ALAN W. HOUNSHELL (ALSO WRITING UNDER THE THE PSEUDONYM CULLEN KIT ALEXANDER)
Kentuckian Writing Fiction Involving Kentucky & Tennessee Related Stories
Rated: PG for some adult themes.
1950s ~ Jess is a one-of-a-kind girl who has big dreams of leaving the family farm and traveling the world; however, life doesn’t always work out the way you plan. Jess was forced to grow up quickly. By age 15, she is an orphan married to the love of her life, Catfish Merriweather. Faced with immense loss and the adult responsibility of caring for her sister, keeping the family farm running, and raising her own family, her dreams fade away. She runs the farm faithfully until the day she dies.
2020 ~ Piller, Jess’ estranged 64-year-old son, comes home after her death and is left with the task of deciding what to do with the family farm, which will impact the lives of his brother and sister. This choice causes enormous conflict within him. As Piller comes to terms with his regrets, the community holds a memorial that brings to light just how remarkable The Last Farm Girl of Bees Bonnet, Tennessee was — forever changing his perception of his mother.
Living Under A Melancholy Cloud
Rated: PG-13 for themes of suicide, depression, language, and substance use.
Job Cusp has felt sad and doomed all his life, experiencing more loss than most people do in their lifetime. Job’s depression often causes him to want to hurt himself and gets him removed from his home. He often finds himself under a grey cloud that follows him wherever he goes. Moments of normalcy are often associated with writing stories, which allows him to break away from his depression for short periods.
After his mother and father die, Job finds a lockbox with the truth about who his biological parents are and where his darkness comes from. Now, alone with no more family to turn to and on the verge of another major depressive episode, he must face his inner demons and decide if life is worth living.
Bingo Baby
Rated: PG/PG-13 for some language adult situations
Thirty-eight years ago in Georgetown, Kentucky, Virginia May Conrite was born in the local bingo hall, shortly after the call of 0-65. Since then, Virginia has been known as the "Bingo Baby.”
Virginia eloped with her high school boyfriend, Austin Vahnson, and moved to Florida after graduating from high school. For the past twenty years, she has been trapped in an awful marriage to a man who constantly cheated on her and mismanaged their money, leaving the family bankrupt. Broke and having no place to go, Virginia returns home with her 17-year-old son to live with her over-controlling mama (Maudie) and understanding father (Archibald). Life is not easy with her mama who wants everything done her way, harbors the only opinion that matters, and keeps everyone in line with a task list. Confronting her mother is not easy for Virginia, especially now that her mama has health problems.
Returning home is also bittersweet as she reconnects with her first love, Braxton Marks — a boy whom she loved but has not spoken to since their junior year in high school. Just as they are starting to reconnect and Virginia is beginning to trust again, Braxton’s life becomes more chaotic after being given the green light for his own restoration television show.
As Virginia learns to navigate life again, she’ll realize her full potential as a person. Will Virginia be a success or failure? Can Virginia find love and trust men again? Most of all, will Virginia ever be able to confront and deal with her mother?
