Dark Texas: A Worst-Case Look at the Texas Power Grid - Through Fiction

Welcome to a new season of the award-winning Hill Country Authors Podcast, sponsored by Stoney Creek Publishing. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with authors who live in and write about the Texas Hill Country. In this episode, host Tom Fox interviews fellow UT grad Charles J. Petrie about his novel Dark Texas, inspired by his frustration with articles claiming the Texas power grid failure during the ‘Snowpocolips’ “could have been worse.” Petrie, a PhD in computer science with research experience, explains he dug into grid resilience and found deeper risks, including reliance on gas-fired generation even though gas pipeline pressure depends on electricity via compressors, and the vulnerability of black start capability: he says 82% of Texas black start generators were inoperable during the event, with some unable to run without electricity or stored fuel oil, and others not maintained in a competitive market. Petrie chose fiction because a technical treatment became too complex and a novel could make people care; he describes characters taking over the writing, cites influences and craft lessons from various authors, shares he’s drafted a sequel prompted by a dark epilogue, and recounts publishing with Stoney Creek Publishing after 50 agent rejections. Key highlights: Why Write Dark Texas Texas Grid Risks Explained Black Start Breakdown Turning Research Into Fiction Characters Take Over Authors and Writing Lessons Finding a Publisher Resources: Dark Texas on Stoney Creek Publishing Connect with Charles on Facebook Learn more about ⁠Stoney Creek Publishing Podcast Cover Art Nancy Huffman Fine Art Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn