Bobbi A. Chukran is the
author of Lone Star Death and the "Nameless, Texas" story series. The first
novella in the Lone Star Death series, Dye, Dyeing, Dead also features Aunt Jewel and the folks from Nameless and is
coming in August. Read more about Bobbi and her work at her website and blog.
Original Photos on
Short Story Covers
When
I launched my "Nameless, Texas" short story series, I wanted to tie
them together visually. Although I write full-time now, I have been a visual
artist/craft designer and still practice my creativity whenever I can. My
writing uses one side of my brain and the photography/cover design uses the
other. It's a good balance.
I
love taking still life photos, so I decided to use some for the covers. With a (cheap)
digital camera, I can take hundreds of photos and it costs nothing but time. I then use Photoshop Elements for
enhancing the photos and adding the text.
As
I write the stories, I think about how they can be illustrated. My "Dewey
Loudermilk & the Peckerwood Tree" cover was inspired by two healthy pecan
trees that my neighbors cut down. To
remember the ancient trees, I took a series of photos, including the stump and
logs that were left over. These incidents stuck in my mind, and it wasn't long
before I had hatched a proper revenge story. One of the photos ended up on the cover.
My
"Aunt Jewel & the Poisoned Potlikker" cover features a colorful
bowl and pitcher I use daily. I was "brewing" the story in my head
while a pot of succulent collard greens simmered on my stove. I wanted it to
evoke the feeling of down-home, handmade goodness. It's definitely a dish that
Aunt Jewel would cook up for the annual Thanksgiving celebration. I often
visualize her chopping, cooking and creating her meals on the pine butcher block
countertop in my vintage kitchen.
The
photo I used on my "Aunt Jewel and the Purloined Pork Loin" cover was
one I took years ago at our former ranch house, right before Thanksgiving. The pumpkin, pine table and ladderback
chair evoke, for me, old-fashioned holidays, and I hope it will also evoke
those feelings for my readers.
I
intend to keep using my photography to spawn ideas for my stories, and my
stories to spawn ideas for photos. Both of them enhance the other, and it just
makes the whole process a little more fun.
Aunt Jewel and the
Purloined Pork Loin
The women of Nameless, Texas are under the
influence of their new favorite cooking show, The Butt Nekkid Texas Chef, and
the annual Giving of Thanks community gathering may never be the same again.
Things spiral out of control after Kendra Louise Harper offers to pick up some
meat from a local farm for her Aunt Jewel, and turn hilarious when she and her
friend, Jeffrey, end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and are snatched
by two cross-dressing bank robbers.
Dewey Laudermilk and the
Peckerwood Tree
When Dewey Laudermilk decides that his grandma’s
old pecan tree has to come down, he won’t take no for an answer. Pretty soon,
his hilarious redneck network is on hand to help with the process. Dewey's
Grandma is heartbroken because she remembers when she and her husband planted
that old tree, home to a family of woodpeckers (called “peckerwoods” by Mr.
Laudermilk.) After a series of unfortunate accidents, and a mysterious illness,
Dewey is reminded that sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone.
Aunt Jewel and the Poisoned
Potlikker
When Kendra Louise Harper's Aunt Jewel decides to
make a traditional "mess" of turnip greens to take to the annual
Giving of Thanks community dinner and gathering in Nameless, Texas (population
2,354), little does she know that her special dish will become the source of
widespread illness and even a death.
12 comments:
Hi, Bobbi,
When I taught Creative Writing both in high school and at Rutgers University, one of my lessons was: a picture is worth a thousand words.
I passed out photos from many different magazines that I had mounted and asked students to create a story based on a photo that intrigued them. We got lots of wonderful inspiration.
I love how you were inspired by the cutting down of the pecan trees. I think those are the most beautiful and graceful trees around. I'd love to live next to a pecan grove. Loved the story of Aunt Jewel and the Purloinrd Pork Roast. You had me in stitches!
Hi Jacqueline, I remember doing that in middle school writing classes, too, now that you mention it. Funny how memories are tweaked. I'm going back through all my older photos now, finding other ideas for stories.
Hi Di Eats the Elephant! What an unusual screen name; I love it. Thanks so much for your comments. Yes, Aunt Jewel can be a handful. I'm enjoying writing about her.
One of the reasons we bought the house we're in is because it has five ancient pecan trees. I've never had such nice shade so close to the house before. Even on the hottest day, like today, it's cool under there.
Hi Bobbi,
Loved learning about how you got your inspiration from the pecan trees. I'm going to have to check out Aunt Jewel…she sounds perfectly delightful! Your use of photography with your writing is like what I do. I'm pleased to know I'm following in your footsteps. Happy writing and photo taking!
Bobbi, I'm delighted to meet another photographer writing mysteries. You pick just the right photograph for the cover. I love that the felled pecan trees inspired a story. Great post.
Hi VJ,
Thank you! Happy photo taking to you, too. I've loved messing around with photography since I was a kid and really love that I can combine it with my writing/publishing now.
Thanks, Susan! I'm sad that the tree had to go, but I did get a good story out of it. LOL.
Hey, Bobbi, it's great that two of your talents go together. I always liked photography and really should do more of it. All the best to you, cuz.
An inspiring story!
Hey cuzzin Earl! Thanks for the comment. I'd love to see some of your photos sometime. Bet you have some good ones!
Karen Burges! How wonderful to see you here. Glad you stopped by.
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