This is an evocative, touching book. I grew up in Tennessee just a ways down the road from the hard-luck main character, Skid, offset by just a few years. Randy O’Brien knows the 70s in the South – what’s going on, the shifting attitudes, politics, being poor, and what it’s like to be a kid who’s good at some things but not others. Through the tumult of young love, misfortune and downright unfairness, Skid struggles to do the right thing – sometimes succeeding and sometimes not – while wrestling with the wild emotion of youth and self-discovery. It all builds to a climax that breaks your heart even as it holds out a bit of hope. I recommend it.
Building Worlds: The Novelist's Goal.... The novelist's job is not merely to tell a story; it's to build a world and invite the reader to inhabit it. This requires a delicate balance of artistry and craftsmanship, where every word, every sentence, and every carefully constructed scene contributes to the illusion of reality. I write historical fiction and contemporary thrillers. Both genres require research and the creation of characters representing opposing views of the plot. While the writer may base these characters on personal experiences or friends and families, their main reason for existence is to challenge the dramatic debate proposed by the plot. The goal is to present a plot and create an experience. The reader should feel the heat of the desert sun, the chill of the winter wind, the weight of grief, the thrill of victory. They should taste the bitterness of betrayal, the sweetness of love, the tang of the sea salt air. This immersive experience hinges on several...
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