Southern Fried Gothic: Author Patricia Preston and The Wild, Wild South

Southern Fried Gothic: Author Patricia Preston and The Wild, Wild South: Please welcome Southerner and Carina Press author Patricia Preston! Tell us about yourself and your book:

Hi y’all! Yes, I’m definitely Southern as in I live in Mississippi and my folks all come from Tennessee and Alabama. So, I’m deeply entrenched in all things Southern except for football and politics. As a writer, I’m in great company in the South. It seems the South just naturally produces people who love telling stories.

Almost An Outlaw is set in Missouri and features the James-Younger Gang. In the 1860’s, Missouri had a lot of ties to the South. Frank James and Cole Younger were teenager guerilla fighters, not recognized as regular Confederate soldiers. They rode under a black flag as did my character, Austin. This novella is the first story I’ve written that is set outside of the deep South. All my work has Southern roots, especially my short stories, which are Southern comedies.

What is your favorite thing about the South?

Food! Food! Food! Especially sweet iced tea, Have you ever tried ordering sweet tea outside of the South? You sit down in a restaurant around here and say you want sweet tea and they know exactly what you mean. Try that someplace else. Even in Houston, much to my surprise. I also love our cornbread, which doesn’t contain any sugar. Add fried okra to my list. Fried chicken. Fried apples. Fried catfish and hushpuppies. Actually, I think we fry everything...

How does the South affect your writing?

Basically, it is what I know. From the landscape to the people. Whereas, I don’t know nothing about Yankees.

What is your next writing project?

I have just finished up a short historical, Lady Silver, set in New Orleans in 1814. I have a short story, The Yard Sale,  a finalist in the Faulkner Short Fiction Contest, which I’m going to publish on Amazon. It’s set in Mississippi. In the works I have a sequel to Almost an Outlaw. Emma hooks up with a Pinkerton agent.

Almost An Outlaw blurb:

Rancher Austin Cade rides into Liberty looking for his old comrades, the James-Younger gang. He needs their help tracking down the horse thief who's stolen his prized mare. In town, the former gunfighter is reunited with Darcy, the first girl he ever kissed—and never forgot.

Young widow Darcy Branson owns a shop full of fashionable ladies' attire, but continues to wear mourning black so she won't forget her role in her husband's death. Austin stirs a passion inside her that has long been dormant, but can Darcy learn to believe in Austin—and love—enough to let go of her tragic past?

Time is rapidly running out... As a cousin to Jesse James, Darcy has attracted unwanted attention, thanks to her rumored association with the gang. Soon Austin and Darcy are faced with confronting not only their growing desire, but danger in the form of a deadly bounty hunter...

And, this month it is on sale at CarinaPress for $1.99, part of the November Novella Sale! Also available at Amazon.

Praise for Almost An Outlaw:

"ALMOST AN OUTLAW by Patricia Preston is a worthwhile read for an easy afternoon. A little spicy, a little sweet and overall delightful, this is a short story you won't be sorry you picked up."~Lisa Jo, Romance Reviews

“A sweet story about love, loss and second

chances.”~Denise,  Goodreads

“Almost An Outlaw by Patricia Preston was a fun, quick read.”~ Jessica, Novel Reaction

“A true Western feel and a very good romance.”~Karyn, The Romanorum

Thanks a bunch for having me at Southern Fried Gothic! I am working at my day job so I won’t have a chance to respond to comments until the evening but I do so appreciate them. I’d love to have new Twitter followers and Facebook fans. You can follow me on Twitter at pat_preston. My Facebook page: Patricia Preston, Author Page and my website is www.patricia-preston.com.

Thanks for stopping by, Patricia, and letting know it wasn't just 

the West that was wild!