CHRIS RICE COOPER BLOG is ART and HUMANITY Framed In The PhotoFeature Story : #14 INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION: Brian L Tucker's POKEWEED: AN ILLUSTRATED NOVELLA

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****Brian L Tucker’s POKEWEED: AN ILLUSTRATED NOVELLA is the fourteenth in a never-ending series called INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION where the Chris Rice Cooper Blog (CRC) focuses on one specific excerpt from a fiction genre and how that fiction writer wrote that specific excerpt. All INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links are at the end of this piece.

Name of fiction work? And were there other names you considered that you would like to share with us? Pokeweed: An Illustrated Novella

Fiction genre? Ex science fiction, short story, fantasy novella, romance, drama, crime, plays, flash fiction, historical, comedy, movie script, screenplay, etc. And how many pages long?

This on is difficult genre to label. It’s an illustrated, historical, YA, coming –of-age novella and clocks in at 119 pages.

Has this been published? And it is totally fine if the answer is no. If yes, what publisher and what publication date? Yes. It was published on September 20, 2018 with Black Rose Writing.

What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you completely finished the piece of fiction? Beginning date July 2016. Finish line: March 2018 (publication acceptance letter)

Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work? And please describe in detail. And can you please include a photo? Pokeweed began in an odd format-staring with PowerPoint and adding text as the idea developed. Eventually, the file became too large and I moved it over to Word and began shuffling the lengths of chapters around. Then, the idea for illustrations brought appropriate gaps for each scene. I wrote most of Pokeweed on Saturdays at a great coffee shop in the Red Bank neighborhood (near downtown Chattanooga) called The Meeting House.

What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? Coffee was the main fluid I consumed while working on this book. The ‘bottomless” option at The Meeting House is best - $4 for all day, local coffee delivered right to the table. Also, I listened to a lot of the ‘Blues Roots Rock’ playlist on Spotfly as I typed. It being a “western” of sorts, this music really helped me get into the scene better.

What is the summary of this specific fiction work? Pokeweed is a post-Civil War story concerning the life of Ezekiel “Z” Snopes as he seeks to avenge his sister’s death during the bloody spat known as the French-Eversole Feud of eastern Kentucky

Can you give the reader just enough information for them to understand what is going on in the excerpt? Ezekiel “Z” Snopes sister is gone, gunned down by feudists. But, he laments not being able to help her that fateful day. He seeks solace of any kind and is unsure of how to attain it.

Please include the excerpt and include page numbers as reference. The excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer.

Sissy’s grave was no longer yellow with goldenrods. The cool weather,

and the first frost, withered and coaxed the plants to sleep. I visited her on

a Tuesday before Thanksgiving. She was six feet below but felt a million

miles. The Sumner Place grew quiet, and I was glad winter came next. I

knew I should assume caretaker next spring. Sissy deserved that much—a

clean burial plot.

“What was it you said that day, Sissy? Before you…?” (page 18)

Why is this excerpt so emotional for you? And can you describe your own emotional experience of writing this specific excerpt? This happens just before Z Snopes makes a decision that will impact him for the rest of his life. Much like his journey, I felt I was with him while he was struggling to rectify those who’d wronged his family.

Were there any deletions from this excerpt that you can share with us? And can you please include a photo of your marked up rough drafts of this excerpt. None that I can think of. These were originally added to a Powerpoint drive and I was trying to keep the word count as low as possible. In some ways, I worried that I wouldn’t have enough detail added in the first draft.

Other works you have published?

Swimming the Echo (2017, eLectio Publishing)

WHEELMAN (2015, Vox Dei Publishing)

Baptisms & Dogs: Stories (2014, CreateSpace)

Anything you would like to add? Thank you for reading my words. If you know of teachers looking for historical fiction to share with their middle grad/high school classrooms, be sure to share Pokeweed. It’s one I’m delighted to see/hear of going into the school systems.

Brian L Tucker is from Monticello, Kentucky. His previous novels, Swimming the Echo and Wheelman, were featured on NPR, his story collection, Baptisms & Dogs, was a finalist for the Linda Bruckheimer Literature prize, and one copy currently sits inside Washington D.C.’s historic Marine Barracks Center House. Brian holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Bluegrass Writers Studio (EKU ’12). Visit him at

BrianLTucker.com

INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION links

001 11 15 2018 Nathaniel Kaine’s

Thriller Novel

John Hunter – The Veteran

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/001-inside-emotion-of-fiction-nathaniel.html

002 11 18 2018 Ed Protzzel’s

Futuristic/Mystery/Thriller

The Antiquities Dealer

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/002-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ed.html

003 11 23 2018 Janice Seagraves’s

Science Fiction Romance