The Ties That Bind

I'm delighted to tell you that I have a story up at Chris Rhatigan's excellent site
'All Due Respect' today.

I have long been an admirer of the quality crime stories over there and it's a real buzz to have one of mine selected. 

'The Ties That Bind' is a story about family. Don't get the wrong idea, I've not gone all Waltons on you. That probably doesn't mean anything to you if you're under the age of 30, but blood is thicker than water or whiskey for that matter and you'll find plenty of both here: The Ties That Bind

I hope you'll stop in and give it the once over, why not post a comment while you're there and let me know what you think. I still have the Prozac  somewhere so have at it, I can take it!

Hick Lit?

Some of my favourite books have been given this rather unflattering tag. I'm constantly amazed by the debates that rage over which genre a work must have slapped upon it. This occupation seems to be largely the preserve of those who lean towards more literary things (is literary also a genre - discuss). Once they have a book hogtied and branded with 'crime' or 'noir', they are then free to ignore it and can feel superior about having done so.

Keith Rawson has written an excellent article over at Lit Reactor for those who are yet to hitch-hike along the rutted gravel roads of some exceptional writing.
It's more than just meth labs and single wides: A rural noir primer; takes a look at some of the writers plying their trade in the backwoods hollers and hill country shacks of rural America.
Three of my all time favourite authors: Daniel Woodrell, Cormac McCarthy and Donald Ray Pollock, have works discussed, along with many notable others. Stand up guys like Frank Bill and Matthew McBride also get honourable mentions.

Country crime, redneck grit or southern gothic; I don't care what its called, but make sure you don't miss out on some damn fine stuff, just because someone else has stuck it with the label.

You can read Keith's article here: It's more than just meth labs and single wides