C.H. Hooks in Conversation with Scott Gould

C.H. Hooks will be at Hub City Bookshop on Tuesday, November 19th at 6 PM discussing his latest novel Can't Shake the Dust with Scott Gould. Follow "Little" Bill Lemon on his journey of self-discovery and survival, and buckle up for a high-octane ride through the South's shadowed heart In Can’ t Shake the Dust.

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"Little" Bill Lemon, III, stands at the crossroads of a troubled legacy. From the notorious "Monkey Palace," his grandfather's bar, to the enigmatic history of his father, Wild, to his mother's questionable dog-breeding business, Little takes to the dirt track every Saturday night, racing to outpace the looming shadows of his family's past. Behind the wheel of a ramshackle DIY car, in a place where scarcity reigns— be it money, jobs, food, or even soap to cleanse the stubborn Georgia red dirt— Little teeters on the edge of self-destruction and redemption. As he navigates life on the fringe of Southern backroads, the weight of his ancestry threatens to pull him under. While checkered flags may elude him on the track, Little possesses the heart of a true champion. Readers will find themselves on their feet in the stands, rallying for him as he plunges headfirst into a turbulent voyage of self-discovery and survival. Can’ t Shake the Dust is an exhilarating tale of resilience, tenacity, and the indomitable spirit of those who dare to race against all odds.

C.H. Hooks is the author of the novels Alligator Zoo-Park Magic (2019) and Can't Shake the Dust (2024). His work has appeared in print and online publications including: The Los Angeles Review, American Short Fiction, Four Way Review, The Tampa Review, and The Bitter Southerner. He has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar and Contributor at Sewanee Writers' Conference, and attended DISQUIET: Dzanc Books International Literary Program in Lisbon. He can be found on the waters around St. Augustine where he teaches at Flagler College.

Scott Gould is the author of six books, including The Hammerhead Chronicles, winner of the Eric Hoffer Award for Fiction, and Things That Crash, Things That Fly, which won a 2022 Memoir Prize for Books. His other honors include a Next Generation Indie Book Award, an IPPY Award for Fiction, the Larry Brown Short Story Award and the S.C. Arts Commission Artist Fellowship in Prose. His work has appeared in a number of ublications, including Kenyon Review, Black Warrior Review, Pangyrus, Crazyhorse, Pithead Chapel, Garden & Gun, and New Stories from the South, among others. His new novel, Peace Like a River, is forthcoming in August 2025 from Regal House Publishing. He lives in Sans Souci, South Carolina.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Hub City Bookshop & Press, 186 West Main Street, Spartanburg, United States