Hill Country Authors Podcast Podcast Por Tom Fox arte de portada

Hill Country Authors Podcast

Hill Country Authors Podcast

De: Tom Fox
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Welcome to the Hill Country Authors podcast. In addition to being the most beautiful and unique part of Texas, Hill Country has some of the top authors from this state. This podcast will feature the authors from and stories about the Texas Hill Country. Arte Historia y Crítica Literaria
Episodios
  • Teddy Jones on Borger’s Boomtown Corruption and the Origins of Far from Uncertain

    Teddy Jones on Borger’s Boomtown Corruption and the Origins of Far from Uncertain
    Apr 16 2026
    Welcome to a new season of 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 up the Texas Hill Country. Host Tom Fox welcomes back Teddy Jones to talk about her new book, Far from Uncertain One: Woman’s Life of Crime and Other Righteous Deeds. Teddy’s book is inspired by a woman found near death in a ditch in Jones’s prior book A Family of Good Women. Jones explains Borger’s 1926 oil boom, resulting lawlessness (gambling, illegal liquor, prostitution), entrenched corruption, and the governor’s declaration of martial law after the district attorney was killed, with Texas Rangers and military restoring order; Borger then faced the Dust Bowl and the Depression. She describes using a dual timeline to connect historical events to contemporary relevance without being heavy-handed, developing complex characters through observation informed by her nursing background, and weaving research (including local theses and books) into the narrative. Jones previews her next novel, Rise to the Occasion, set in fictional Jackson Pond, Texas, and shares her website and social media. Key Highlights Origin of Frankie Borger Boomtown Chaos Martial Law and Aftermath Dual Timeline Structure Building Real Characters Resources Teddy Jones on Stoney Creek Publishing Far from Uncertain One: Woman’s Life of Crime and Other Righteous Deeds Social Media Instagram X Bluesky Threads Podcast Cover Art Nancy Huffman Fine Art Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn
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    29 m
  • Dark Texas: A Worst-Case Look at the Texas Power Grid - Through Fiction

    Dark Texas: A Worst-Case Look at the Texas Power Grid - Through Fiction
    Apr 2 2026
    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
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    24 m
  • Paul McGrath on “Left is Right”: Satire, Darker Threats, and Current-Events Inspiration

    Paul McGrath on “Left is Right”: Satire, Darker Threats, and Current-Events Inspiration
    Mar 19 2026
    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. Host Tom Fox opens a new season of the Texas Hill Country Authors Podcast with returning guest Paul McGrath to discuss McGrath’s novel Left is Right, a sequel to the PEN Craft award-winning Left. McGrath recounts a 37-year career at Texas newspapers, primarily the Houston Chronicle, plus teaching at Texas A&M and Clear Lake, and his A&M roots with The Battalion. He explains expanding Anton’s story into a multi-book series (with five planned), driven by character attachment and news-inspired plots. McGrath describes layered “Left” titles, using Ellie to express progressive viewpoints, and empathy as a motivating force for Anton and Ellie, including Ezra’s lingering influence. He notes a darker tone influenced by right-wing militias, human trafficking, and a Texas motorcycle gang, balanced by humor, wordplay, and pop-culture references like a Jon Hamm dream sequence. He outlines the FBI’s and alien authorities’ ongoing pursuit, then a return to alien supervision, credits Stoney Creek Publishing’s support, shares on social platforms, and previews future themes involving Russians and cryptocurrency. Key highlights: Why Continue with Anton Series Titles and ‘Left’ Empathy Driving the Plot Darker Satire and Villains Humor Wordplay and Names Pop Culture Cameos Where the Series Goes Resources: Paul McGrath on Stoney Creek Publishing Left is Right on Texas A&M University Press Social Media Instagram X Threads Podcast Cover Art Nancy Huffman Fine Art Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn
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    20 m
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