This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Curt Richards will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Set in the foothills of the Appalachians, fourteen-year-old Caleb Austin and his friend Marlee (Mary Lee) Patterson face poverty and prejudice in their small rural town. Confronted with the "creek people" who live in the hollow and the wild child Annabelle Pruitt, their lives take an exciting turn.
This is a delightful story made for teens and young adults,
and I enjoyed it immensely. I put it down maybe once. I’m not sure I can tell
you what holds you. Is it the story, the characters, the writing? Maybe it’s
everything mixed together, but it’s a delightful combination of colloquialism
and culture.
Somehow, quite politely, Curt Richards teaches us a bit of a
lesson, but it sneaks up on us. This is a story of growing up. A story of
living in an area where everyone must struggle somewhat. Nonetheless, there are
still those that have and those that don’t and in this honest story, just as in
life, hypocrites and angels exist.
I did look at the other books Curt Richards has published
and while I am sure they are fine, I think his talent lies in this storytelling
subtle way of getting a point across that many of us need to be reminded about
now and then. I hope he’ll continue to remind us of the important things.
I cannot stress enough how enjoyable and fun and yet what a worthwhile
read this is.
Marlee hurried to the edge of the creek and stopped before her shoes touched the water. Any other time, Caleb knew that she wouldn’t have hesitated to splash through the creek, but if she came home with wet shoes and a muddy dress today, her mother would have a few good words for her, to say the least.
“Hello!” Marlee called into the doghobble thicket on the opposite bank. Caleb stood, sheltered by a poplar tree, and watched, expecting Smoky Pruitt and his hounds to come crashing through the brush any minute.
“Annabelle. Are you there?” Marlee bent and studied the undergrowth. Suddenly, Annabelle appeared next to a large hickory tree. The girl stood motionless, like a rabbit spotted in a briar thicket. Her hair was shoulder-length and unkempt, and she wore a dirty dress that draped to mid-calf, ending a few inches above her leather shoes.
About the Author
Curt Richards is a retired public school teacher from Upstate South Carolina. He has taught various science courses for forty years, from middle school to college. He believes there is no higher calling than guiding young people and adults through their education. In his free time, Richards enjoys studying nature, gardening, hiking, reading, socializing with family and friends, and writing in multiple genres.
Books by Curt Richards:
Voices Beyond the Creek (2025, Young Adult Fiction)
Circle the Stones (scheduled for release in 2026, YA fiction)
Misguided Passions and the Lord’s Prayer (2024 Non-fiction)
30 Insights for New Teachers to Thrive (2023 Non-fiction)
Website: http://www.curtrichards.com
Instagram: http://http://www.instagram.com/curtrichards202
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-richards-159b63235
Thank you for featuring and reviewing VOICES BEYOND THE CREEK today.
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