Thank you for this lovely compliment, Tracy. you really captured exactly what I was trying to do. It did my heart good to read it.
This has been a trying experience. The good part is comments like yours, in the fact that the reader comments on Amazon and Goodreads have been overwhelmingly positive. I write for readers, after all.
I grew up in the 40s and 50s in Sumter County and Randolph County in Southwest Georgia. We moved to a suburb of Atlanta in 1956 but events in my teens shaped my views on race. I don't know if you heard the story of Henry Buchanan, a Baptist Minister, who came out in favor of civil rights in the 50's. He lived in Shellman in Randolph and was immediately turned on by most of the residents, in spite of the fact that he had been extremely well loved by the community. He was burned in effigy before he left town. He was an inspiration to me and far outweighed the influence of my family. They were not bad people but until this day many of them subscribe to the racism that was prevalent in the south. I really can't wait to read your book to compare it with my experience in that area.
Thank you, Mary. I found Sumter County fascinating place. It reminded me of what Faulkner said" The past isn't dead. It's not even past." I will be interested to hear what you think of my fictionalized version. Best, Ric Patterson
This is an enormous question of who has rights to ideas and you are looking to it with my thanks. As a writer of small stature I have met similar struggles of who is allowed to present ideas or struggles that stem from a culture to which you don’t belong. With empathy, and education we all can in essence attempt deeper understanding. But if the attempts are thwarted or met with anger we are all the poorer. I hope you break the barrier. 🤞✌️
I think it's so important,Gari, to make the effort you describe. As I wrote in the WSJ, this is not only about what our literature should be, but what kind of country we aspire to have. Thanks so much for your encouragement! Ric
I tried reading your book, Trial, on-line, but decided I needed to have the actual hardcover in my hands, which I then ordered. And I am so glad I did! I was born and raised in Michigan, and in 2005 my husband and I moved to coastal Mississippi. The southern culture and politics have been an on-going education for me. My husband passed and I stayed, having found some good people amongst those still living in the past. I read your book in two days. Thank you for persisting to get that story and those characters in the light of day.
I just finished “Trial.” I pre-ordered the Kindle edition and forced myself to wait instead of reading it as a serial on your Substack. Then I saved it to read during a 16 hour airplane journey from SF to Bodrum, Turkey. I have a hard time sleeping on planes and this trip I didn’t want to sleep; I wanted to keep reading. I think this is your masterpiece and I’m pretty sure I’ve read all of your books. The characters are believable and well developed. The trial is realistic and gripping. But best of all is that coming more from Chase’s world than Allie’s, it took me along with him into an experience of racism and race-based injustice that was visceral as well as intellectual. It astounds me that any publisher, let alone something like 19 of them, would pass on this book. I’ll do my best to sell a few dozen copies to reward the good folks at Post Hill Press for their common sense. And, while I do enjoy your commentary, I sure hope that this isn’t you last novel.
Richard, really loving the book. I pre-ordered the Kindle version. From my perspective, the writing is true to life. It aggravates me that the hysteria that you have faced would get in the way of people reading what you wrote and having useful discussions about it. Love, Tom
I really appreciate this, Tom. I really made an effort do you get this right, and had extensive meetings with Black and white residents of Southwest Georgia. What's particularly ironic is that no one suggested that my book was in any way racially insensitive = the problem was that it was written by white author. That's why I thought it was so important to ask a hopefully diverse audience to read installments of the book, and judge for themselves. Thanks for being part of that! Best, Ric
It seems to me you are caught up in a particular "Group think" of the left that really has nothing to do with you or your work per se. I will do my best to spread the word about your writing and this book in particular.
Thank you so much, Sallie. I'm so glad that my novel squared with your perceptions. That's why I do the research and traveling! Appreciatively, Ric
Thank you for this lovely compliment, Tracy. you really captured exactly what I was trying to do. It did my heart good to read it.
This has been a trying experience. The good part is comments like yours, in the fact that the reader comments on Amazon and Goodreads have been overwhelmingly positive. I write for readers, after all.
Many thanks,
Ric
I grew up in the 40s and 50s in Sumter County and Randolph County in Southwest Georgia. We moved to a suburb of Atlanta in 1956 but events in my teens shaped my views on race. I don't know if you heard the story of Henry Buchanan, a Baptist Minister, who came out in favor of civil rights in the 50's. He lived in Shellman in Randolph and was immediately turned on by most of the residents, in spite of the fact that he had been extremely well loved by the community. He was burned in effigy before he left town. He was an inspiration to me and far outweighed the influence of my family. They were not bad people but until this day many of them subscribe to the racism that was prevalent in the south. I really can't wait to read your book to compare it with my experience in that area.
Thank you, Mary. I found Sumter County fascinating place. It reminded me of what Faulkner said" The past isn't dead. It's not even past." I will be interested to hear what you think of my fictionalized version. Best, Ric Patterson
This is an enormous question of who has rights to ideas and you are looking to it with my thanks. As a writer of small stature I have met similar struggles of who is allowed to present ideas or struggles that stem from a culture to which you don’t belong. With empathy, and education we all can in essence attempt deeper understanding. But if the attempts are thwarted or met with anger we are all the poorer. I hope you break the barrier. 🤞✌️
I think it's so important,Gari, to make the effort you describe. As I wrote in the WSJ, this is not only about what our literature should be, but what kind of country we aspire to have. Thanks so much for your encouragement! Ric
I tried reading your book, Trial, on-line, but decided I needed to have the actual hardcover in my hands, which I then ordered. And I am so glad I did! I was born and raised in Michigan, and in 2005 my husband and I moved to coastal Mississippi. The southern culture and politics have been an on-going education for me. My husband passed and I stayed, having found some good people amongst those still living in the past. I read your book in two days. Thank you for persisting to get that story and those characters in the light of day.
I just finished “Trial.” I pre-ordered the Kindle edition and forced myself to wait instead of reading it as a serial on your Substack. Then I saved it to read during a 16 hour airplane journey from SF to Bodrum, Turkey. I have a hard time sleeping on planes and this trip I didn’t want to sleep; I wanted to keep reading. I think this is your masterpiece and I’m pretty sure I’ve read all of your books. The characters are believable and well developed. The trial is realistic and gripping. But best of all is that coming more from Chase’s world than Allie’s, it took me along with him into an experience of racism and race-based injustice that was visceral as well as intellectual. It astounds me that any publisher, let alone something like 19 of them, would pass on this book. I’ll do my best to sell a few dozen copies to reward the good folks at Post Hill Press for their common sense. And, while I do enjoy your commentary, I sure hope that this isn’t you last novel.
Richard, really loving the book. I pre-ordered the Kindle version. From my perspective, the writing is true to life. It aggravates me that the hysteria that you have faced would get in the way of people reading what you wrote and having useful discussions about it. Love, Tom
I really appreciate this, Tom. I really made an effort do you get this right, and had extensive meetings with Black and white residents of Southwest Georgia. What's particularly ironic is that no one suggested that my book was in any way racially insensitive = the problem was that it was written by white author. That's why I thought it was so important to ask a hopefully diverse audience to read installments of the book, and judge for themselves. Thanks for being part of that! Best, Ric
It seems to me you are caught up in a particular "Group think" of the left that really has nothing to do with you or your work per se. I will do my best to spread the word about your writing and this book in particular.