Scott Alexander Hess discusses Drought with Em J Parsley

About the Book:

When Parnell, a recluse from Newark, New Jersey, inherits a dilapidated tobacco farm in Kentucky from his estranged Uncle Willy, he moves to the farm hoping to jump start his empty life. Such begins an odyssey igniting a dual narrative as Uncle Willy shares from the grave about his deep love for a man named Phil, and a violent curse born from hate and intolerance. In Kentucky, Parnell befriends Darl, who works at the Sonic, and John, an eccentric preacher who guides him to learn the twisted fate of his Uncle Willy. Parnell discovers there are more than tobacco leaves buried in the fields. As he unearths a long-hidden crime, to his surprise, he gains a new sense of self.

About the Authors:

Scott Alexander Hess is known for his compelling and lyrical prose that invites readers into richly-drawn and character-driven worlds of high emotion—infidelity, long-lost loves, forbidden relationships, and more are often explored. Scott was a semi-finalist for the forthcoming “America’s Next Great Author” tv show, and his writing has appeared in HuffPost, Genre Magazine, The Gay & Lesbian Review, Thema Literary Review, and elsewhere. Additionally, Scott co-wrote "Tom in America," an award-winning short film starring Sally Kirkland and Burt Young, and now teaches fiction writing at Gotham Writers Workshop and curates Hot Lit, an LGBTQ+ themed monthly newsletter. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Hess lives in New York City with his husband.

Em J Parsley is a gardener and environmentalist who lives in Versailles, KY. They received their MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso and were a 2024 artist-in-residence at Wormfarm Institute. He is the author of the poetry chapbook, THE ANONYM GOSPELS (April Gloaming Publishing, 2024), which won the Apogee Poetry Chapbook Award.

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