Debut novel deals with opioid crisis
Rick Childers will share his debut novel, “Turkeyfoot,” in conversation with Meagan Lucas at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
Turkeyfoot follows Lucy Perley, a nine-year-old living in an Eastern Kentucky town devastated by the opioid epidemic. As Lucy’s parents, John and Anne, sink deeper into addiction, their lives spiral, exposing Lucy to unimaginable dangers. Central to the story is Sweetie Goodins, a longtime drug dealer, who struggles to accept his role in the community’s downfall. When his partner begins selling fentanyl, Sweetie is forced to confront the devastating impact of his actions.
Childers, a writer from Estill County, Kentucky, holds degrees from Berea College and Spalding University. His work has appeared in various literary magazines, including Limestone Journal and Heartwood Literary Magazine.
Meagan Lucas is the author of the award-winning novel Songbirds and Stray Dogs and teaches Creative Writing at Robert Morris University.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the bookstore at 828.586.9499.
