by: Henry Mitchell
Genre: Magical Realism
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Publisher: Creative James Media
Not everything is what it seems.
Drovers Gap, population 703, appears to the tourists passing through as one more sleepy Appalachian village, just off the interstate, on the way to someplace spectacular and important. But there are simmering tensions and unspoken malice behind the seemingly placid facades, and a spark from afar will ignite an explosive and insatiable evil that hungers to devour the town and everyone in it.
Thanks for having me. I’m alive and hopeful and delighted to find myself here.
That’s always good. I try to do research for all my interviews so that I can ask just the right questions. Something came up and threw me for a little loop. Goodreads says you were born in Drovers Gap. Is this a real place? If so, why did you choose to write a mystery-type book based on your hometown?
I try to avoid Goodreads. They are too close to Amazon for my comfort. But Drovers Gap is the fictional setting for my novel, Among the Fallen. If you can find your way around Drovers Gap, you could navigate Saluda, North Carolina, where I read and write.
I just called Among the Fallen, your latest book a mystery-type book, but it’s actually listed as a magical realism book. Can you explain this genre to me?
My publisher says my genre is magical realism. I’m not sure what that is, exactly, but I do write fairytales for grownups. Fairytales are subversive and dangerous and try to overthrow the world we are taught is real, where we have to earn money to live and haven’t time left to live our real lives. I hope that describes my tales.
Actually, I think it does a little bit. What can you tell me about Among the Fallen?
Among the Fallen is set in the small Southern Appalachian town of Drovers Gap, which appears to the tourists passing through as a sleepy little village, just off the interstate highway, on the way to places more spectacular and entertaining. But behind the placid facades along Main Street, an unspoken malice simmers, until a spark from afar ignites an insatiable evil that hungers to devour the entire town and everyone in it.
That definitely sounds intriguing. Can you tell me about some of the characters readers will meet?
Wendl VonTrier was a principal character in my previous novel, The Winged Child. When that was done, Wendl still had more to say, so I started writing another tale I titled, Wendl the Fallen. Wendl began introducing me to some other characters, and about half-way through, I realized it was not just Wendl’s story, but about a whole town. At that point I began to re-write the novel as Among the Fallen.
Abigail Trammell runs a bed-and-breakfast in Drovers Gap. She meets Wendl when he rents a room for a few days that turn into weeks, then months. Abigail has a past she keeps hidden, even from herself. She and Wendl become fast friends, perhaps more than friends.
Rhonda Shaw is the town’s postmaster, who knows everybody’s secrets.
Omar Longshadow, Chief of Police, tries to solve several mysteries, including arson and murder. Constable Jolene Bear helps him in this endeavor and Sergeant Chuck Priestly proves more of a hindrance.
Simon Ryder is one of several mysterious visitors who descend on the town to complicate the already entangled lives of the residents. Simon is not entirely human.
Readers can catch a glimpse of the characters twenty years after Among the Fallen in my short story, Warren’s Wake, that will appear on my Tales and Wanders Patreon Page in April 2023.
The characters all sound intriguing, especially Rhonda and Simon. I love that you did a follow of to the story. Are you a plotter, with detailed outlines or do you just let the story take you where it wants to go?
I wouldn’t dare write an outline before I finished writing the story. I tend to agree with Stephen King when he says plot is the last refuge of a bad writer. The characters will tell me where they want to go if I pay attention.
What is the most important thing you want readers to take away from reading Among the Fallen?
I want them to be reassured that love is the most real force in the world, that nothing is ever lost though everything can be changed.
Henry, thank you so much for answering some of my questions.
Thank you for asking. Fielding questions is always a learning experience.
On an August afternoon that rendered the whole world a sauna, Abigail Trammell labored in her front garden, pruning back her roses now reduced by the unrelenting heat to a failure of withered blossoms and limp yellow leaves, though not even the Japanese beetles had been able to dull the thorns. Those remained sharp as ever.
She possessed shears some place that eluded her memory, so wielded the sharp butcher knife she liberated from her kitchen, a sin she’d only forgive herself. Startled, she nearly slipped and sliced her fingers when she heard the unfamiliar voice behind her.
“Miss Trammell?” A man’s voice only maybe, with a peculiar lilt, obviously not from around here.
“You’re a quiet one,” she said, turning to face the tall, gangly figure who’d snuck up on her. Abigail was proud that she had kept her acute hearing into her elder years while she had to shout at most of her friends, couldn’t fathom why she didn’t hear a car come up her drive or footsteps on the gravel. “Can I help you?” As much accusation as question. She assumed this was one more lost tourist, reduced to asking directions of a local because his GPS app was off-line.
The spinyspindly maybe-man - a closer look left her still not quite certain of the gender - said, “VonTrier. I reserved your room.”
Abigail remembered the name because it was odd. “Yes,” she agreed, “Wendl. You’re set for the week.” She subjected him to a frank inspection. How did he get here? I didn’t hear a car because there isn’t any. “Luggage?” She wouldn’t rent a room for a week to a man without luggage, and started to tell Wendl VonTrier precisely that.
“Here,” he said, lofting his suitcase as if it were empty.
Abigail wondered how she’d missed it. It was almost as if it didn’t exist before she named it.
She dropped her trimmings into the basket at her feet, waved her knife in the air, “I’ll show you,” she said, remembering to smile.
She possessed shears some place that eluded her memory, so wielded the sharp butcher knife she liberated from her kitchen, a sin she’d only forgive herself. Startled, she nearly slipped and sliced her fingers when she heard the unfamiliar voice behind her.
“Miss Trammell?” A man’s voice only maybe, with a peculiar lilt, obviously not from around here.
“You’re a quiet one,” she said, turning to face the tall, gangly figure who’d snuck up on her. Abigail was proud that she had kept her acute hearing into her elder years while she had to shout at most of her friends, couldn’t fathom why she didn’t hear a car come up her drive or footsteps on the gravel. “Can I help you?” As much accusation as question. She assumed this was one more lost tourist, reduced to asking directions of a local because his GPS app was off-line.
The spinyspindly maybe-man - a closer look left her still not quite certain of the gender - said, “VonTrier. I reserved your room.”
Abigail remembered the name because it was odd. “Yes,” she agreed, “Wendl. You’re set for the week.” She subjected him to a frank inspection. How did he get here? I didn’t hear a car because there isn’t any. “Luggage?” She wouldn’t rent a room for a week to a man without luggage, and started to tell Wendl VonTrier precisely that.
“Here,” he said, lofting his suitcase as if it were empty.
Abigail wondered how she’d missed it. It was almost as if it didn’t exist before she named it.
She dropped her trimmings into the basket at her feet, waved her knife in the air, “I’ll show you,” she said, remembering to smile.
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He has written five novels and two collections of short stories.
Places to find Henry Mitchell:
You can follow the Among the Fallen Book Tour here.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteI liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to share Among the Fallen. Abigail and Wendl thank you, too.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Thank you for stopping by and answering some of my questions.
DeleteThank you for sharing your interview, bio and book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading Among the Fallen, I will be reading The Winged Child first though. Will any of your characters from this story make their way into your next book?
ReplyDeleteBea, I'm working on a couple of things now, and there are some characters reappearing in both. I don't generally write sequels, but I have a little band of characters, rather like a traveling theatrical troupe, and they tend to crop up in varying guises in future tales. The Winged Child will introduce you to several characters you will see again in Among the Fallen. You will recognize the Easter eggs.
Deleteinteresting excerpt.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors! The cover caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the interview!! Sounds like an interesting book!!
ReplyDelete