereit wasout.

Shesqueezedmyhand.“Yourfatherdoesn’tfithere, child,buthehasadeeploveforyou.Thatiswhatbrings himbackoverandover.”

Severalbluebutterfliesflewaroundherhead.One landedonthecollarofherdressandrodealong.“Tellme ofthiswoman?”

“GrannysaidshewasCherokeeandknewtheplants betterthansheknewpeople.Shewasoneofthefirst grannywitcheshereonthemountain.”

Amockingbirdlandedonalimbclosetoourheadsand begantosing.

“Sotheycallhealers,grannywitchesnow.”Sheguided usupasteeppath.“Ionlyknowonewomanwhowalked thismountain.HernamewasPolly.Herfatherwasthewar chiefoftheirCherokeetribehereonthemountain.The peacechiefwashermother.”

Westeppedthroughthetreesontoalargeflatrock juttingoutinmid-air.Thesunwasorangeandredasit sankintotheclouds.Thewomanpickedupagreenand yellowTulipTreebloom,holdingitformetolookat. “Pollylovedthismountainmorethanlife.”Tearssqueezed fromthecornerofhereyes.

Iswallowedasob.

Thehemofthewoman’sdarkskirtscrubbedtherockas shewalkedmeclosertotheedge.“Pollygaveherlifeto anIrishmantosavethismountain,butitdidn’tstopher fatherfromleaving.Hewalkedwithhispeopleoffthe mountainandnevercamehome.Sometimesfathershave todowhattheyhavetodo.”Shebrushedmytearsaway,

andtheyturnedintotinyyellowbutterflies.

Wewalkedintothetrees,nowmuchdarkerandmoved ontothemainpath.Silencemovedthroughmelikea beautifulsong.

Thewomanpointedtoanotherpathbarelylitnow.“Go homethisway.Yourmamaandgrannyareworriedsick.I keptyoutoolong.”

Ibegantowalkaway.

“Maude?”

Istopped.“Yourfatherwillcomebackhomemany timesbeforeheleavesforgood.Gonow.”

Lightningbugsflashedonandoff.Myclothesweredry. “Howlonghavewebeentogether?”Butshewasgone.I randownthepath.Theskyhadgonetothepurplejust beforedark.Abrightstarshownontheedgeofthesky, closetothetreetops.

MamasatonthebackofOldMary,ourhorse.“Maude.” Shejumpedfromthehorse.Hergreenlightsurrounded her.

Grannyappearedatthecornerofthecabin.“Youfound her?”

MamahuggedmetohersotightIcouldn’tbreathe. “Shefoundus,”shecalled.“Wherehaveyoubeen?”Her voicewasstrained.

Grannystoodclose“Howdidyoufindyourway home?”

“Iwaswalkingandawomanwithlongblackhair showedmehowtogethome.”

“Lordy,she’sdoneseenPolly.”Grannylookedatme. “Didyougotothetopofthemountain,Maude?Sweet BabyJesus,Pollydonesavedmygirl.”

Mamasqueezedharder.“Don’ttellherthoseghost stories.”Shereleasedherholdandheldmyfaceinher hands.Thelastlightletmeseeherscaredexpression.“No moregoingintothewoods,Maude.”

IwantedtotellherthatDaddywouldcomehomemany moretimesbeforehislast.Iwantedtocryonhershoulder aboutmymissinghim.Iwantedtotalkaboutbeingonthe flatrock.InsteadIlookedoverMama’sshoulder.The womanstoodattheedgeofthewoodsdrenchedinablue light.Holylight.Theskywasfullofstars.Shewaved.I wouldwalkthepathagaintoseeher.

InSeptemberof2011Gallery,animprintofSimon&Schuster, publishedAnnHite’sfirstnovel,GhostonBlackMountain.In 2012thisnovelwasshortlistedfortheTownsendPrize, Georgia’soldestliteraryaward.Inthesameyear,GhostonBlack MountainwonHiteGeorgiaAuthoroftheYear.Shewentonto publishfourmorenovels,anovella,memoir,andmostrecently “HaintsOnBlackMountain:AHauntedShortStoryCollection” fromMercerUniversityPress.InDecember2022,HaintsOn BlackMountainwasoneoftenfinalistfortheTownsendPrize. ThecollectionwasaBronzeWinnerinForewordIndieAward 2023andGeorgiaAuthoroftheYearSecondPlaceWinnerfor ShortStories2023.Annreceivedascholarshiptothe

AppalachianWitersWorkshopHindmanSettlementinthe summerof2020andwasinvitedbackin2021.Herpassionfor historyinfluencesallherwork.

Pop’sBoat MichaelSpake

TheoppressiveheatoftheSouthCarolinasummer holdseverythingstillexcepttheFordTaurusstation wagonPopsteerswithhissun-blotchedhandsandthe greenfiberglassboathehaulsbehindit.Pop,theonlyone inourfamilywhoknowsthebackroadsoftheSantee coast.Hedirectsmyattentiontoeachlandmarkandits historyalongtheunmarkedcurvingroads.Ionlyseethe cloudsofreddustashestirsupfromthedirtroad.

Pop,pureasapacketofDixieCrystals,andfulloflife. Hecarriesagentlebutdeterminedworkethic.Frugal,he alwaysmakesdo.AClemsonmancommittedto improvingtheworld,heneverhesitatestosacrificefor others.

Ashedrives,IlistentoPop'sdrawl.Heremindsmeof thetechniquesoftrollingforflounder.“Ifyou’renot bumpingthebottom,you’renotfishing.”Forme,itisnot thatsimple.IhavefishedwithPopforthreeyears.Unlike otherfamilymembers,Ihavenevercaughtaflounder.

Eachyearmyfamilyremindsme,“Popisgettingold.This willprobablybethelastyearhebringstheboat.Itisjust toomuchforhim.”

Ifeeltroubled,almostdesperate.Theclockoflifecan onlybewoundonlyonce.

WepassNewBeginningsGospelChurch,andPop turnsthecar.Downthedustyroadbetweenadivideof trees,Irecognizesignsofourdestination.

Old,rustedCadillacsrestinthewoods.MotherNature’s moistcoastalsaltairslowlydisintegrateseachcar.

CreepingKudzuvinescovertheremains.EachCadillac emblemstandslikeaheadstoneforthemarledskeletalcar corpses.

Rottedboatsalsositinthewoods,tippedontheirsides likedecayinganimals.Hostsofpalmettobugs,termites, andsilverfishdevoureachcarcass.

Theremnantsofa1950sCokemachineleanagainsta tree.Itsdoorsremoved,showingitsrusted“portholes”that nolongerholdglassbottles,10¢.

Popremindsmethepropertyownerlivesinthewoods. Heownsthebaitshopattheendoftheroad.Iseehis rundownrusted,double-wide,partiallycoveredbygreen algaewherethesunpeersitsraysthroughtheforest clearing.Nosignsoflifeexistexceptthetrashanddebris leftoutsidethecrumblingfrontdoor.

Thepropertyownerhasagirlfriend.Shelivesina

differenttrailerinthewoodsontheoppositesideofthe road.Shekeepscinnamonbunsandbagsofdogkibblein thetrunkoftheCadillacs,whichshefeedsthemany hounddogsthatroamthewoodsandliveasstraysaround thebaitshop.

Popcontinuesdowntheroad.Iheartheincessant bayingofthehounds.Theiryodel,nottheheroicbaying callsofregalEnglishFoxhoundsonafoxhunt.Instead, thesavagecriesofSouthCarolinaCoonHounds.Their bayingannounceswearenearthewater’sedge.

Thecarbumpsontothedustyblackasphaltparkinglot ofMann’sBoatYard.Ilookback.Thesmallfiberglass hullwithitsseven-horsepoweroutboardmotorglistensin thesun.Iseethepatchworklayersofraisedfiberglass splinterswheregenerationsofhandshavebalancedinand outoftheboat.Theboatleaks.Bytheendoftheday, moreminnowswillswiminthebottomoftheboatthanin thebucketholdingthem.

Istepoutofthecar.Thehumidityholdseverythingin heavystillness.Thedense,moistairallowsonlythe ancientspiritualchorusofcicadastobreakthroughits veil.Ilistentotheirsingingcacophonyofpropheciesuntil theyareinterruptedbythreehoundssurroundingmeand thumpingtheirwaggingtailsagainstthesideofthecar. Theysniffoutthegrahamcrackersinmybrownpaper lunchbag.Iobligetheirrelentlesssearch.Eachdog

devoursthehoney-flavoredtreats.Then,content,they returntotheshadeofthelargetrucks.Theirpawsover theirnoses,theywatchandwaitfortheirnextvisitors.

Asmall-dilapidatedwoodenbaitshopstandsattheedge ofthewater.Itsboardsshowrotanddecay.Algaegrowup thesides.Therooffoldsinwardlikealoafofbreadtaken outoftheoventoosoon.

Anagedwomansitsinarockingchairundertheshop’s eve.Hergunmetalgrayhair,fixedinabun.Itpullsher weatheredwornfacetight,givingherastrainedlook.She wearsabrightpinkpolyestersuit.Itsmellsofstalealcohol andcigarettes.ShecradlesashakingChihuahuaand franticallygroomsitwithherwitheredbrownhands.

Thewomandoesnotacknowledgeus.Herheadnodsin constantmotionasifagreeingwithsentimentsnooneelse canhear,orperhapsshelistenstotheruminationsofher mind,mullingoveralifetimedrawingtoaclose.

Inside,ahauntingblindmansitsinatornrecliner.His onlycompany,asmallblackandwhiteTVwithfuzzy reception.Themanshakesahandfulofcoinsinhis arthritichands.Anoldcaptain’shatcovershiswispywhite hair.Awhitebeardcovershisblue-greyskin,andhis prominentcrookednosebarelyholdsapairofsunglasses thatrestfarenoughdownhisnoseyouseehisemptyeyes.

Theoldman,thepropertyowner.Thewoman,his girlfriend.Together,theyaretheonlyresidentsoftheinlet.

Localstoriesaboutthemaboundlikefolklore.Theylivein poverty.

Landdevelopersoffermillionsofdollarsfortheirinlet property.Asimple“Nothankyou,”theoldman’sonly reply.

Insidethebaitshop,alivewell.Itschurningwaters,full ofmudminnows,twodollarsadozen.Pop’sfrugalnature stopshimfrombuyingmudminnows.Instead,heprides himselfontrappingthesebottom-dwellingcreatures duringthefallingtide.

Afterafewminutesofbrowsingtheassortmentof tacklethatfillstherestoftheshop,Popfindsaminnow net.Withoutsayingaword,theoldmansays,“Themarea dollaapiece.”

Popreachesintothepocketofhisstainedkhaki Dickie's.“How’sthefish’nbeen?”

“Doubtyouwillcatchmuch,”respondstheoldblind man,“Toomuchwatera’comingin,andit’sa’movingjust atadtoofast.”

Popthankshimandplacesahandfulofthecoinsinthe oldman’sextendedhand.

Outside,Popbackstheboattrailertothewater.Ipeer intotheshallowwaterfulloflife.Minnowsandsmall crabssurroundmyfeetasifpreparingtohoistmeintothe boat.Istruggletoentertheboatandfallbackwardintothe water.Baptizedbytheshorewater,Iworrythisisabad

omen.Popdoesnotsayaword.Instead,hequicklyuses hishandtohidehisgrin.

Poppilotstheboatupanddowntheinletwatersofthe SanteeInlet.Wetrollaroundthelargebanksofgreen marshgrass.Weseewhitesleekbodiedegretsandmasked greenheronssearchingforamealasthefallingtideslowly bringsmoreshallowwater.

WefishforhoursinthesametidalcreekswherePop alwaysfindsflounder.Irememberthepicturesofallthe cousinsandPopholdinggianteighteen-inchflounders.We sitinthesamewaterwheretheycaughtthem.

Theday,passing.Thetide,falling.Weapproachanarea wheretwoinletcreeksintersect,formingacross.Ifeel desperateagain.

Trollingupanddowntheinletriversallmorningwhile thescorchingsunbeatsdownonournecks,withnofishto showourefforts,beginstobreakmyspirit.Myhopeand optimism,gone.Thiswillbeanotherunmetachievement.

Popstudiestheflowofthewater.“Youseewherethose twocreeksmakeacross?There’sgottobesomefishin there.Let’stryafreshnewminnow.”

Afreshminnowmeansthelastminnowoftheday.

Ireachthesmallnetintotheminnowbucket.Both nettedminnowswiggleoutofthenetandintotheleaky boat.Withenoughwaterforthemtoswimintheboat,I givechaseandeventuallyretrievethemandbaitour

hooks.Weputinourlines,andPopincreasesthemotorto trollingspeedasthefiberglassboatcreepsagainstthe current.

Popbeginsreelinginhislineaswemoveoverthepoint wherethetwostreamscross.Heshowsnoexcitement.“I onlyhavealittletrashontheendofmyline.”

Eversoslowly,PopreelsuntilInoticetherodbending andthelinetugging.Popshowsaslightgrin.Iwaitand wonderifheisteasingme.Pop’sfaceturnsbrightashis gringrowswider.Hegivesadeeppullwithhisbroad shouldersandmakesthegiantflounderappearatthetopof thewater.ItisthelargestIhaveeverseen,overtwofeet longandlargerthantheonesinthephotographsthathang inPop’sroombackhome.

Iletoutagiddyyell,“Bringitin!”asIholdthenetin thewater.Popguidesthefishintothenet,andIneedboth handstobringthefishupintotheboat.

Popunhookstheflounderandplacesitinthecooler.I listentotheflounderhitthesidesofthecoolerasitflips andflops.“That’sthemostbeautifulmusicintheworld,” saysPop.

TogetherwelistenuntilIfeeltheslightesttugonmy line.Ibegintoreelmyline,attemptingtoremaincalmand steady.Iworry.ThedaywillbeoveronceIretrieve whateverpullsmyline,anditfeelstoosmallfora flounder.Iwillhavetowaituntilnext;ifthereisanext

year.

MyworryturnstonervousexcitementwhenIseePop reachforthenet.Ihadhookedfishinpreviousyears,but Popneverreadiedthenet.

Popbendsovertheboatandnetsthefish.Hisfootball shouldersblockmylineofsight.Iwait.Secondsseemlike hoursuntilPopturnstomewithanear-to-eargrinholding aflounder,andsays,“Iamreallyproudofyou.”

Pop’swordssendmeintoacloudofunknowingwhereI sensetimestandingstill.Idonotheartheboatmotoror thesoundsoftheinlet.Everything,clear.Iseeonlya brightnessbeyondlight.Iletgoandfeelnothingbutlove.

Popbringsmetorealitywhenhesays,“Thetideis gettingtoolow.Webetterstartforhome.”Thenhesays somethingunexpected.“Doyoumindsteeringtheboat?”

Overthemanyyearsoffishingwithgenerationsof familyandfriends,evenbeforeIwasborn,Popnever askedanotherpersontosteerhisboat.Ifeelthe significanceofthismomentandsteerthesmalloutboard motortowardhome.

Apassageintoanewlife.

ThefollowingyearIreturntotheSanteeinletwithmy family.Everything,thesame,exceptPop.Hediedthree

monthsafterourlastfishingtrip.

IbringPop’sminnowtraps,rigs,hooks,andboat.My children,tooyoungtofish.Onedaytheywilljoinme.For now,Ifishalone.

IarriveatMann’sontheSanteecoast.Thesmellofthe marshremindsmeofhowthewatersarefullofcreation.I makemywaythroughtheexcitedhoundsandintothebait shop.Thesameoldmansitsinthebaitshop.Isharethe sadnewsthatPophaspassedaway.Theoldmanonly nods.Thegirlfriendsitsonthefrontporchofthebait shop,stillwearingapinkpolyestersuitandbrushingthe mangeyhairofthesametremblingchihuahua.Shedoes notsayaword.

This,aworldthatforeverremainsunchanged.

Ieasetheboatdowntherampandintothemarsh.Out onthewater,Iattempttotrollmylinewhilerunningthe outboardmotor.Iusemylefthandtooperatethemotor andmyrighthandtofeelthegentlebumpofmybaiton thesandybottom.Surprised,Isteertheboatandcaneasily feelthebottom.

WithinminutesIfeelthetugofmyfirstflounder.Ipull itintotheboat.Beforeplacingthefishintothecooler,I admireitsflattened,symmetricalbody.Itsolive-colored skin,liberallymarkedwithdarkandwhiteblotches,makes aperfectcamouflageforsittingonthesandybottom—a beautifulfish,atleastafootandahalflong.Igrow

confidentandfishtheentireafternoon.

Attheendoftheday,asthetidefallswiththesetting sun,Ipullinmylines.Beforeturningtheboattothe marina,Iopenthecoolerandadmiresixflounder.

Ipilottheboattothemarinaandwatchthesunset.Its majesticandendlessorangeglowstretchesacrossthe horizon.Onceinthemarina,Iloadtheboatontothe trailer.Readytoleave,Ilookatthewateronelasttime. Therichorangeandpurpletonesfadeintothehorizon. Duskdescends,turningthewatergrey.Thesmallwaves gentlysplash.

Ibreatheinthemarsh,itspeace,andtheremembrance ofmytransformation.

MichaelSpakeisahealthcareattorneyandwriter.Michael’s onlypublication,WalkingWilliam,ashortstoryaboutaboywho learnstheeccentricWilliamisnotonlyhisbrother,butalsoa murdererandkeeperofhiddenconfederategold,waspublished intheBlueMountainReview,May2023.Michaeliscurrently workingonhisnovel,LifeClosetotheBone,acoming-of-age storyabouttheshiftinmemorythatcomeswithmovingfrom adolescencetoadulthood,asthestory’sprotagonistlearnsabout loveandlossinatextilemilltownlocatedinupstate,South Carolina.

HeandhiswifeMaryLuciacelebratedtheir26-wedding anniversary.Theyhavefourchildren(22,18,18,and13).

MichaelisfromAnderson,SouthCarolinaandgraduatedwith honorsfromTheCitadelwithaBA(English)in1994.

MichaelcurrentlylivesinLakeland,Florida.Athome,he gardensandraiseschickens.

FeedtheBeast B.A.Brittingham

Aroundtheageoften,Idevelopedapassionfor fountainpensinasocietythathadbeensteadilymoving towardsthelow-pricedpracticalityofballpoints.Intrying tofilloneofthesesomewhatantiquatedwriting instruments(pilferedfrommygrandmother’sdesk)I managedtospillaquantityofSchaeferblue-black permanentinkonthebeigelivingroomsofa.Sinceit wouldnottakemuchforhertonoticethisblunder,I hastilywenttoherandconfessed.Anendlesslypatient soul,sheimmediatelyforgavemebutsaidthatIwould havetotellmygrandfatherwhowasnotquitesotolerant —especiallyafteralongdaycaringforthebizarre breakdownsofanagingNYChotel.

Butshegavemethisadvice,“Don’tsayanythingwhen hefirstcomesin.Lethimsitdowntodinnerandwhen he’shalfwaythroughandrelaxed,comeinandthennicely tellhimwhathappened.Youmustfirstfeedthebeast;then

givehimthebadnews.”

Shewasright.Whilesuchaninfractionwouldhave typicallybroughtanoutburstfrommyfrequentlyfiery temperedgranddad,hesaidmerely,“That’sallright.”

Afterahalfcenturyofmarriage,shehaddeveloped methodsofdealingwithhim—andhisirascibility.

Fastforwardtothepresent:onceuponatimeinthe yearsprecedingtheFeministMovement,inthosedays whenmostofwesterncivilizationwas,overtlyor otherwise,apatriarchy,womendidactuallymanageto assertthemselves,oratleastgettheirwaysomeofthe time.Whateverminimalpowerwemighthavehadwasof an‘underground’variety,i.e.,itprotecteditselfbynever beingtooobvious.Morerealistically,itpretendednotto exist,foritspresencewaspredicateduponclever manipulation.

Manipulation:thisisnotawordImuchlikeforit harborsinitsshadowybackgroundlesscommendable femalessuchasLadyMacbeth,LucreziaBorgiaalong withnamelessshrews,countlesscourtesans,andseveral serialkillersThesewerewomenwhousedtheirbrainsand theirbodies(singlyorjointly)toaccomplishthingsthat mostcertainlywouldhavebeenbeyondthemhadthey operatedopenly.Andwhiletheabove-namedladieshave ominousreputations,therearemillionsmorewhohave usedthesametechniquesinotherlesssinister,often

affirmative,capacities.

Yettheuniqueabilitytoconniveorconvince,to influencethebalanceofpower,tomovemountainseither withwordsorsexualathletics,isbecomingalostart.You mightsay,Hooray!forlogicandcandidnessandthe forthrightnessofasocietywherethesekindsofexploitive techniquesareoutofstyle.Wehave,mostcertainly, enteredtheBraveNewWorldofBUF(BeingUp-Front.) TheMadeleineAlbrights,theCondoleezzaRices,andthe RuthBaderGinsburgshavebeenfreetopursuetheir variousexceptionaltalentswithoutthenecessityoflies andbed-chamberantics.

Still,foralltheirmoderndiplomaticaccomplishments, therewasakindoftalentattachedtowhatwereonce labeled‘femininewiles.’Ifnothingelse,itwasaformof tactfulnessandingeniousnessthatisbeinglostasthenext generationofstrongwomenstepsupforitsturnatbat. Mostofthemalepowerbrokersofthepastwerenotso naïveastobetotallyunawareofwhatwasbeing perpetratedbytheMataHarisoftheirtimes,womenwho, forwhateverreason,foundameansofinfluencingmenin onedirectionoranother.Itwaspartofthegame,oftena veryspicyanddangerousgame,butthatmadeiteven moreintriguing.

Isthisasuggestionthatwomenturnandmarchbackto thosecenturiesofmaledominanceoriginallyputinplace

bymisogynistreligiousandpoliticalleaders?Hardly.Itis moreanappealthatwelearnsomethingfromsuch seeminglyoutmodedtacticsbeforetheyslideintocultural oblivion;thatwerecognizethatthereisakindofwisdom inthecrevicesof‘manipulation,’ameasuringof opponents,andthenecessityofunderstandinghowthe humanmindandheartwork.Thewomanattherearofthe Throneorbehindthevillage’sHeadman,whodidnot thoroughlycomprehendthepsychologicalattitudesof thoseinvolvedinsomecrisis,riskednotonlyherspouse’s failure,butoftentimesdeath—herownandher children’s.

‘Upfront’isadirectapproach,onethathurriesus throughthemodernworld,

butwhichalsoleaveslittletimeforobservationor reflection.Insomesituations,thatcanbeamistake because,asweallknow,speedkills.

Attimes,mygrandmothermayhavebeenabitheavyhandedinfinaglingherwayaroundheroft-testyspouse, butmostlyitworked.Maybeweallmustlearntoobserve, totakeourtime,to“feedthebeast,”therebydiscovering themostappropriatemomenttospringthingsonthose aroundus.

Wejustmayfindtheoutcomesfarmoregratifying.

BornandraisedinthegrittinessofNewYorkCity, Brittinghamspentalargesegmentofheradultyearsintheblue skiesandhumidityofSouthFlorida.Todaysheresidesalongthe magnificent(andsometimestumultuous)shoresofLake Michigan.

ShehaspublishedessaysintheHartfordCourant;short storiesinFloridaLiteraryFoundation’shardcoveranthology, Paradise;withtheUniversityofGeorgiaCenterforContinuing Education;inthe1996FloridaFirstCoastWriters’Festival,and inBritain’sWorldWideWriters.“TheNoteintheWood,”wasa semi-finalistinthe2003NelsonAlgrenAwardsandwas publishedintheJune2008issueofShoreMagazine.Recently publishedinAnthologyofShortStories-Autumn2021was “LooseEnds.”

HotelduLac MarionCohen

TherewereperiodsoftimesinmylifethatIseldom readabook.Teachinginasecondaryschool,oranygrade levelforthatmatter,alwaysrequiredamultitudeofwork outsideoftheschoolday.Duringtheweekends,Ialways hadpaperstogradeandpartoftheweekendwasalways reservedforpreparinglessonsforthecomingweek.

Leisurelyreadingdidnotseemtobemychoiceofactivity whenIdidhavesomeblocksoftimetoseekpleasurable activities.

Intheseunencumberedblocksoftime,Ipreferredtofill journals,writingendlesslyaboutmyownlifeexperiences. Occasionallythough,Ididmanagetocomeacrossabook toreadespeciallywhenItraveled,somethingtopassthe timeduringtheflights,orwhilerelaxingatatranquil beach.

AtoneofthoseserenebeachesinNassauduringa springbreak,Irememberreadingthenovel, LovingFrank

byNancyHoran.Itwaspureenjoymentasthesunpoured itscalmandsoothingraysonthesandywhitebeach.AsI turnedeachpage,passingtheafternoon,allmypent-up anxietiesdriftedawaylikethemarinebluewaves delicatelyebbedbacktotheocean.

Irecallawomansittingseveralfeetawaymakingher waytomyloungechair.Shehadnoticedthecoverofthe bookIwasreading,andinterruptedmyreading.Sheasked whatIthoughtofthebookIwasengrossedinandfully enjoying.Ihadmomentsbeforejustreadapassagetomy travelingcompanion,adearfriend,andwehadlaughed togetherabouttheauthor’sassessmentofsomeofthe failingsofmarriedwomen.Bothofus,eternallysingle, hadsharedsuchagoodlaugh.

Thestrangerseemedcompelledtomakeherassaulton thestory.Ilistened,andfinallyrespondedthatIwas thoroughlyenjoyingthenovel.Nothavingherown brusqueopinionvalidated,shewalkedaway,andjoined whatIassumedwasherelderlyhusbandseveralyards away.

MyfriendandIlaughedoncesheexitedourspotonthe sand.Butitwassoamazingtomehowcertainbooks,and certainpassagescanspeaktoareaderwithsuch familiarity.Itisasifthewriterknowsexactlywhatisin yourhead,andabsolutelywhatisinyourheart.How

fortunateitistostumbleuponsuchastory.

AnothernovelthatIconnectedwithinthatwaywas HotelDuLac byAnitaBrookner.Ihadjustretiredfrom myveryrewardingteachingcareer,andnowthehours openedupandIchosetofillmanyofthemreading, especiallyattheendofeachdayreadingbeforeIdrifted offtosleep.

HotelDuLac isthestoryofawomanwriterwhoflees herintendedgroomonherweddingday,knowingshe trulylovesamanwhoisonlyavailabletohersporadically. HerprofessionalassociateswhiskherofftoSwitzerlandto escapethescandalofherunexpectedchangeofheart.

TheyplanforhertostayattheHotelDuLacinInterlaken, Switzerland,farfromherhome,andduringthattimeshe ischargedwithfinishingherlatestromancenovel.

Iwasimmediatelycaptivatedbythestorymuchlikea tornado’sforcecollectsobjectsintoitsswirlingmotions. Themaincharacter’sdescriptionofherlifewiththeman sheloved,andtheirpart-timeloveaffairgavemeclarityin myownlife’sloveaffair.HerstayattheHotelandthe characterssheencounteredregaledme,pagebypage.

Duringthattime,Iwascontemplatingwritingmyown novel,andafterIcompletedreading HotelDuLac,I fantasizedwritingmyownstoryinalocationlikethe HotelinInterlaken.Tosaythatbookmadeahug impressiononme,wouldbeagreatunderstatement.Ihad

spokenaboutthatbooktosomefriendsandmysister, someofwhomreaditaswellaftermyravereview.

Acoupleofyearslater,formy60thbirthday,mysister, Rochelle,presentedmewithagiftofatriptoSwitzerland. ItwasacountryIhadalwayswantedtovisit,but somehowneverhadhadanopportunityinrecentyears.I hadbeentakingcareofmyagingfatherforseveralyears andhadgivenuptravelingonvacationstoeasehisday-to dayburdens.Rochelle,livingout-of-state,wantedtodo thisforme,afewshortyearsafterourdadhadbeenlaidto rest.Shemeticulouslyplannedatripformewithherself andherhusband.RochellehadbeentoSwitzerland decadesbefore,andwasfamiliarwithalloftheplacesshe wantedmetoexperience.

DuringthemonthofOctober,wearrivedinZurich wherewevisitedforseveraldaysuntilitwastimetoleave fora3-daytriptoGrindelwaldtoexperiencetheSwiss Alps.Iwasalreadyinaweofthestreetsandscenesof Zurich,butlookingforwardtoournextadventure.

Wearrivedatthetrainstation,andmyworld-traveled sisterretrievedourticketsandusheredustoourtrain.We wouldneedtotransfertwotimestoothertrainsduringthis trip,butRochelleassuredusitwouldbeabeautifully picturesquejourney.Wemadethefirsttransferoftrains uneventfully,andsettledinforthenextpartofourtrip.

Thecountrysidesceneswerelovely,andIsatsocontented

attheviews.

Aswenearedthenextstopwhereanothertraintransfer wasnecessary,Icouldfeelthetraindecreasingitsspeed. Thethreeofusgatheredourbaggageinanticipationof exitingthetrain.Butlookingoutthewindowmyeyessaw anextraordinaryview.Mysistersawittoo,andmy brother-in-law,Rex,noticedthestartlingexpressionson bothourfaces,andwonderedwhatwashappening.

Thetraincametoastop,andwestoodtoexitthetrain, butIdidnottakemyeyesoffthesightafewyardsaway. Thereitwas,theHotelDuLac.Rochelleusheredus acrosstheoutdoorstationasournexttrainarrived immediately.Thethreeofusgotsituatedonthethirdtrain ofourexcursion,butInevertookmyeyesofftheHotel DuLac.Itwasanexperiencethatisdifficulttodescribe.It wasapieceofmylifeactuallycomingtolife.Rexwas completelyconfusedbyouroddbehavioruntilonce situatedonthetrain,webegantoexplainwhatallthefuss wasabout.Asawriterhimself,andartist,hetoobecame thrilledatwhatwashappeningwhichIpassionatelyrefer toasmy“literarymoment”.

Alongwithallthemeticulousplanningmysisterhad doneonmybehalf,thisunplanned,surpriseencounter, wasindeed,thehighpoint.Thenextdaymybrother-inlaw,Rex,wasexpectinghisfriendfromGenevatovisit andspendthedaycatchingup.Mysistersuggestedthat

sheandIgettrainticketstoreturntoInterlakenand explorethehotelforpartoftheday.Iwasthrilled,andso excitedonthetrainridebacktothehotelwherethat beautifulnovelwasset.

Itdidnotdisappoint.AnoldbuildingwithsmallFrench doorsleadingouttosmallterracesfromeveryroom.The lobbywasdecoratedwitholdworldcharm.Wedecidedto takelunchontheoutdoorpatiooverlookingthelake. Afterwardswewalkedtoanareaoftownwithlittleshops asIimaginedEdithHope,themaincharacterinthenovel, walkedby.

Soonitwastimetodepartandtravelbackto Grindelwald.Atthetrainstation,onemoreglanceatthe HotelDuLac,andIknewItoowouldwritemyown novel,andmaybeonedayreturntothesettingofsuch genuineinspiration.

MarionCohenwasbornandraisedinBrooklyn,NewYork. SheearnedaBAinmathematicsfromKeanUniversityandanM.

Ed.fromRutgersUniversity.Sheenjoyedagratifyingcareerasa mathematicsteacherfor36years,atthesecondarylevelandata communitycollege.Herfirstnovel,WhattheHeartMurmurs waspublishedin2015.Twoofheressaysappearinthecoloring bookjournal,CisforCourage.Cohen’sessay,IntotheBox, receivedHonorableMentionintheTortoise&FinchWriting Contest,“OnCourage”.Hersecondnovel,TheLifeThatSits BesideYou,isaboutfriendship,familydevotionandromantic loveasfivecharactersseekdifferentpathstopersonalfulfillment amidstthebackdropofthechangingtimesforwomen.

MarionCohen’srecentnovel,TheFifthQuestion,followsthe lifeofawomanwhoseekshappinessasaprofessorwithaloving husband,onlytohaveatragiceventupendheridylliclife.The storyexamineshowthemaincharacterconfrontsthechallenges ofrebuildingandseekingalifeoffulfillment.Shecurrently residesinCherryHill,NJ.

Contactatmcohen.author@yahoo.com

RedTail MarisaKeller

Theywatch

SometimeswithbacksturnedScanningthehorizon Fordinner Ordisbelievers

Somehavefeathersruffled

Fromaharrieddivetotheground

Otherssmoothanddevilish

Redtailsslickedback

Likelotharios

Whatdotheythink

Astheysitsilently

Onatightrope

Carsdisregardingspeedsigns

Passersbywhodon’tlookup

Whochoosesthehighway

Whichonepicksthecountryroad

Ithinkthehuntadisguise

Reportingasecretplot

Dotheyfollowme

Reportmysecrets

Mythoughtswhennoonelooks

Aretheyangelsordevilswho

Seebeyondtheirprojections

Atoncetakingflight

Nowarningordestination

Eachonesointriguing

Theircaptivatingsilence

Anenticementofthought

TodayI’lljustdriveby

Gratefulfortheirfeignedmalevolence

Likethem,watching

Myview

thegroundup

MarisaKellerlivesonasmallfarminWisconsinwithher familyoffour-and-twoleggedcompanions.Shechanneledher writingfromanearlyageintoacareerinmarketingandisnow pursuingadeepdesiretoshareandpublishherpoetryand prose.Herworkrevolvesaroundnature,animals,love,theaging offriendsandfamiliesandmostly,theconnectionittakesforall ofthosethingstotrulyrevealthemselves.

Marisawritesbecauseshelovestoconnectwithwords.Seeing othersconnectherwordstotheirownstoryisgratifyingand helpsbringpeopletogether,evenifitisjustforthosefew moments.Sheishumbledbythosecherishedmoments.

TableauxNoir:LeKiosque

TableauxNoir:LeKiosque

OneThousandPaperBirds

F.ScottFitzgeraldin14PointFranklinGothic

OriginallyfromNorthDakota,RobertMatejcekobtainedhisBA inArt,MagnaCumLaude,fromFontbonneUniversityinSt.

Louis,Missouri.Robert'swork,acombinationoftraditionaland newmedia,hasbeenexhibitednationallyandinternationally.

Robertandhiswife,Anna,currentlyresidewiththeirdogs, WillowandIndy,andtheirguineapigs,HoneysuckleandPoppy, inLaJunta,Colorado.

INSIDEVOICES

“I’vecometoloveSuzieandhergloriouslymessylife,andher brotherEthan,andherfriendsCaesarandFrankie,andher UncleGavin.EvenWilsonthedog…”

interviewChristopherSwann,authorofthe FaulknerFamilyseries

ChristopherSwannisanovelistandhighschoolEnglish teacher.AgraduateofWoodberryForestSchoolin Virginia,heearnedhisPh.D.increativewritingfrom GeorgiaStateUniversity.HehasbeenaTownsendPrize finalist,longlistedfortheSouthernBookPrize,andtwice beenafinalistforaGeorgiaAuthoroftheYearaward.And thisyearwonthecovetedaward.Heliveswithhiswife andtwosonsinAtlanta,whereheistheEnglish departmentchairatHolyInnocents’EpiscopalSchool.He istheauthoroffivenovels: ShadowoftheLions,Never TurnBack,AFireintheNight,NeverGoHome, and NeverBackDown.

Jeffrey:Protagonistshaveanoriginstory,sowhatabout you?What’sauthorChristopherSwann’sbackstory?

Christopher:Myeighth-gradesocialstudiesteacher, Mrs.Corpening,assignedaprojectattheendofour RevolutionaryWarunit,andoneoftheoptionswasto writeafictitiousdiaryorjournalfromthepointofviewof afictitiouspersonwhohadwitnessedorparticipatedinan actualhistoricaleventfromthatera.Whilemyfriendsall chosetowriteabookreportonJohnnyTremainormakea posterprojectabouthowamusketworks,Ichosethe journaloption.Ihadalotoffunmakingupthenarrator, whosenameIdon’tremember,buthewasathird-rate

DanielBoonefrontiersmanwhopickeduphismusketto fightagainsttheBritish.Mrs.Corpeninglikedit,andI likedwritingit,andmyfriendssaid,“That’sprettygood,” whichishighpraisefromthirteen-year-oldboys.That’s themomentIdecidedIwantedtowritebooks.Ittookme alittlebitlongertogetpublished,butnowI’vegotfive novels,andI’mstillsortofstunnedthatInurturedadream foralmostthirty-fiveyearsandthenitcametrue.

Christopher:Thankyou!Settingcanbeveryvaluable forastory.Itcansetatone.Itcanforeshadow.Itcan provideacontrastwiththeaction,sometimesironically. Anditcandrawthereaderintothestory,soyouareno longersittinginyourlivingroomoronabeachreadinga book—insteadyouareonatrainrushingthroughtheUral Mountains,orwalkingdownanalleyinChicago,orona boatsailinguptheNile.Idon’twanttooverloadthe readerwithtoomuchdetail,whichIdosometimesinearly drafts,becauseitslowsdownthenarrative,soIalwaystry tofindahandfulofdetailsthatwillbringascenetolifein thereader’smind.

Robert:Ifeelthatthesettingsinyournovelsliveand breatheascharacters.Sharealittlebitaboutyour approachtosetting.

Jeffrey:Yourworkblendsgenres:literaryandthriller.

RobertGwaltney&JeffreyDaleLoftonintroduceChristopherSwann

Howwouldyoudescribeyourwork?

Christopher:“Literarythriller”iswhatIaimformost ofthetime.I’maproductofcreativewritingprograms, whichinmyexperienceprioritizedcharacterizationand thequalityofyourprose—someoftheelementsofliterary fiction.SoIvaluecomplicatedcharactersinfictionwith beautifulwriting.ButIalsoloveauthorslikeMartinCruz SmithorJamesLeeBurkeorDonnaTartt,whosewriting isliteraryandwhoseplotsarethrillingorsuspenseful. Shakespeareisamasterofboththewrittenwordandthe buildingofsuspense.IliketowritethebestprosethatI canandcreatecharactersthatareaderwillfindinteresting andworthfollowing.Ifyoucancreateacharacterthat readersbecomeinvestedinandcuriousabout,thenyou canwriteanykindofstoryyouwant.

Robert:Asanovelist,fromwheredoesyourinspiration come?Dothecharactersspeaktoyoufirst,orisitplot?

Christopher:Eachbookisabitdifferent.Withmyfirst novel, ShadowoftheLions,Idecidedtowriteastoryset inaboardingschool,anditquicklybecameacombination ofamysteryandacoming-of-agetale.OnceIwrotethe prologue,IknewIhadmystory. NeverTurnBack was,in itsorigins,muchmoreaboutthecharactersofEthan FaulknerandhissisterSusannah,andhowtheyeachreact

tobecomingorphaned.SuzieFaulknerisacharacterwho hastakenupalotofspaceinmyhead,sotheother FaulknerFamilybooksarewrittenfromherpointofview, inhervoice.And AFireintheNight wasbornfroma simplescene:amiddle-agedman,aloneinamountain cabin,isdisturbedbyateenagegirlwhostumblesontohis porchinsearchofhelp.

Jeffrey:Speakingofplot,yourbooksarefullofsecrets. Howdoyouknowwhentoteaseoutthosecrucialdetails, ortowithholdthem?

Christopher:I’vereadalotofmysteriesandsuspense novels,fromSherlockHolmestoKarinSlaughter,andI enjoynovelsthatmakemewanttoknowwhat’sgoingon butkeepthatinformationtantalizinglyoutofreach.It’sa gameyouplaywithareader,andit’seasytoscrewup— youcanrevealthesecrettoosoon,whicherasesthe tension,oryoucanwithholdthesecretfortoolongand annoythereader.Haveyoueverreadamysterythatdidn’t work?It’susuallyfortworeasons,whichIcall“butleror aliens.”Eitherthebutlerdidit,whichyousawcoming frompage50butgamelyreadon,hopingtobesurprised, oraliensdidit,whichcameoutofnowhereandseemslike thewriterjustcameupwithaconvenient,and unsatisfactory,answer.Itrytoavoidbothofthose problems.FilmslikeTheUsualSuspectsandTheSixth

Sensebothrestontwistysecretsthat,whenrevealed, shockandsurpriseyouwhile,inretrospect,alsomake perfectsense.Readersdon’tmindbeingfooledaslongas theanswerorthetwistmakessenseinretrospect,ifthey weregivenenoughcluestohavefiguredouttheanswer butwithoutbeingblatantlytold“It’sColonelMustard!In theconservatory!Withthewrench!”

Robert:Likemanywriters,youhaveadayjob.You alsohaveafamily.Howdoyoubalanceitall?Whatis yourwritingschedulelike?

Christopher:I’mahighschoolteacher,soItendto writealotinthesummers—I’llgetagoodheadofsteam goingsothatwhenthenewschoolyearstartsandIhaveto gobacktomydayjob,I’vegotsomemomentumanda stackofwrittenpagesbehindme.Itriedgettingupvery earlyinthemorningtowrite,butIfounditfrustrating, becausejustasmycoffeewaskickinginandthewriting wasgettinggood,I’dhavetogotowork.SoIwriteinthe eveningsandontheweekendswhenIcan.

Jeffrey:Whatasthereactionfromreaderswhofirst meetyouanddiscoveryoudon’tresemblethedarkand twistedworldandpeopleinyourbooks?

Christopher:Whatdoyoumean?(Insertsmileyface.)I thinkmostreadersknowthatwritersinventthingsintheir

headsthatmayormaynothaveanythingtodowitha writer’sreallife.Sure,wealldrawonourownlife experiences.Ioncereadaninterviewwiththeactor ChristopherWalkeninwhichhesaidthathewilldosome researchintohischaractersandsoforth,butultimately everycharacterheplaysishim,tosomeextent—it’sall filteredthroughhimandhislifeexperiencesandworld view.SowhileSuzieFaulknerintheFaulknerFamily seriesisatwenty-something,sexuallyfluidwomanwith combatskillswhoridesamotorcycleandsearchesfor missingpeople,andI’mamiddle-agedheterosexualguy whotendstoavoidconflictandwouldneverdomostof whatSuziedoes,she’sstillaproductofmyimagination. Therearepartsofmeinher—farlessfiltered,nodoubt, buttherenonetheless:Ihaveastrongsenseofjustice,for onething,andIcanbeimpulsive,andmythoughtscan dartallovertheplace.

BeforeIwrotemyfirstnovel, ShadowoftheLions,I wroteabookthatcanbestbedescribedasastorythatPat ConroyandTomClancymighthavetriedtowrite together.Itwasastoryaboutaworking-classfamily,a fishermanfatherandhissonwhoclash;themotherhas justdiedofcancer;itwassetincoastalGeorgia;andthe IrishRepublicanArmyisinvolved.Now,myfamilywas upper-middle-class;myfatherandIneverreallyfought; mymotherneverhadcancerandisverymuchalive;I’ve

beentocoastalGeorgiabutitalmostalwayshasinvolved abeach;andalthoughI’veresearchedtheIRAand traveledtoIreland—whichIcalled“research”andmy wifeKathycalled“vacation”—I’veneverknowinglymet orspokenwithanIRAmember.SoIdidn’texactlyknow whatIwaswritingabout.Afteryearsoftryingtomake thisnovelwork,Iwasfrustrated,andKathysuggestedthat ItrywritingsomethingthatIknew,likeastorysetina boardingschool.IresistedthatforalittlewhilebecauseI thoughtitmightbeboring(and,honestly,becauseIwasa littleintimidatedbytheideabecausesomanygoodbooks havebeenwritteninthatkindofasetting),butIrealized thatIcantakethepartsofmylifethatwouldworkfora givenstoryandusethemasneeded,andignoretherest. OnceIrealizedthat,IfeltoddlyfreetowritewhateverI wanted.

Christopher:WhenCormacMcCarthydied,Ireread AllthePrettyHorses andamnowrereading TheCrossing

soIcanfinallyreadthethirdnovelinhisBordertrilogy, CitiesofthePlain.ButIputthatonholdwhileI’matthe beachthisweek.IjustfinishedJoshilynJackson’slatest, WithMyLittleEye,whichisagreatthriller,perfectfora beachvacation.I’vegotthreemorebookslinedupfor beachweek,eachfromadifferentcrimeorthrillerseries:

Robert:Whatbooksareinyourbedsidetable?

JoeR.Lansdale’s SavageSeason,hisfirstHapand Leonardbook;CraigJohnson’s TheColdDish,thefirstof hisLongmirenovels;andJaneHarper’s Exiles,whichmay bethelastofherAaronFalkseriessetinAustralia.

Robert:NeverBackDownisthelastbookofyour FaulknerFamilyseries.Whatwillyoumissmostabout them?Andwhatisnextforyou?

Christopher:It’sthelastofmyFaulknerFamilyseries fornow.CouldIreturntoSuzieFaulkner?I’vegotanidea foraSuziebookinthebackofmyhead,butonlytime, andsalesnumbers,willtell.I’vecometoloveSuzieand hergloriouslymessylife,andherbrotherEthan,andher friendsCaesarandFrankie,andherUncleGavin.Even Wilsonthedog.I’llmisswritingthemandwatchingthem interactandsnipeatoneanotherandhaveeachother’s backs.They’reafamily,andIfeellikeapartofthat familyaswell.

AtthemomentI’mco-writinganovelwithmywife,a thrillersetinaGeorgialaketown.Wehaveacomplete draftandareworkingonrewritesbeforeapproachingour agentstoseewhattheythink.It’sbeenalotoffunwriting withKathy—wecomplementeachother’swriting strengthsandpredilections,andevenouroccasional differencesonplotorcharacterizationordescriptionshave beeneasilyresolved.BasicallyI’mgoingtokeepwriting

booksaslongaspeoplearewillingtokeepreadingthem.

Robert Gwaltney, awardwinningauthorof southernfiction,isagraduateofFlorida StateUniversity.HeresidesinAtlantaGeorgiawithhispartner,whereheisan activememberoftheAtlantaliterarycommunity.Robert’sworkhasappearedin suchpublicationsas TheSignalMountainReview and TheDeadMuleSchoolof SouthernLiterature.Hisdebutnovel, TheCicadaTree,wontheSomersetAward forliteraryfiction.

Jeffrey Dale Lofton,hailsfromWarmSprings,Ga.Hisyearstellingthestoriesof playwrightsandscriptwriterstaughthimthepullofapowerfulstoryarc.Today,he isasenioradvisorattheLibraryofCongress,surroundedbybooksandpeoplewho lovebooks. RedClaySuzie ishisfirstworkoffiction,writtenthroughhispersonal lensgrowingupanoutsiderfiguringoutlifeandloveinaconservativefamilyand communityintheDeepSouth.

"Swannhasatruegiftforwriting genuinelyflawedcharactersthatareso sympathetictheystillwinmealltheway over,andthistalentisonfulldisplayin NeverBackDown.IloveSuzieFaulkner forherhugeheart,hersmartmouth,and herextremelypoorimpulsecontrol.Never BackDownisawildrideworthyofthis goldstandardseries;I'llfollowSuzie anywhere."

--JoshilynJackson,NewYorkTimesand USATodaybestsellingnovelist

NeverBackDown ChristopherSwann

“Thereisanadrenalinerushwhenyougetagoodplacement foraclientandIkeepthatrhythmgoingfortherestoftheday.”

AnnieMcDonnellasks

Ann-MarieNieves,Founderof GetRedPR,Publicityand

EverymonthIchoosetointerviewsomeoneinour industrythatIbelievewasborntoshine.Beyonda shadowofadoubt,Ann-MarieNieves,needstobeamong theseranks.Herloveaffairwithwhatshedoesbeganat age3.ThatlittlegirlhasblossomedintosomeoneI’msure shewouldbeveryproudof.IamoftenmovedbyAnnMarie’sprofessionalism,grace,andcacheofknowledge.

TherewasatimewhereAnn-Marieworeredshoesand carriedaredbagtoattendanythingtodowithbusiness. They’vebeenturnedinforadeeper,morepowerful relationshipwithherclientsthathascomewithalmosttwo decadesofexperienceandsuccess.Ann-MarieNievesisa powerhouse.Noredshoesneededanymore.

Beforewebegin,I’dliketonotethatAnn-Marie informedmethatI’vebeensaying“Proust”wrong.I laughedbecauseitfiguresthatAnn-Mariewouldbethe onetotellmetheproperwaytosay“Proust”.Sheis alwaysteachingmesomething-forovertwenty-years now!

IusetheProustmodelwheninterviewingforthis column.Thisinterviewmodelhasbeenaroundsince 1890’s.Ifirstsawitusedinthe VanityFair magazine.

Interestingfactaboutthisisthatauthorscanusethis

Proustmodeltolearnmoreabouttheircharactersby askingtheircharactersthesequestions.Idecideditwould befunifIaskedourgueststoanswertenofthequestions.

Annie: Whatmakesyoulovebeingapublicist?

Ann-Marie: There'sanadrenalinerushwhenyougeta goodplacementforaclient.

Annie: Whatisyourgreatestextravagance?

Ann-Marie: I’msupersimplethesedays.Buyingorganic andnothavingabudgetwhenwegotothegrocerystore.

Annie: Whatisthequalityyoulikemostinaperson?

Ann-Marie: Theabilitytolisten,withoutgivingadvice andgivingyouropinion.Genuinelylisteningtoeverything theotherpersonhastosay.

Annie: Whichwordsorphrasesdoyoumostoveruse?

Ann-Marie: Thismorning,itwas“lowandbehold”.I must’veuseditfivetimesinaconversationwithoneof mydogwalkingfriends.But,generally,mymostoverused

AnnieMcDonnellintroducesAnn-MarieNieves

wordstartswithan“F”andendswitha“K”.

Annie: Whatwouldyouconsideryourgreatest achievement?

Ann-Marie: Ihavetwo.Ihavehadarelationshipwiththe samemanforover20years.Startingmybusiness.I’min my18thyearwithGetRedPR!

Annie: Whatisyourmostmarkedcharacteristic?

Ann-Marie: Mylargeforehead.

Annie: Whatdoyoumostvalueinyourfriends?

Ann-Marie: Definitelyhonestyanddefinitelyaraunchy senseofhumor.IlovetolaughandIlovepeoplethatgo there.

Annie: Whoisyourfavoritefictionalcharacter?

Ann-Marie: SamanthaJonesfrom“SexintheCity”.Iam lovingthereboot,“AndJustLikeThat”,butmissing Samantha.

Annie: Whatisyourmotto?

Ann-Marie: It’sreallynothardtobekind-justshowing peoplealittlebitofkindnessgoesalongway.Liketothe peoplewhoareopeningthedoorforyou,orgivingyou yourcoffee,ordrivingyourkidsontheschoolbus.Ithink wecanallshowalittlemorekindnessandgratitude towardseveryone.

Annie: Whatisonethingyou’dlikeauthorstoknow aboutGetRedPRthattheymightnotknowalready?

Ann-Marie: Weareasmallbutpowerfulboutique agency.WeprovidefullservicetraditionalPRand Marketing.Ifyouneedwebsite,advertising,PR,social media,orbooktours,wehavethatcovered.

Annie: Whatwouldyoutellpeoplethatthevalueisof goingwithaboutiqueagency?

Ann-Marie: Therearemanygreatliterarypublicistsout there,andafewofusreferbusinesstoeachother.Ithink thevalueinboutiqueisthatyou’regettingalittlebitmore hands-onexperience.

(Don’tforgettocheckoutAnnieAsksonWELLREAD'spodcastformore tothisinterview-lotsoflaughsandvaluableinformation!)

AnnieMcDonnellintroducesAnn-MarieNieves

TofindoutmoreaboutAnn-MarieNievesandGetRedPR visit:Website:https://www.areyoured.com

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/getredprbooks/ Ann-MarieNieves

Email:am@getredpr.com

Phone:914-461-4360

AnnieMcDonnell,authorof Annie’sSong:Dandelions,Dreams &Dogs,BookReviewer,AuthorInterviewer,Teacher,Speaker, Writer,AuthorConsultant,Co-Admin.AtWorldoftheWrite ReviewBookClub,Blogger,Authoronlineeventplanner.

BETWEEN THEPAGES:apodcast that'sanextensionofWELLREADMagazine.

EachmonthIeditthefantasticvideointerviewswiththe featuredauthorsandcontributingwritersyou'llfindinside eachissuesoreaderscanseethefaces,hearthevoices, andexperiencethe fullconversation.

There'salwaysmoretotheinterviewsthanwhatmakes ittothepage,sothesevideosaretoogoodnottoshare.

You'llfindINSIDEVOICESwithRobertGwaltneyand JeffreyDaleLofton,ANNEASKSwithAnnieMcDonnell, andmeinconversationwithsomeincrediblytalentedand interestingauthors.

Pleasetakeaminutetolikeandfollowtohelpspread thewordaboutTHEonlinejournalcreatedbyanauthor forauthorsandreadersofallgenresandbackgrounds.

Iappreciateyoursupportmorethanyouknow-because whenyousupportWELLREAD,yoursupportingevery authorwhoadvertisestheirbooksandsharetheirstories withWELLREADMagazine.

Thankyou,RebeccaBarrett,fortakingthetimetochat aboutyourbooks,publishing,lifeinFairhope,and whateverelsepopsuptoday.YouandIhavenever actuallymetinperson,butI’vebeenafanofyourwriting foryears.Let’sstartbychattingaboutyournewestbook, TheRatCatcher,whichbytheway,Ienjoyedandadmired greatly.

Inanutshell, TheRatCatcher ispartclassicmystery, parthistorical,andpartpoliceprocedural,andwholly captivating.Youhavealltheplottwistsandturnsthat readersexpecttoldinanengagingpacewithagritty underbelly.It’ssetinthemonthsafterMartinLutherKing wasassassinated,andyoucapturethattimeframe wonderfullywellwithitsconflictsandsociety-at-thecrossroadsfeel.

TheheroisaVietnamveteran,HugoAugust,who returnshometoMobile,Alabamatobecomean investigatorforthepolicedepartment.Notonlymust HugoconfrontthemysteriousdeathofRuthCamden,one ofthetown’smostformidablewomenandawealthy matriarchof“OldMobile”society,buthemustdealwith thedeadwoman’sentangled,privileged,andcontentious family.HispastasanorphaninMobilecomestumbling backinseveralways,too,especiallywhenthewomanhe oncelovedturnsupasthedeadwoman’sniece.While Hugoprobablystilllovesher,hecan’tletthatinterfere.

Sheisinvolvedsomehow,orknowssomethingheneedsto know,yetwhenhepushestoohard,hetriggersdifficult consequencesforall.

Allinall,it’sjustastunning,wonderfulbook,andI congratulateyouonit.Andthecoverisfabuloustoo!

RebeccaBarrett:Claire,you’retookindwithyour comments.Suchpraisefromatalentedwriterandcritic suchasyoumeanstheworldtome.

ClaireMatturro: Rebecca,younailthetimeframe— thelatesixties—andplace—Alabama—sowonderfully wellin TheRatCatcher.Iespeciallyadmireandrespect howeffectivelyyouweavesignsofthetimeintotheactual storyline.Forexample,thewanna-beBlackpantherand theVietnamdraftdodgerbothplaysuchkeyrolesinthe plotandarealsoemblematicoftheera.Canyoutellus whyyousetthenovelinSouthAlabamainthe1960s?

RebeccaBarrett: InmyadultlifeI’vetraveledtosome far-flungcornersoftheworldandhavehadsomeunique andsometimesscaryadventures.I’moftenaskedwhyI don’twriteaboutthis.Ithinkthereasonis,inpart,that I’masoutherngirl,bornandraised.Bythat,Imeanthe cultureofmyenvironmentearlyinlifeformedthecoreof myunderstandingoftheworldaroundme.Ibelieveakind

ClaireMatturrointerviewsRebeccaBarrett

ofosmosisoccursinourformativeyearsthat,withlater understanding,dictatesalotofourlifechoicesandour viewoftheworld.TosaythatIwasaware,toanygreat degree,ofthepoliticalandsocialunrestgoingonaround meinthelatesixtiesandearlyseventieswouldbea stretch.Thatperiodintimeinthedeepsouthwasliketwo separateworldsexistingsidebyside.Iknewboyswho didn’treturnfromVietnam.Yetformanythewarbarely registeredasmorethanasnippetinthepaperoracouple ofminutesontheeveningnews.Wewerekids.Friday nightsweremeantforpepralliesandfootballgames,The Beatlesand AndyGriffin.

Ontheothersideoftheequationwasthegreatmusicof thetime,themarkedchangeinthedirectionoffashion awayfromthestaidandup-tight,andtheriseofsexual freedominarebelliousyouthwhodidn’tfullyunderstand whattheywererebellingagainst.Wewerekidswho wantedanundefinedsomething.Noplaceexemplifiedthis dichotomyinoursocialconsciousnessquitelikethedeep South.Andnoplacehadamorestratifiedsocietythan Mobile,Alabama.Itmadetheperfectbackdropofthe HugoAugustseries.

CM: YouliveinFairhope,Alabamanow,whichasI understandhasaveryactiveartsandliteraryscene.When didyoumovetoFairhope?Wheredidyougrowup,and

wherearesomeofthefavoriteplacesyou’velived?

RB: FormanyyearsmyhusbandandIhadan apartmentintheFrenchQuarterinNewOrleansbutour primaryresidencewasalwaysinMobile,Alabama.The beautyofit,hewouldsay,wasthatwecouldworkandbe “serious”athomebutalsobewithinashortdrivetotwo ofthemostwonderfulplacesontheplanet,theother wonderfulplacebeingthesugarwhitebeachesofthe AlabamaandFloridacoast.

IgrewuponafarmnorthofMobileuntilmiddle school.Ithinkthat’swheremostofmystorytellingbegan. Peopleinthecountryaregreatatentertainingthemselves andtheirneighborsbyturningthemundaneinto somethinginterestingorfunny.Theabilitytolaughat one’sselfisagreateducationaltool.

ImovedtoFairhopeaboutayearandahalfago.Itis,as yousay,alovelyplacetolive.Originallyfoundedin1894 aswhatwouldtodaybecalledacommune,itstilldraws creativeswholiketoliveinalovelysettingonthecliffs aboveMobileBayandpracticetheircraft.Mymovefrom Mobilewasprompted,inpart,bytheincreasingsenseof isolationthatbeganduringthepandemic.I’maverysocial creature.Ilovelivinghereintheheartofthisvibrant communitywithtwobookstoreswithinviewofmy verandaandavarietyofeaterieswithinaneasywalkfrom

ClaireMatturrointerviewsRebeccaBarrett

myfrontdoor.Itwasagooddecision.

CM: Youknow,I’vebeenreadingyourbooksnowfor ages,andespeciallyrecallandadmire Road’sEnd.Yetit occurstomeIdon’tknowmuchaboutyourpersonal background,otherthanSouthernandrural.Haveyou alwaysbeenawriter?Whatledyoutowritenovels,or haveyoubeenawritermostofyouradultlife?What professionorjobsmightyouhaveheldbeforebecoming anauthor?

RB: IsupposeI’vealwaysbeenastoryteller.My primarychoreasakidwastoentertainmytwoyounger brothers.Thefrontporchswingtookusonmany adventuresofmyimagining.Thebookmobilewasa godsendduringmychildhoodandIdevouredeverythingI couldgetmyhandson.InhighschoolIdecidedIwould movetoSpainaftergraduationandlivethewriters’life.

Hemingway,Fitzgerald,andSomersetMaughanfeatured heavilyinmyreadingpreferenceduringthattime.But,as theysay,lifeintervenedandInevermadethemoveto Spain.

Marriage,children,andlifeingeneralweremyfocus butIwouldoccasionallyputpentopaperforashortstory thatwouldn’tleavemeinpeaceuntilitwasonthepage.

Theseshortpiecesweregratifyingtowritebut,asthose

whoknowmewellwilltellyou,Itendtomakealong, shaggydogtaleoutofeventhesmallthingsandso, heavilyinfluencedbyRachaelCarson’s SilentSpring,I thoughtI’dwriteapocalypticfiction.IntheprocessI discoveredthatwhatIreallywriteaboutispeople. Regardlessofwhetherornotthere’samurder,anaffair,a madscientist,orMotherNatureatthecoreofastory,it’s alwaysaboutwhatFaulknercalledthehumancondition.

CM: There’ssucharangeofstyleandsubjectsinyour books,includingyourcontributionstothedelightful Troubleseries,whicharecozymysteries/romantic suspense,and Road’sEnd,whichisapowerful,heartwarmingmulti-generationalnovel.Butthenyouhavea post-apocalypticnovel,(writingasCampbellO’Neal), pluschildren’sstories,andshortstoriesoflifeinthe South.DidImissanything?Whatledyoutowriteinsuch arange?

RB: Forme,writingalwaysstartswithascene.Idon’t knowwheretheycomefrombutI’msureFreudwould havesomethingtosayaboutthat.For TheRatCatcher the scenewasofadetectivearrivingatamurdersceneto encounter,unexpectedly,theobjectofhislifelongdesirein theformofBibiPrescott,adenizenfromtheoppositeend ofthesocialstrata.Everythingelseflowsfromthat

complication.

Mychildren’sstorieshavealwaysbeenaboutmy grandchildren.Andmyotherfiction,regardlessofthetime periodorliterarystructure,springfromthesoupthat makesupmylifeexperiences.Whatbubblestothesurface alwayssurprisesmeonceit’sfinished.Theunderlying themeonlyrevealsitselfinthewriting.

OnlytheTroublemysteriescamefromaplaceof plottingandstructureasfarasthewho,what,andwhere wereconcerned.Butthewhyisalwaysupforgrabswith meuntiltheninthhour.Thesewerefunstoriestowrite andI’mgladCarolynHainesprevaileduponmetojoin thisgroupinthisadventure.

CM: WellReadMagazine hasagoodmanyauthors amongitssteadyreadershipandfanbase,soIwanttoask aboutyourexperiencesinfirstpublishing TheRatCatcher asanAmazonVellabook.Howdidthatworkoutforyou? WhatwasthelearningcurvewithVellaandhowdifficult wasittopublishitinVellaform?Andwillfuturestories withHugoAugustfirstbeintroducedinVella?

RB: Mywritinghasalwaysbeenmoreaboutwriting thanaboutbeingpublished.NotthatIdidn’twantsome bigpublishinghousetoswoopdownandtellmehow marvelousIwasandhere’syourcheckforatrillion

dollars.Self-doubtistheconstantcompanionofawriter.I soondiscoveredthatIdidn’twanttoendurethewrenching processofrepeatedrejection.Averywittyeditor,who shallremainnameless,onceopined“theremightbeastory heresomewherebutnotinthesepages.”Iburnedhimin effigy.Ialsodidn’twriteforaverylongtimeafterthat. Hiscommentsweren’twitty,justcruel.Ilaterwonthe grandtotalof$100forthatshortstory.

But,morerecently,IdecidedthatsinceIwouldalways write,Ishoulddisciplinemyselfandputmoreeffortinto thepublishingaspectofthings.Iresearchedthevarious serializationplatformsanddecidedtogiveAmazonVellaa try.

Chaptersofaworkinprogressarepublishedovera periodoftimethroughtheVellaplatform.Thepremiseis thatreaderswillaccessachapterusinganereaderandthen commentorlikethesegmentasitcomesavailablethereby buildinganaudienceoncethereaderisengaged.

WhenIfirstpublishedtothesite,itwascomplicatedfor readerstofindthecorrectlink.Theyhadtoknowthetitle becausetheVellaofferingsweren’teasytofind.The searcherhadtoknowtofirstgotoVella,whichdidn’t appearontheAmazonsiteinthelistofcategories,then searchforyourbook.Changeshavebeenmadetothe platformandIthinkthiswillimprovediscoverability.

Asforpublishinginthisformatagain,Idon’tthinkI

will.ThereasonbeingthatIthinkit’sbettersuitedfor differentgenresthanwhatIwriteandforflashfiction.

Fantasy,sciencefiction,anderoticaseemtocomprisethe largestaudience.That’snottosaythatifIwereabignamemysteryorhistoricalwriterthatmyreadership wouldn’tfindmeinthisformatbutforbuilding readership,IthinkIwouldneedaplatformwithhuge numbersoffollowerswhichcouldthenbedirectedtothis nichemarketingtool.I’mnotsavvyenoughwith marketingtoseeanyrealbenefitfromthisvenue.

CM: Whatareyouworkingonnow?Andwhat’sin storeforHugo?

RB: SheHadToDie isthenextbookintheHugo Augustdetectiveseries.I’maboutathirdofthewayin andIfindthatserieswritinghastheadvantageofmaking theplottingflowmoresmoothly.Ialreadyknowthe motivation,andbelieveme,that’smajorforme.Thegoal istohaveitfinishedandeditedbyJanuary,2024.Witha finalreadbymyBetareaders,thebookshouldbeinprint shortlythereafter.Theideaforthethirdbookisalready intrudingonmythoughtssoI’mveryexcitedaboutwhat thenextyearholdsformywriting.

CM: Thankyou,again,Rebecca.Allthebestinyour continuingadventuresasanauthorandinlife.

ClaireHamnerMatturro hasbeenajournalist,lawyer,organicblueberry farmer,andcollegeinstructor.Sheistheauthorofeightnovels,including aseriespublishedbyHarperCollins.She’sanassociateeditorat SouthernLiteraryReviewandlivesinFlorida.Herpoetryappearsin variouspublications.

“Richlywrittenyetgritty,The RatCatcher,isevocativeof timeandplaceandRebecca Barrettvividlyportraysboth.”

FiveStarReaderReview

TheRatCatcher RebeccaBarrett

Authors’ Networking Group

OFFTHEPAGE

Amonthlycolumnthattakesusoff thepageandintothelifeof RaymondAtkins

Iamaskedquiteoftenbypeoplewhowanttowrite whattherulesforwritingare,andI’msorrytosaythatI can’ttellyouwhattheyare.No,I’mnotbeingmeanor cagey,andthereisnotsomesecretsocietyyouhaveto joinbeforeyouareallowedtohavethisinformation,like theMasonsortheScientologists.Itissimplythatwriting isanextremelyindividualendeavor,andwhatworksfor memaynotworkforyou.It’slikeSomersetMaugham said:“Therearethreerulesforwritinganovel. Unfortunately,nooneknowswhattheyare.”

Hewasagreatwriter,bytheway,andit’snothisfault thatIcannolongerstomachhismostfamouseffort, Of HumanBondage,whichusedtobeoneofmyfavorite books.Theblameforthatrestswithaformerprofessorof minefromgradschoolwhooncemademewhipoutfifty pagesonexistentialdepressionandclubfeet,thussucking allthejoyoutofgreatliterature,gradschool,love,life, tacos,andEuropeantravels.So,thanksforthat.

Anyway,nowthatIhavegottenmymonthlydigression outoftheway,andboydoIfeelbetter,Iwanttoshare withyousomewritingtipsthatworkforme.Ifyoufind anyofthemuseful,pleasefeelfreetotakethemasyour ownandrunwiththem.Ifnoneofthemappealtoyou, well,thesethingshappen,anddon’tletthefactthatIhave thisawesomecolumninaswankymagazineswayyouin anywayintodoinganythingyouarenotcomfortable

doing.

ThemostusefulwritingtipIhavetosharehasbeen attributedtovariousauthors,butIencountereditwhile reading AMoveableFeast byErnestHemingway.Papa madeapointofurgingusalltostopatagoodplaceevery daywhenwriting.Truly,thishasbeenalifesaverforme. BackwhenIbegantowrite,Iwouldwriteandwriteeach dayuntilInolongerhadanythingleft.Thiswasgreatfor wordcount,butithadtheunintendedsideeffectof makingitextraordinarilydifficulttogetstartedduringthe nextwritingsession,becauseIhadwrittenmyselfintoa cornerandhadnothingtosay.Now,though,Isetaword target,andwhenIhitthatgoalIstop,evenifIam“inthe zone”andhavemoretowrite.

Speakingofwordgoals,500wordsismucheasiertohit than10,000words.Evenifyoutakeweekendsandyour birthdayoff,thatwillstillproduceagoodfatbookper year(500wordsX300days=150,000words)plusthe beginningsofthenextone,anditisverydoable.Okay, enoughofthat.IpromisedMandythattherewouldbeno mathinthesethings,sodomeasolidhereanddon’t mentionthisparagraphtoher.

Thisnextoneisprettyimportant,andIreallycan’t stressitenough.Never,evertrytobeprofoundwithyour writing.Igetitthataswritersweallwanttobeprofound, butIhavefoundthattheharderItry,thelesslikelyit

becomes,andthenIenduptalkingabouthandicapped peopleandexistentialdepression,andtrustmewhenItell youthatneitherofuswantsthat.SowhatIdoinsteadis justputmybestwordsonthepage,andifyouthereaders decidethattheyhaveachievedprofundity,yayforme,and justmakethatPulitzercheckoutto“Cash.”

IamanEnglishteacherbytrade,soifyoudidn’tsee thisnextonecoming,that’sonyou.Usepunctuation,and makeanattempttobesurethatatleastsomeofitis correct.Punctuationmarksarelikelittleroadsignsthat helpkeepreadersfirmlyinthenarrative,whichiswhere youwantthem.Toputitplainly,ifyourbookishardto read,itismuchlesslikelytogetitselfread.Iunderstand thatsomeofourgreatestwritershaveskippedstylein favorofcontent—CormacMcCarthycomestomind,and ifyouhaven’tread BloodMeridian or Suttree,whatare youwaitingfor—butformostofusitisbesttodo whateverwecantoputaneasyreadinthehandsofour readers.

Yesterdayduringthecourseoflivingarandom Saturday,Iencounteredthreeseparateimagesvivid enoughtoperhapssomedayappearinabook.Thiswas aboutanormaldayforme.Thestuffofourwritingisall aroundus,andeverydayasIlivemylifeIwitnessunique andinterestingpeople,places,names,andsituationsthat mightonedayfindtheirwayintomywriting,butifIrely

uponmymemory,thiswillneverhappen.SinceIamold school,youwillnevercatchmewithoutmylittlesteno notebook,andseveraltimesadayyouwillseemejotting impressionsintoit.

Mostpeoplethese dayshavesmart phones.Well,Idon’t, butIdohavethis trustyflipphone,and sinceIcan’teven makeitdoallthe thingsitwill supposedlydo,thereis notmuchpointtoan upgrade.Andanyway, IaminnegotiationswiththeSmithsonianforthemto featureitintheirHistoryofTechnologyexhibit,butsofar theirofferhasbeenlow.Butfortherestofyou,capturing thesemomentsforlaterusehasbecomeeasy.Youcanjust pointandclick,andbydoingsoyouwillhaveplentyof materialtochoosefromwhenitcomestimetowrite.

Asanasidetothistip,ifyouaremarriedandshowup forWednesdaynight“tea”wearingarentalVikingoutfit andcarryingyoursmartphonewithafullcharge,your partnermaybalkabit,atleastuntilyouexplaintothem thatyouareresearchingasexsceneforthenextGreat

AmericanNovel,afterwhicheverythingshouldgo smoothly.Imean,everyonewantstobeacharacterina novel,right?

Namesareimportant,andyouwanttotakeasmuch carewithnamingacharacterasyouwouldwithnaminga child.Withluckandsomedistribution,yourcharacter,just likethatchild,willhavethatnameforanentirelifetime, andperhapsforseveral.TakeOdysseusasanexample.He hascarriedthatnameforover2000years,andthename hasbecomesynonymouswiththecharacterandwhathe represents,butwhatifHomerhadgottenlazywiththe namingandjustcalledhimChuck?Itjustwouldnothave beenthesame.

Ihavefoundthatthebestplacetodiscovergreatnames isintheoldsectionofalmostanycemetery.Thesenames areofteninteresting,andalwaysauthentic,andIliketo thinkasIuseonethattheformerownerofthename approvesofthis smallbitof immortality.

Thereareseveral writingtipsthatI haveheardofbut havenottried,and I’llshareafewof themhereonthe

chancethattheymightappealtoyou.Ihaveheardthat WilliamFaulknerwassloshedmostofthetimewhile writing,andwhilethatmayormaynotbetrue,Idon’t supposeitwouldhurttohaveaglassofwineormaybea coldbeerwhileyoustareatyourscreenwaitingforthe Musetomakeanappearance.Whenshefirststartedout, J.K.Rowlinglikedtowriteinpublicplaceslikecoffee shopsandcafes,bothbecauseshelikedthehustleand bustleofpeoplearoundherwhileshewrote,andbecause asapoorsinglemother,sometimesherelectricityhad beencutoff.

VictorHugowroteinthenude.Iwillpauseherea momentwhileyouwrapyourheadaroundthatimage,no matterhowMisérableitmakesyou.Okay,enoughofthat. Imentionedtheselastthreetipstoillustratemyoriginal point,whichwasthattherearejustaboutasmanywriting strategiesastherearewriters.Takewhatyouneedfrom thiscolumnandleavetherest,butjustrememberthatif youshowupatyourlocalBarnesandNobledrunkand unfetteredwithyourlaptopintow,youareonyourown.

TheSecretsWeHide by

PatriciaSands

2023Women'sFictionAwardfromBookExcellence

ThedeeptraditionsandvaluesofKaitoTanaka’sJapanese heritageareseverelytestedwhenhereturnshometoHonolulu fromdutyinVietnamtofindhiswife,Hana,inthegripof progressivementalhealthchallenges.

AsHana’sconditionworsens,Kaito’slifebecomesabsorbedin protectingandcaringforherandtheirdaughter,Kiana.Hana becomesincreasinglyreclusivewhiletheirdaughterKianagrows troubledandrebellious.Afriend’smysteriousdeathfollowedby Kiana’ssuddendisappearancecutdeeplyintoKaito’ssoul. MeditationisKaito’sdrugofchoice.Secrecyhidesthetruthfrom othersbutKaito’scommitmenttoHanaisunwavering.

Asyearsgoby,Kaitobeginstomakeanannualpilgrimagetoa BuddhistretreatinKoyasanthatrenewshisspirit.Intheend,a serendipitouscoincidencethereopensthedoortohappiness–if hecanallowhimselftoacceptit.

“SetagainstlushbackdropsinHawaii,Japan,Corsica,andthe southofFrance,thisbeautifulstoryofresilienceperfectly balancestheheartbreakanddestructionofmentalillnesswiththe compassionandserenityofanunforgettablehero.”Barbara

ClaypoleWhite,bestsellingauthorof ThePerfectSon and The PromiseBetweenUs.

PatriciaSandslivestwohoursnorthofToronto,butherheart's otherhomeistheSouthofFrance.Anavidtraveler,shespends partofeachyearontheCoted'Azurandonceayearco-leadsa 16-women,12-daytouroftheRivieraandProvence.Herawardwinning2010debutnovel, TheBridgeClub,isabookclub favorite.ThePromiseofProvence,whichlaunchedherthree-part LoveinProvenceserieswasafinalistfora2013USABestBook Awardanda2014NationalIndieExcellenceAward,anAmazon HotNewReleaseinApril2013,anda2015nomineefora #RBRTGoldenRoseawardinthecategoryofromance.

DrawingLessons,Sands’fifthnovel,alsosetinthesouthof France,wasreleasedbyLakeUnionPublishingin2017andwas aFinalistintheSomersetLiteraryBookAward2019.TheVilla desViolettesminiseriesreleasedin2019/20andBook4is anticipatedin2023.

Hermostrecentnovel, TheSecretsWeHide,publishedAugust, 2022andreceivedthe2023BookExcellenceAwardforWomen’s Fiction.

InMarch,2023, LostAtSea,Book8inthenine-bookSail Awayserieswaspublished.

Alifelongphotographer,followheronInstagram@psands.stories FindoutmoreatPatricia’s Facebook AuthorPage,AmazonAuthorPage orher website wheretherearelinkstoherbooks, socialmedia,andmonthlynewsletterthat hasspecialgiveawaysandsneakpeeks. Shewouldlovetohearfromyou!