Blind Pig reader and Appalachian Writer Roy Pipes has a couple of new books out. Some of you may remember my interview with Roy a couple of years ago-if you missed it go here.
Here’s the details about Roy’s new books in his words:
Mammy: A Term of Endearment
I have a new novel I titled, Mammy: A Term of Endearment. Mammy is a fictional story of the slavery of a black woman who after being freed became my father’s mammy. Some feel the word Mammy is a racial term, but my father considered it a term of endearment.
It’s a story of the discrimination many blacks and poor whites still face today, not only in the south but also in the north. It is a story of love, hate, romance, and humor.
Included in the novel are stories of slaves and freed slaves, the stories are principally about Mammy’s family but include the lives and experiences of both slaves and freed slaves.
The novel starts off telling how on a visit with my father to a murder trial in Wilkes County, NC, at age eight, I met Mammy who was them 98 years of age, and decided to learn more about slavery and later decided to write this novel.
A Haven for Willa Mae
A Haven for Willa Mae is the first of a two series novels. It is a novel containing danger, suspense, romance and treachery along with abuse, deceit, murder, kidnapping, and insanity. It is a gripping action packed romance/mystery novel where William, an emergency room doctor on his first hospital assignment, falls in love with Willa Mae, a physically abused married patient. Willa Mae’s husband, Howard, is the spoiled son of a wealthy and influential family who will go to any length, even murder, to exact revenge.
At first, Willa Mae refused to press charges against her abusive husband, but William felt if the abuse continued, Howard would eventually murder her. At the risk of his own life and losing his medical license, William refused to let the matter drop as he considered it a matter of life or death.
Willa Mae married Howard during a time of weakness after her mother was killed in a car accident that the sheriff suspected was foul play, but had no suspicion that Howard was involved.
The novel takes the reader through years of tumultuous times during which Willa Mae grew to love William, the love of this couple grew ever stronger to the point where nothing could come between them.
Roy also wrote a sequel to the book I first interviewed him about-Darby the title of the sequel is Hanging Dog and here’s a bit about it from Roy:
Hanging Dog, An Appalachian Community is a sequel to my Appalachian novel, Darby. Hanging Dog is a story of the love and struggles of a young couple and their two small children. Isaac Caldwell, who after surviving World War II, purchased a small farm in the Appalachian Community of Hanging Dog in Western North Carolina.
Isaac and his wife Shirley, were looking forward to their new life, and welcoming the struggles of making their small farm a success.
Instead, they became involved with three bullies who had murdered the previous owners, raped his wife, and killed a neighbor who had alerted Isaac and Shirley regarding the tormentors.
During these times, their love for one another grew stronger, love letters were written by both Shirley and Isaac. Other family members’ lives and stories are brought into the novel as Hanging Dog, the sequel, became connected with Darby.
Hanging Dog is a love story, a family saga, and a mystery that will be hard to put down, and will bring tears to your eyes.
—————–
All of Roy’s books can be ordered from Amazon.com, or locally at the Curiosity Bookstore, Murphy; Hill Gallery in Brasstown; Bible, Books, and Blessings out on US 64 West; Hanging Dog General Store in the Hanging Dog Community, and wherever good books are sold.
AND if you leave a comment on this post you’ll be entered in a giveaway to win a copy of Hanging Dog, An Appalachian Community. Giveaway ends Sunday July 26.
Tipper
I kove even reading all the posts people leave. Wish me luck. Sombody will win. Always said I should write a book. The things in my life, geez I’d never run out of stories. Spelling and grammar were my worst subjects though. I’d have to have a very good proof reader and explicit sounding word changer.lol Some of those words make reading a lot more fun.
I haven’t heard of this book,and I would love to read this, I really enjoy reading all subjects
Historical fiction, hometown tales, local intrigues, – all tied to places of the heart – – – that makes for great reading.
Roy Pipes has done it again! Taken tales and real life of our section of Appalachian and turned the way of life, events and characters like unto real people into readable, interesting and informative fiction. Let’s all get Mr. Pipes’ books and let him know how much we appreciate his writing them! Congratulations!
Ah! Another local author for me to seek out and read. NC has some really great authors Thanks for writing about Roy Pipes.
Those books sound good. I’m going to look for them on Amazon.
Such a wonderful talent, writing is, I believe. It’s like spinning a story of yarn, right before someone’s eyes, capturing their mind and heart with the words contained in the finished weaving.
God bless.
RB
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Whether I win or not , I just want you to know that all my grand and great children call me Mammy and I love it ,I don’t consider it either a black or white name just that I love to hear my babies call me that.
They call my husband Pappy .
Lola Howard.
I have lived several different places besides my home state of Tennessee including North Carolina. I have very special memories of my short time there and still love to go there when possible. Ever heard of Black Mountain or Highlands? Thanks for the info on the new books. I will have to try some of Mr. Pipes books.
Thanks again for the Blind Pig and all the great info I find here.
Cheryl
Would dearly LOVE to get these books. I have been trying to read more lately instead of playing the computer so much.
Sounds like a book that would be hard to put down. Many small towns or just locations here in Kentucky with unusual names. One place I will be going through tomorrow is Hanging Fork.
I know I will enjoy the books. Off to Amazon to check them out. Thanks for the chance to win one.
These books sound so intriguing! Thanks for bringing another Appalachian author to my attention, Tipper- so much talent in these mountains. Don’t enter me in the contest, I won the last one. Just wanted to say thanks for bringing Mr. Pipes to my attention 🙂
Tipper,
I wish Roy Pipes a Big Success on
the new books. He was my teacher
back in ’66-67 and 20 years later
taught my oldest daughter. How many folks can say that? Everyone thought the world of Roy, including
me. Thanks you Mr. Pipes!
I heard the Pressley Girls again
today singing “Working on a Building” on WKRK. Paul was with
them singing the entire Blind Pig Gang played. What a Nice
Sound…Ken
Tipper – I’m not usually one to read fiction but I do make exceptions. Sounds like this could be an exception.
I have a question and I’m not being facetious. Are Mr. Pipes’s books available in bookstores near Darby? The reason I ask is I live only 32.5 miles from Darby. That is within my driving range (no, I don’t hit golf balls.) Hanging Dog is 185 miles away. I would rather buy from a real person if possible but will resort to Amazon if necessary. If I win though, that will be one book I don’t have to worry about.
Bookstores in Morganton, Lenoir, Marion or Hickory would be ideal with the latter being the least pleasing preference. I like to tell people I stay out of Hickory every chance I get.
I went to the Amazon.com site and read the reviews and extracts. It looks like something that I might order.
Looks like I just found a new author! I’m excited.
As I live in Wisconsin, but have an interest in Wilkes County, NC….where my Revolutionary War 5th Great Grandpa lived and is buried, I would love to win the Mammy book. Sounds very interesting and I will look up this author on Amazon. Visiting Murphy in October hope to hear/see the Pressley Girls preform.
Mr. Pipes sounds like a very interesting person. He is the type people love to sit down with to hear his stories. A thank you to both of you for sharing!
I love to find and read books by NC authors. Thank you for finding me some new ones. I think they have something special, new and fresh in their books.
I’m always looking for the next good book to read. Although (just checked) I have 19 in my to read stack.
Your reviews have me intrigued. I wish I was a faster reader. (So many books, so little time.) I especially enjoy reading novels based in history. Those set in my beloved North Carolina make them all the better.
Tipper I always love a good story, especially when it is set locally. It’s fun to see if you can identify things that may be mentioned in the story.
Thank you for always starting my day with a smile 🙂
So happy that “Pap” is continuing to improve!!!
Would love to read his books! My Dad is from up Hanging Dog way, well Unaka. It is beautiful up there. My Grandma and Great Grandparents and other relatives are buried up there.
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com
Now, this sounds like a book I would enjoy. I would love to win this book.
Sounds like my kind of books!
I wish I could be there to see “the very talented duo” in concert.
Interesting plots, looking forward to getting a copy of one…WKRK is correct;they are a very talented duo.
Tipper,
Although I have wrote and published several
Book they are mostly history of my memories
Of the mountains of Western North Carolina I
Have always wanted to write a factious novel.
Would be nice to get one of Rosy books. Even
At the age of 93 I never stop learning something
New.
Charles Fletcher
Hanging Dog was a community i heard of when moving to these mountains was just a dream…now you got my curiosity up…google here i come…looks like Roy Pipes books are worth lookin into.
I had never heard of Mr. Pipes before, I just found your site here a few days ago while searching information on canning and cooking by the signs. When I saw he had written a sequel, I went over to Amazon and checked out Darby. I will be ordering it, because as I was reading it, I could hear the people from my past speaking. I am from Kentucky and have not been there for 20 years now. His writting was like being t’home, and sure do hope I win!
I would love to read these books.
Thanks Tipper. A great review.
This sounds like a writer I would like to read. I enjoy this type of book. Thank you for the chance to win one of his books. I just wish I lived closer so I could go to the bookstore there, and also hear the music of the Pressley Girls in person.
Maybe you (or Don Casada) should post about the origins of some of the names of comminities like Hanging Dog.