I Wish I Was Hosey Hitchcock     Publisher: Blue Cubicle Press     Date of Publication: March 2007 REVIEWS Reviewed by William B. Kaliher "Most of us stood there several minutes marveling at our foot bones." What child of the 1940s and 50s can’t recall the x-ray machines in shoe stores? I Wish I Was Hosey Hitchcock is a step back to simpler times. The setting is a South Carolina mill town during the early 1940s. A vibrant life and the adventure of growing up springs forth as the main character, Nicky, is influenced by a neighborhood hero. "My foot throbbed from a cut. I heard Mama say, ‘Wake up. Why didn’t you bathe before you went to bed? Look at those nasty feet.’" The author, Mickey Burriss, captures the feelings, rhythm and vibrancy of Southern life throughout his chapbook. I spent my earliest barefoot years trodding rural, sandy farm soil and always heard mill hill life was tough. Still, I knew, if not lived, every act Burriss reincarnated in his story. How many times had my grandmother, mother and numerous aunts said, “Look at those nasty feet?” And how many schemes did I employ to avoid having cuts and scrapes treated with iodine? I met Mickey Burriss two years ago attending critique groups associated with the South Carolina Writer’s Workshop. Then and now, Mickey’s not certain he can write. He has yet to accept the fact he writes with a power, magic and natural manner most professional writers admire and envy. I normally avoid chapbooks and this review is unsolicited. However, the racial and societal divisions of our Southern past are touched on ever so lightly in this wonderful story, and the work warrants, if not demands, a review and wide readership. In I Wish I Was Hosey Hitchcock the preteen Nicky takes the reader through his expanding world as he searches for work, independence and boyhood pleasures. Nicky, like the lucky among us, bumps into adults, true heroes, who incidentally teach the values that ensure a better life. Hosey is one such mentor. Nicky has lived a short adventure with some newspaper boys and decided against a job delivering newspapers. A sample of the dialogue the reader is treated to involves Nicky telling Hosey: "He told me to come back tomorrow and let him know what I decided." "You going to tell him yes or no?" "I don’t think I’ll go back. I don’t want the job." "Reckon that’s fair enough." Hosey quit tightening the last wheel and looked at me like I was nothing. "Let him figure it out best the he can." I’ve often marveled over the everyday, yet tremendously wise, people a generation or two older that improved my life. People I never thanked, perhaps didn’t even realize until years later, what gifts they’d provided me. With Burriss’ story, those debts and bittersweet memories are brought to mind again, for I was certainly as lucky as Nicky. Burriss is working on several adult novels woven around mill hill life in the 1940s war years. Learning to write, he entered a few “First Line” contests sponsored by Blue Cubicle Press, LLC. One story was a short piece based on Nicky and Hosey. The story didn’t place in the contest but continued to haunt the publisher. When Blue Cubicle Press, LLC. launched a series of chapbooks titled Overtime, based on work experiences, Burriss received his break. Two years after seeing the story, the publisher contacted Burriss and asked him to expand it for use as an Overtime chapbook. If you’re Southern and over forty-five, pick this book up; you’re in for a treat. I’ll be curious to learn how younger readers find the story, and in the meantime I’ll anxiously await seeing Burriss’ novels in print. Burriss’ book can be ordered from the publisher at Blue Cubicle Press. ******************************* FUNDSFORWRITERS Volume 7, Issue 32 August 12, 2007 Newsletter: ISSN: 1533-1326 Subscribers: 12,500 Ranked one of Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Editor: C. Hope Clark Website: http://www.fundsforwriters.com Editor: C. Hope Clark Web site: http://www.fundsforwriters.com FEATURED ARTICLE THE MAKINGS OF A GOOD BOOK SIGNING By C. Hope Clark A writer sent this to me recently, and it did my heart good to see how authors and book store managers can join together for a marvelous experience. "Dear Hope, Saturday was a fun day. You would have loved being there. Can you believe a book signing? "Books On Main" in Newberry, South Carolina scheduled five authors - a routine practice for Randy Berry and Owen Holmes co-owners. I could tell this was not a job to either of them. Randy is a retired school teacher. Owen is a WWII marine veteran who raises orchids. Go to Carter and Holmes Orchids on Google and see his eighteen greenhouses so you too will believe the books are fun and the orchids must be work. Better yet, visit them at their bookstore and see them partying. At eleven, the store was packed with smiling friendly-people exemplifying the staff, and owners. The signing ran from 11am until 3pm. I was smart to have stopped for the extra ham-biscuit. After Randy finished introductions, we each read from or spoke about our writing. Customer’s applause warmed my heart. With rejections, rewrites and the expense of mailing submissions, I often ask myself, “Why are you attempting this?” and remind myself fishing was cheaper and had no pressure. If I failed at fishing, I excused my ability with, “They weren’t bitin’.” Most of the time, I find editors and publishers aren’t even nibbling. Being surrounded by people at Books on Main rededicated me. So, it will be more submissions and rejections for me, but wishfully there will be enough days with folks like those I met Saturday to sustain me in this difficult hobby, or undertaking. The latter being more accurate. I was surprised at one-thirty when Randy’s daughter, Kira, walked us all to a deli on the town square where we were treated like John Greshams. We all sat together for some good conversation and excellent sandwiches. "Books on Main" provided first class hospitality all the way, and I left feeling up-lifted from my association with the friendly customers, staff and authors. I also left well-fed. My sincere thanks to, Randy, Owen, staff, guests and authors. Mickey Burriss" Isn't this the way a book signing ought to be? The bookstore manager, who loves his job, treats the authors like guests. The authors, enthralled with the bookstore's treatment of them, go around telling folks what a great place it is (like in this letter to FundsforWriters). I guarantee that each of those authors left having purchased something. On list groups and forums, chats abound about the mistreatment of authors by bookstore managers and staff. We hear horror stories about being placed at a folding table in the corner of the store and left to rot. As a result, many writers abhor book signings. For the simple cost of lunch, the bookstore manager has purchased word-of-mouth advertising from the author. This book store owner was smart and made a remarkable day of it with five authors. Such an event would more readily draw a bigger crowd, of course. Mickey Burriss is an author from Columbia, South Carolina, and I know him well. He loves to chat about writing to anyone who'll listen. And he knows a lot of people. I guarantee that "Books on Main" has received a lot more customers thanks to that simple lunch and royalty treatment for a simple, first-time published author on a Saturday afternoon. Books On Main, 1209 Main Street, Newberry, S.C. 29108, or (803) 321-1920, or booksonmain@earthlink.net. BIO C. Hope Clark lives for the day she'll be able to go to "Books on Main" and be treated like a high-class author with her published mystery series. www.fundsforwriters.com. back