Reading at Working Title Farm

I first paid attention to the stories of Ed McTeer as I was working on a novel set around Edisto Island and the small town of Adam's Run. There was a local sheriff in the novel inspired by McTeer. As I looked into the story, I couldn't get it out of my head... and I figured I'd get an article out of it.

I went to Sonny Brewer's Southern Writers Reading event in Fairhope, Alabama with my buddy Clay Risen. It was the week before Thanksgiving, and I was sure I would be too busy. He assured me that I had to go. I did. We stayed with Suzanne Hudson and Joe Formichella. I'd never read either of them, but when we woke up that morning-- out on the Waterhole Branch, which looked so much like Beaufort with hits live oaks and marshy smell-- I read a story of Suzanne's and was blown away. Later I read more of both of their work and especially Hudson's In A Temple of trees and Formichella's Wreck of the Twilight Limited confirmed the brilliance I saw in them as people that night.

They became fierce advocates of mine. I keep encountering people who tell me that Joe told them I could write. Foremost among them was Shari Smith. Shari organized the Southern Writing Reading that year and I remember she made these beautiful windows with the readers' names stenciled on them. We talked about Hayes Carl.

Her house burned down a short time later. It seemed so devastating, I didn't know what to do. But I did send a Hayes Carl cd, and a few months later, when she got a place that she called "Working Title Farm," she invited some writers to come and help thank the town of Claremont-- where she'd been living for a number of years-- for all they did to help her.

There's a hell of a lot to say about Shari, but right now, I'm just going to say that among the people she invited-- Joe and Suzanne, and the great Joe Galloway, and the hilarious Doug Crandall, she invited me.

I read what became a version of the intro of the book and played some banjo. That night, on Shari's porch, I was offered a book deal with River City.

Last weekend, Working Title Farm hosted me and Roger Pinckney—who helped with the book and wrote a novel about McTeer called Little Glory for the first annual "#44" scholarship in honor of Claremont's Greg Isaac. River City donated 100% of the proceeds from Coffin Point to the scholarship which went to Joe Litton, recipient of the award.

Roger read from his book Reefer Moon and Shari read a story "Hank and Tennessee" from her forthcoming book. You can get Roger's books here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Roger+Pinckney&x=0&y=0

And you can read Shari's blog here: http://workingtitlefarm.blogspot.com/

Also find Joe Formichella here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=joe+formichella&x=0&y=0

Suzanne Hudson here: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Hudson/e/B001K7R04Q/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_6?qid=1288117193&sr=8-6


The video is me reading, under the full moon, at Working Title Farm on October 23, 2010.