Tag Archives: Arkansas

Episode 140: Interview with Steve Weddle, author of The County Line



Set against the unyielding backdrop of the Great Depression with an unforgettable cast of ornery characters, The County Line by Steve Weddle is a lyrical, loving celebration of community and opportunity in 1933 America. For this episode, Steve talked about outlaw camps, his deep dive into the history of the 1930s, his character development, and his “downright dazzling” debut novel, Country Hardball. He also shares some excellent book recommendations. I had such a blast, thank you so much Steve!

Steve Weddle recommends:  Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett; Little Underworld by Chris Harding Thornton; Negative Tilt by Bobby Matthews; Something Bad Wrong by Eryk Pruitt.


E120: Interview with Eli Cranor, author of Ozark Dogs



“A feud between Arkansas families escalates with the fury of Greek tragedy. Family loyalty, young love, honoring the dead—they’re all here, and they all go terribly wrong in Ozark Dogs.–Kirkus

Eli Cranor joined me for Episode 87 to talk about his gripping debut, Don’t Know Tough, and for this episode he joins me to talk about his brand new book, Ozark Dogs. Once again, Eli’s book hits all the must-read lists and it’s easy to see why: in this Southern thriller, two families grapple with the aftermath of a murder in their small Arkansas town. I devoured Ozark Dogs in two days – it’s fantastic. Give a listen to our conversation. Thanks so much to Eli Cranor for joining me once again!

Eli Cranor recommends: Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper; Five Decembers by James Kestrel; The Hunt by Kelly Jo Ford; The Good Ones by Polly Stewart; The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames; How Children Succeed by Paul Tough; the works of Alex Taylor; the works of Walter Tevis

Follow Eli Cranor on Twitter: @elicranor. Reserve copies of both of Eli’s books here. 


Episode 87: Eli Cranor author of Don’t Know Tough



You may not know tough but author Eli Cranor sure does in his debut, DON’T KNOW TOUGH, a book that S.A. Cosby calls, “…a searing and stunningly poignant study in what makes us and what breaks us and ultimately what brings us to a place of peace. Eli Cranor is that rare writer who can make you gasp, cry and cheer often in the same paragraph.” There’s not a single a lie in that review.

Sarah Weinman, of the The New York Times Book Review and true-crime writer says, “Eli Cranor’s top-shelf debut, DON’T KNOW TOUGH, is Southern noir at its finest, a cauldron of terrible choices and even more terrible outcomes . . . There is a raw ferocity to Cranor’s prose, perfectly in keeping with the novel’s examination of curdling masculinity.”  All I can say about DON’T KNOW TOUGH is, think Friday Night Lights with a much darker edge. Speaking of the edge? I was on the edge of my seat for this incredible debut. For this episode, we talk football, Arkansas, recording his own audiobook and more. Thank you Eli! 

Eli Cranor recommends: Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland both by S.A.Cosby; Shoot the Moonlight Out and all of the novels by William Boyle; The Turnout and all of the novels by Megan Abbott; all the work by Ace Atkins; The Devil Himself by Peter Farris;