Dear Reader,
I am grateful that you are choosing to spend your time reading my work. The Ugly Duckling is the first of what will become my Hotshot Hero Series of short stories.
This first story was first written as an assignment in VSU’s Creative Writing program. I enrolled in Valdosta State University for the sole purpose of learning how to write professionally. The thing is, if I’m going to do something, I ain’t doing it half-ass. Once I commit, I’m all-in buddy. So when I decided to write my novel, VSU was the first step.
However once we entered the peer review stage, I decided that I wanted to present something completely new. Something that I could start and finish during the class — enter, The Ugly Duckling.
I’d tried to write some short stories before, and they’d been bad. I mean bad, bad. So I embraced the challenge of tackling that writing form during the peer review stage of class. It was scary, let me tell you. But my fellow classmates and professors were very supportive. They turned into my first Alpha and Beta readers. And I learned a great deal in the process.
The Ugly Duckling was also my first real attempt at writing Auto-Fiction, a fictionalized memoir. The story itself is based on the many trips I made through the great state of Alabama, among others. Cotton’s opening scene, where the hillbilly asked him to move along at gun point, wasn’t in Kentucky. That happened in West Virginia. And so on.
Of course, I’ve never actually found a stray hooker mixed among my cargo either. Jenny’s made up. But she does represent many real girls and boys that are taken advantage of every day.
And that’s what this is ultimately all about. I’m writing these stories because I want to help people. I want to help the Jennys, the Brookes, and the Hanks all over this beautiful world. If my stories give someone somewhere just a little bit of hope, then this will all be worth it.
Thank you for being part of this process 🙏
Hank Cotton
What’s up gang, it’s MJ. Well while Cotton’s been writing the next Hotshot Hero Tale, I’ve been stuck working on Admin. Rick too, but I’ll let him fill you in on all that. The short of it is, we’ve got books coming. I’ve just published Polk Knoll: A Collection of Short Stories from my blog. And that’s just the beginning…
Oh, I almost forgot! The Ugly Duckling got reviewed this week. Five stars baby! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can watch the review here.
Hey there, faithful tribe! Rick here. The primalbeet.
Many of you know I am living in Albania for now. One of the several perks of being an honorary temporary Illyrian is that the Greek islands are right over there. Literally a short boat ride away. So the other day I set out into the August heat for Corfu.
The ferry was crowded. I sat on the deck and pretty much felt the Ionian Sea drift by. Corfu was hopping. Tourists everywhere! Damn tourists!
The cafe scene was bustling too. I found a nice place on a backstreet and enjoyed one of the finer salads in my memory.
Then I saw this place, and I just knew Grace would love it.
A fine day. Went to Greece and was home and in bed by 10. Italy next month - Lake Garda. Then meeting the kids in Madrid in November.
An old colleague emailed me recently, said they would love to talk to me about “a position”. With a rather satisfied smile, I explained my current “position”.
One of the oddities of living in a foreign country is that once the initial adjustment happens, it feels like living back in Georgia. I had to learn a new language to go to Louisiana, as I recall. Albanian is easier to understand than Cajun.
Creatively, I have been focused on music lately. I have a guitar and keyboard here (had to go to Greece to get them!), and the landscape inspires melodies. You can bang on all you want about the demons of AI, but the new mixing tools are crazy! And fun.
For the record, the musical titans have been using this tech for decades. The only difference is you talk to it now instead of using sliders. Same engine room. Different door.
I wrote a piece called Buffalo Jump last month. I awoke from a dream about a stampede. No idea where it came from, I have never been near a stampede. But a guy named Stone Face was there, and a woman named Little Cloud appeared just as I was waking up. Somehow just knew she was Stoner’s daughter. So I asked them to tell me their story. And I recorded it as faithfully as I could. It’s a pretty good story. I write mostly from dreams.
I won’t try to match Grace’s mixtape. But I have been listening to gnarly old Texan men lately. Ray Wylie Hubbard. Robert Earl Keen. Jerry Jeff Walker. Why do they all have three names, like assassins? Interesting guys, different kind of musical sound. I’m not a country music person by nature, but I generally like this indie subset of it. The great songwriter Harlan Howard famously called it “three chords and the truth.” Yeah.
Reading lately the works of the central figure in modern Albanian letters, Ismail Kadare. Translations, of course. One book is The Doll, the other is 3 Elegies for Kosovo. Literally moved to tears by one of the elegies. I am proud to be an honorary Illyrian, if only briefly.
I’m building websites these days, one for primalbeet and one for the Guild. The Guild is taking shape - high energy, and a lot of talent, if I say so myself. A lot of new information coming soon.
So much to say, so little time. Check you later.
PULL UP A CHAIR
Lately my writing has taken a turn from outlines and plans and story arcs to building a story around some mundane thing that happened in my kitchen.
I dropped my glasses and the lens fell out. I put them on anyway and looked like a seasick pirate trying to read a recipe. That turned into a three-parter that we’ll publish on Southern Writers Guild in the near future.
Rooting around in the receptionist’s candy dish—and the conversation with Rick that followed—became the spark for Squirrel Tax.
A battle fought (and mostly lost) with a garage door sensor and my pillow theory have both inspired stories I’m working on now.
Even with the big things, like my trip to see the Lumineers, I find the real stories are in the small things. You can read all about that in the Minnesotan Thaw series on my Turtle Meat Mixtapes publication on Substack.
So the small stories. The day-to-day. This boring old life of mine. Apparently, that’s where my stories live these days.
The outlines are still there. The novel is still there. I’m still working on all the things I’ve been working on. But I’ve stopped getting frustrated when one of these little stories wanders in and cuts to the front of the line. They usually know something I don’t.
AROUND THE PORCH
We’ve all been pretty busy lately, behind the scenes. In particular, Southern Writers Guild will make an appearance at Bands, Booze, and Books in Tifton, Georgia, and a lot is going into getting us ready. Ordering books. Designing SWaG. Figuring out displays. It turns out a lot goes into looking effortless.
We’ve got plans to do a livestream or two from the event. And there might be a few more surprises in the works. Y’all come down and join us if you can.
GRACE’S MONTHLY MIXTAPE
Here’s what I’ve been listening to lately. This month’s mix has been a little bit of The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, The Red Clay Strays, and the Zach Bryan concert I never made it to.
No One Else Like Me — The Red Clay Strays
Will the Circle Be Unbroken — The Red Clay Strays and Willie Nelson
You Were Always on My Mind — Chris Stapleton
Here — Chris Stapleton and Mumford & Sons
Simple Man — Chris Stapleton & Kings of Leon
We’re Onto Something — Kings of Leon & Zach Bryan
Bowery — Zach Bryan & Kings of Leon
Spotless — Zach Bryan & the Lumineers
This Must Be the Place — The Lumineers
ON GRAY’S NIGHTSTAND
I’ve got a stack of books on my reading list, but I picked up a Hallmark Christmas Movie-esque book at the dollar store and, y’all, that’s what I’m currently reading. I’m not sure it’s even worth recommending it—admitting, out loud, that this book is even on my nightstand might be the bravest thing I’ve written all month.
STAY A WHILE.
Besides all of that, I’ve been hanging out at the pool, taking voice lessons, noodling unsuccessfully on a cheap guitar, and generally discovering that becoming happens a lot more in ordinary Mondays than dramatic moments. I’m pretty sure there’s a story in all of that, too.
So thanks for pulling up a chair. We’ve got plenty more stories coming, and if I’ve learned anything lately, it’s that it’s probably hiding in the next oh-so-ordinary moment. Please feel free to stay awhile and look around.
if you were just half way distance from me than where you are, I'd be going to that event of yours!
Instead I'll go to NYC this weekend. But I'll try to watch your live from the event!
Good luck y'all! ;)