Jack Ronald Cotner

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“If the Creek Don’t Rise: Tales from the South”

“A Creole beauty. Eccentric sisters and a black rose. One granny woman and a red button. Church suppers and bingo nights. A poet out of his element. Dreams of Mexico. The shadowy world of thoroughbred horse racing. If the Creek Don’t Rise is a collection of hard-used characters, tangled relationships, family angst, and fortitude. Step into the Deep South and experience the lives and hardships, hopes and dreams, of folk who have nothing except grit—and sometimes love—as their currency. Eighteen tales and six postcard vignettes, highlighted with artwork by Susan Raymond, make this collection a skillful and moving exploration of the commonplace, the hidden, and the unforgettable.

Review: “If the Creek Don’t Rise” is an appealing collection of Southern-based stories that captures the essence of the region. The author’s deep Southern roots lend an authentic voice to the tales woven within this book. Readers are transported into a raw, unfair world filled with relatable characters. The stories evoke vivid sensory experiences, allowing readers to feel, smell, and hear the surroundings while immersing themselves in the characters’ emotions. The honest and genuine dialogue transports readers back to a bygone era, reminiscent of conversations heard in front of a country store on a Saturday morning. The figurative language and storytelling of the South are a perfect fit, and Nancy Hartney skillfully addresses themes of race and gender. This collection is an interesting tapestry of Southern life, painted with diverse tales reflecting the soul of its people. It is an easy and enjoyable read, providing both entertainment and insights into life’s experiences. The characters come to life through the author’s keen understanding, making readers feel as if they truly know them and are present in every scene.

About the author:

author Nancy Hartney

Nancy Hartney author

According to her bio, Nancy Hartney writes short stories and, although she has lived in Texas and California, she is a daughter of the South loving its sweaty beauty and feeling grief about its dark underbelly.

She has contributed to Big Muddy: A Journal of the Mississippi River Valley, The Ocotillo Review, Arkansas Life, The Chronicle of the Horse, Sidelines, and the Horsemen’s Roundup. Her book reviews have appeared in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, motorcycle touring articles in American Iron, general interest pieces in Do South, Fayetteville Free Weekly, and Ozark Mountaineer. Her fiction has appeared in mid-west regional anthologies while Cactus Country, Frontier Tales, and Rough Country have featured her western tales. She writes for the Washington County Historical Journal Flashback (AR).

 

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The Indie Bookstore

I spent some enjoyable time this weekend at my favorite local independent bookstore in downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas. Pearl’s Books.

Attribution: Pearl’s Books

To read more about Pearl’s Books and the Independent Bookstore Day, I recommend you visit author Susan Holmes’ wonderful blog, Waterside Kennels Mystery Series. She has an interesting and informative post worth reading!

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Popular, Basic Mystery Story Plots

In April 2022, I had a heart attack and spent ten days in the intensive care unit. I had wonderful surgeons, doctors, nurses, and staff that were professional, proficient. To them, I will always be grateful. They saved my life. While lying in recovery following surgery, I had lots of time to think. Of course, my mind went to writing and the several works in progress that languish on my computer and the notepad on my writing desk. Yes, I still use a lined notepad and pencil to jot down notes and ideas. Why? Because I do not and will not ever completely trust computers. Sorry, computer people, but if I can’t hold it in my hand, it doesn’t exist as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, while contemplating my next series of murder mystery short stories (because it seemed easier than working out the perennial writer’s-block I’m experiencing for my second murder mystery novel), I began contemplating some of the better-known murder mystery plots published through the years.

I have a short list of ten recurring plot lines and have listed examples of one or more published murder mystery stories that follow said plot. Read along. I’m sure you can think of other examples to illustrate the plot lines.

Our first murder mystery plot involves a murder that occurs in a small town or village and the local detective must solve the crime. My choice of an example is “The Moving Finger” by Agatha Christie. A small village is tormented by apparent suicides and vicious, anonymous hate letters. Miss Marple to the rescue.

Second plot:  A detective or amateur sleuth must solve a series of murders that are connected by a common thread.  “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson featuring a Swedish publisher turned amateur sleuth who solves a series of murders connected by a common thread and is a perfect fit for our example plot.

Third on the list:  A person is falsely accused of a crime and must clear their name. “Presumed Innocent” by Scott Turow features a person falsely accused and who must clear their name and so, clearly fits the bill of our number three plot.

Plot Four:  A treasure or valuable item is stolen, and the thief must be caught. Since this is part of the main plot of my Celtic murder mystery, “Mystery of the Death Hearth” I will defer instead to the classic “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle—a collection of short stories featuring the famous detective solving various mysteries; in one of them, a treasure or valuable item is stolen, and the thief must be caught. Another contender with the same plot line is, Agatha Christie’s “Theft of the Royal Ruby” with her intrepid detective, Hercule Poirot.

At number five:  A missing person case is solved by a private investigator. Let’s go for another of the classics here and select “The Big Sleep” by Raymond Chandler featuring a private investigator, Philip Marlowe. He’s hired to find a missing person, but the case soon becomes a complicated web of murder, blackmail, and corruption.

My sixth selection:  A serial killer is on the loose and must be caught before they strike again. “Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris featuring a serial killer who is on the loose and must be caught before they strike again. The story follows FBI agent Clarice Starling as she hunts down the infamous serial killer known as “Buffalo Bill.” I wouldn’t recommend reading this before going to bed for the night.

Number seven on the list:  A crime boss or organized crime ring is taken down by law enforcement. “The Godfather” by Mario Puzo featuring a crime boss and organized crime ring busted by law enforcement. The story is about the Corleone crime family, the patriarch Vito Corleone, his sons Michael, Fredo, and Sonny, and their criminal empire.

Our eighth plot:     A murder takes place in a closed community, such as a boarding school or monastery. Not a book, but “Murder in the Cathedral” by T.S. Eliot is a play. It’s a verse drama about the assassination of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. The play is set in the Cathedral, and the characters are the monks, the priests and the people who were present at the time of the murder. But if you’re not into plays, check out the book “Name of the Rose” by Italian author, Umberto Eco. That historical murder mystery is set in an Italian monastery in the year 1327. One of my personal favorites.

At number nine we have:   A detective or amateur sleuth must solve a crime that has been unsolved for years or decades. “In the Woods” by Tana French is the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series. Here, a detective must solve a crime that has been unsolved for years. The story follows detective Rob Ryan who returns to his hometown (where he was a victim of a traumatic event as a child) to investigate a murder case that has eerie similarities with the one from his past.

Number ten:  A crime is committed on a luxury train or ship, and the suspects are all passengers or crew members. Well, of course, I’m going with the classic “Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie. A crime is committed on a luxury ship, the S.S. Karnak, and the suspects are all passengers or crew members. The story revolves around detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates the murder of a wealthy heiress on board the ship. Another of Christie’s novels with this plot and her famous detective Poirot is “Murder on the Orient Express” which takes place on a train.

What good mystery have you read lately?

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D-Day, June 6th, 1944

This is a picture of my dad (bottom row, center) and his B-26 Marauder crew and plane, The Deefeater, taken in England just prior to the Allied invasion of Normandy, France on June 6th, 1944. He and his crew were ten minutes out ahead of the invasion fleet bombing Nazi coastal positions and his plane-with the distinctive white invasion stripes-can be seen in war film footage of the invasion. Salute to them all! I wrote about them and this day in my book, “Storytellin’: True & Fictional Short Stories of Arkansas.”

Crew of the B-26 “The Deefeater” in England prior to June 6th, 1944, my dad is bottom row, center

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Goodbye My Love, Goodbye

‘Tis near the season for Halloween so why not post something a little chilling?

Working on the second book of short stories, I completed one about a young man, his high school sweetheart, and their less-than-desirable relationship. The story is actually humorous and ends well. However, in some dark corner of my mind, I wondered:  what if it hadn’t ended well? What if the man couldn’t handle the fact his one true love was unfaithful?  What might he do? That’s when this poem came to me.

FoggyCemeteryGoodbyMyLoveGoodbye

“Goodbye My Love, Goodbye” by Jack R. Cotner  Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Retreating inward from the pain,

I smell the sweetness of her hair

As we move along the path. I strain

Uphill, dragging muddied weight to where

Headstones squat like sacred peaks between

Mowed grass where walked mourning crones.

Stoic statues weathered, weeping, still serene,

Guarding lengthy rows of buried bones.

We halt. Crows pass, loud caws abating.

A portal beyond the pale awaits, silent.

The gaping hole lies open, waiting, waiting

For my dearest here quiet, broken, spent.

Farewell, sweet beauty, unfaithful miss.

I weep. Red lipstick on blue, icy lips

Beckons. Entranced, I take one final kiss

Before tossing splendor into the dark abyss.

Goodbye my love, goodbye

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Inspiration From The Past

In “Storytellin’: True And Fictional Short Stories Of Arkansas” I write about a young boy, a midnight train, and the value of friendship in the tale “He A Friend Of Yours?” The title of the story is actually a question posed to the young boy by a train station employee.

Several of my family provided inspiration for the story not the least of which were my grandfather, father, and an uncle who all worked for the Rock Island Railroad in various capacities including railroad bull, brakeman, and conductor. All of their work began and ended with the Rock Island Rail Road train depot in the small town of Booneville, Arkansas. Not coincidentally, the fictional story’s beginning is set in and around a train depot.

In its heyday, the Booneville depot was a busy, thriving place, bustling with activity. I remember trips to the depot to either welcome or say goodbye to family members as they left for work or arrived after a working absence. More than once, I too, rode the railroad to and from Little Rock to visit uncles and aunts.

RI-BoonevilleTrainDepot

This picture of the Booneville train depot was taken in the early 1980s and reflects a mere ghost of itself in comparison to the days when it thrived. Built in 1910 originally as a railroad eating house, the building style is unique compared to the average Rock Island train depot in Arkansas.

The days of riding the rails from Booneville to Little Rock are gone forever now, as are my family members who worked on the line. Sadly, just a few years after this picture was taken the Booneville depot burned down and its stories mostly lost to history.

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Ah, Those Lazy, Hazy Days Of Summer

It has been an unusually mild, wet summer around my neck of the woods (as they say here in Arkansas). Few 90 degree + days and (thankfully) no 100 degree + days. In other words, when it wasn’t raining, we’ve had beautiful days to enjoy. No wonder I’m doing more bicycle riding than writing. But I do remember those blistering summer days when it was so hot all I could do is kick back and enjoy lounging in the pool.

Lawdy its hot chicken in pool.pg

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What Are You Waiting For?

What’s the matter, writer? That blank page in front of you got you down?

You say your bucket of creative motivation is empty? You fear the procrastination monster has come to stay? And the writer’s block is too big to overcome so you’re waiting for the magic writing fairy to land on your shoulder and deliver perfect pages of prose, sublime sonnets, or perhaps inspirational ideas?

Well, get over it. It isn’t going to happen.

Here’s a newsflash:  Your dreamy muse is busy elsewhere with a happy rainbow unicorn in a field of delicious, colorful jelly beans under a marshmallow sky and not likely to return anytime soon.

In the meantime, here’s a word of advice, a solution to your problem:  write.

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Writing Tips

 

“Bad writing precedes good writing. This is an infallible rule, so don’t waste time trying to avoid bad writing. (That just slows down the process.) Anything committed to paper can be changed. The idea is to start and go from there.” –Janet Hulstrand

 

“Self-doubt, exhaustion, and confusion are part of the process. Embrace them and don’t stop writing to examine what you have. The world is full of people trying to perfect chapter one.” –Kerry Greenwood

 

“If you are struggling with writing a character, write 20 things a reader will never know about your character. These will naturally bleed into your writing and provide a richness even though you don’t share the detail.” –Barbara Poelle

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Shameless Plug: Seasonal Book Promo

It’s that time of year for special gift-giving around my neck of the woods (so to speak) and as it is in many other places. And what better gift than a book or two?

Here are two books for your perusal. I hope you’ll consider them for this holiday season or for any gift-giving occasion.

“Storytellin: True And Fictional Short Stories Of Arkansas”. A collection of mixed-genre stories set in Arkansas from the early 1900s to the 1950s. Each of the fictional stories is preceded by a Cotner family story or event that inspired the fictional tales. Set against the rugged backdrop of the Ouachita Mountains these stories bring ageless tales of hope, fear, laughter, retribution, and kindness.

“Mystery Of The Death Hearth”. A Celtic tale of murder, power, and intrigue. In a far-flung outpost of the Roman Empire, the Great Cross—made of Celtic gold and amber now claimed by the Roman church—goes missing along with a fortune in coins and precious gems. Murder soon follows, igniting tensions when church leaders maneuvering for political gain are implicated in the violent plot. When news reaches the Grand Prefect in Rome, Enforcers are sent to identify the thieves and recover the missing treasure. The trail leads to the Brendan Valley where it falls to deputy magistrate Weylyn de Gort to work with those whose ways are alien to his Elder Faith beliefs. Along the way, he must find an elusive young Celt girl and her missing grandfather, unravel the mystery of an Elder’s vision, and avoid death at the hands of an assassin as he faces the greatest challenge of his life.

Mystery Of The Death Hearth Prologue

June 21st in the Roman calendar

Summer Solstice

“This sacred site has been here longer than we can remember,” Elder Blaine the Slender told the small group of children clustered around him. They were surrounded by festival vendors in tents bearing colorful flags, all part of the crowd gathered there to celebrate the Solstice holiday. “Heed these stories well, so you may pass them to those who will come after you.”

He saw them nod, some smiling, many somber, all attentive.

“Learn your crafts well, listen to your elders, honor the gods, and respect the land. Enjoy the life you have been granted and help others do the same. No other goals should be attempted lest you fall into the evil snare of greed and dishonesty.”

A small voice whispered, “He means the Romans, right?”

“Not just Romans, young one. Celts, too, face dark temptations. The two worst enemies we all face are liars and thieves,” the Elder continued. “Take nothing that isn’t yours. Honor the code of doing what you will so long as you harm no one or their possessions. Have compassion for those less fortunate, help those in need. Follow the path of our Celtic Elder Faith, stay true to its teachings. You will be wise to–”

Blaine’s words were interrupted by heavy beating of drums and cheers from celebrants within the inner circle of the standing stones. Before Blaine could continue, a child spoke up.

“What about murderers, Elder? Aren’t they an enemy, too?”

Elder Blaine nodded. “Truly spoken young one. Murderers are the worst kind of thief. They steal your life.”