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Kevin Crank | The Truth in Fiction
July 31, 2015
How often do you as a reader fall in love with a story of fiction because it seems
so
real? Hopefully you do with every book you read. But it’s fiction and fiction
means
made up, not real, right?
Fiction as a genre dictates that the storyline and characters be “made up”,
otherwise
it would be considered non-fiction. But each writer of fiction writes from his or
her
life experiences incorporating into the story a specific setting, or event, or even
character he may have encountered at one time in his life. Also, certain traits of
the
main character could also be the same traits possessed by the author himself. I do
this very thing with my writing. I incorporate my own reactions that I would have
in
my real life into my protagonists, whether it happened in my past or how I think I
would react to a particular situation.
In my book, WHERE
THE MOON SHINES BRIGHTEST, the story is filled with many truths. I based the
storyline around the southwest Arkansas farm where my dad grew up. Born during the
depression, his family lived off the crops they grew and the animals they raised,
and
it wasn’t until he was away at college that they got electricity to the house.
As a boy, I hunted many of the same forests and fished the same lakes he did growing
up. So naturally I was able to create a picture of the home for the main character,
Wallace, the pecan orchard where he and his mother had their talk and the Bodcau
creek
bottom where the character Billy Frank roamed, all from my memory.
By incorporating real life settings and real emotions of my memories about my
grandparent’s farm, I was able to create a fictional story about a fictional
character
that just happened to live in the same house I visited for so many years. Billy
Frank,
for example, is a character I based on a real person I met a couple of times as a
kid.
He did, in fact, roam the bottoms of Bodcau creek, but the one thing that stuck in
my
mind was that he would take brassieres found at various dump sites found along the
road
that wound through the bottom and fasten them to trees placing empty beer cans in
the
cups. I naturally had to include that in the story. Also, there is a part where
Wallace’s father tries to extract a bad tooth from his mouth with a pair of pliers.
This actually happened to my dad, among other things in the story that occurred to
him
when he was a boy. Now, my grandfather wasn’t a fiery-whiskey-drinking-fight-at-the-
drop-of-a-hat type of man like Wallace’s father, John L. Johnson. In fact, I knew
him
as the opposite. But because of these past incidents, the setting and the time
period,
I was able to create a tough character by embellishing the truth and making him more
interesting.
I love to create emotion with my characters. I was told that I reportedly made a
reviewer of my book cry because she thought the novel was so “emotional and real”.
That is very flattering and makes me proud that my words can have that effect on
people. That’s my goal as a writer, to write in a way that evokes emotions from my
characters from real occurrences and real reactions so the reader will undoubtedly
feel
the emotions, too.
These are some of the reasons why I love writing fiction, because it allows me to
take
real settings, real people, and perhaps real outcomes and tweak them to create a
compelling story. I can aggrandize the traits of a person I’ve met, making him more
interesting, or create a totally new character and put him in a very familiar
setting
and take him on an incredible journey based on my memories.
GIVEAWAYHave you read a book where the author perfectly described a location you’ve
visited?
Where was it and how did it touch your emotions? Leave a comment below and be
entered
for a chance to win a copy of WHERE THE MOON SHINES BRIGHTEST.
Kevin received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baylor University
in
Waco, Texas. He spent eight years as an English teacher in Garland, Texas. Kevin is
also a working actor having appeared in a number of indie film projects and
television
commercials for Texas Lottery and CenturyLink. He is married with one son. WHERE THE MOON SHINES BRIGHTEST is based on memories of Kevin’s childhood visits to
his
grandparent's farm in southwest Arkansas. The story takes place in the early 1950’s
and
recounts a time and place where many families supplemented their meager wages by
brewing moonshine. A compilation of fact and fiction combined with Kevin’s love of
history and historical fiction, are woven together throughout this Southern
menagerie
of life, love and lawlessness.
Website | Facebook
Wallace Johnson longs to leave country life behind him. Vowing to find a way to
pay
for and graduate from college, he doesn't realize the price he will have to pay to
get
it. Not only does he have to fight against his dad's pre-conceived plans of
following
in his footsteps of living on a farm, he also has a crooked sheriff and a childhood
nemesis to deal with, as well as family loss, all before his eighteenth birthday.
Leaning heavily on his brother to guide him, Wallace grows up quickly in a world
where
moonshine affects the lives of those dearest to him. Through it all, he falls in
love
with his high school sweetheart. However, after a time of separation without any
word
from her, they finally reunite and Mary reveals secrets of her past that might
hinder
their future together.
Wallace now has a choice to make. Will he leave the country life in which he was
raised
to pursue a career as a writer? Or will he forget all his dreams for the woman he
loves? Read an
Excerpt
Comments
20 comments posted.
Re: Kevin Crank | The Truth in Fiction
Yeah an area in Toronto.
(Marissa Yip-Young 5:39am July 31, 2015)
Yes, West Texas. I am from there and it was so clear.
The tooth pulling got to me; it had to have hurt.
(Leona Olson 8:24am July 31, 2015)
that sound like what my dad and grand fathers did pull the tooth out with pliers and then we go out and eat watermelon on the porch ilove those kind of storys
(Desiree Reilly 8:26am July 31, 2015)
I so enjoyed your post and look forward to reading this
captivating story which interests me greatly for the setting
and the era. Yes, I do enjoy reading novels which depict the
locale accurately and well since it resonates with me. The
setting in a novel which captured the emotions, beauty,
striking uniqueness and was unforgettable was New Mexico.
(Sharon Berger 11:16am July 31, 2015)
Contemporary London. Description of the people's quirks, the
tube, the financial district were described so well it was as
if I were back there.
(G. Bisbjerg 1:57pm July 31, 2015)
I read Fern Michaels Kentucky series and have to description
of our Bluegrass state was spot on. Thanks for your great
interview.
(Connie Saunders 10:31pm July 31, 2015)
I can relate to this book so much , it sounds so much like my childhood days with my brothers . We lived way out in the 'sticks' and roamed the woods for something to do .We came upon a real-life whiskey still once that was making whiskey and we started putting more wood on the fire . We heard a gunshot and a man hollered at us to get out of there and stop putting wood on the fire that it could blow-up . That really scared us and we took off back home . The things we did in those days would scare me to death now . I wont go into the woods anymore for fear of what I might find or see ,nor do I live out in the 'sticks' .I still live in Arkansas and love it here but I'm not as far back in the 'Sticks' as my childhood days .
(Joan Thrasher 10:44am August 1, 2015)
Would love to read this book. Thanks for this giveaway .
(Joan Thrasher 10:48am August 1, 2015)
Ever since I've been married, most of the traveling I did with my Husband was pretty much in my home State, since there is so much to do here!! We were campers in our younger days, so the trips we were able to take were mostly weekend jaunts. That being said, there was one book that touched me so deeply, that it actually haunts me to this day. It's called Roses by Leila Meacham. Even though it's around 500 pages or so, I did an all-night bender, just to finish the story, since I couldn't put the book down!! Since I connected more with the characters more than I did with the area, I believe that it took place in Texas, and that's one place that I've always wanted to see. There are certain areas that have always peaked my interest. Your writing has touched me as well, and I'm looking forward to reading your book. I'm hoping that when I'm through with it, I'll be able to get my Husband to read it. If not, there's a good friend of mine who's always looking for a good book to read, and of course I'll pass it on to her!! Congratulations on your latest book, which I'm sure will do well!!
(Peggy Roberson 11:21am August 1, 2015)
Thank you all for your comments thus far. Please indulge
me as I contribute to your words collectively.
Marissa, I've never been to Toronto. I've been to three
other provinces but not to Ontario. I've heard Toronto
is a great city and I hope to visit one day.
Leona and Desiree,you probably know that's the way it was
back then. People did their own doctoring if they needed
to. Whenever my dad would tell me the story he always
grimaced from the memory. I just had to include it.
G. Bisbjerg, I agree with you. I've been to London on
business a couple of tines and the tube is a great place
to people watch.
Connie, I've been to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky to
visit family, but not the Bluegrass fields. I'd love to
see it one day.
Joan, you were a brave soul to venture up to a working
still. I agree with you about finding things to do in
the woods. Whenever I visited my grandparents in
Arkansas, my brother and cousins would spend hours
roaming the woods finding incredible things to occupy our
time. I think that's why I like being outdoors as much
as I can.
Peggy, I don't think I could do an all-night bender
anymore. I'd have to read Roses in chunks. I live in
Texas and there are many wonderful and beautiful things
to see in the state. It's amazing that Texas has five
different terrains from heavy forests, coastal beaches,
plains and deserts. I hope you can visit us some day,
just wait until it's not so hot!
Thank for your comments, ladies. I've enjoyed reading
them.
Kevin
(Kevin Crank 12:45pm August 1, 2015)
I really don't get to travel so that is why I see all these
places in books.
(Sharon Sommer 8:56pm August 1, 2015)
To Kill a Mockingbird, the country being childhood in a
small town setting.
(Deb Philippon 12:21pm August 2, 2015)
Most books I read are of locations I have not visited yet.
(Mary Preston 6:07am August 3, 2015)
Not a book but an album. It was describing my brother's senior year of high
school so well. It's a year that sticks in my mind. That fall it seemed like we
had half the football team over for supper before games.
(Laura Gullickson 6:48am August 3, 2015)
pittsburgh pa
(Ann Unger 11:54am August 3, 2015)
looks really good! I have had a book that perfectly
described by family's farm in the middle of nowhere. Like
they had the trials, fences, parlor, and even had our
little cabin!
(Stefany Burroughs 1:06pm August 3, 2015)
I don't have to travel very far from home to locate places in books I've read. I'm always excited when a novel takes place in New Orleans, Lafayette and other places in south Louisiana. Once I was annoyed because an author used county instead of parish and seemed to have a sheriff in each town.
(Anna Speed 1:27pm August 3, 2015)
YOU ARE A NEW AUTHOR FOR ME
(Lorelei Frank 1:38pm August 3, 2015)
Yes I love to read books about my hometown Seattle. I always
have a critical eye to see if they convey every nuance right
and they usually do!
(Denise Austin 6:20pm August 3, 2015)
I look forward to reading some of your books. I love all kinds of fiction books.
(Elizabeth Deyoung 6:40pm August 3, 2015)
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