Don’t believe everything you’ve heard— the Southeast isn’t all biscuits and gravy.

After a devastating hurricane, Jack attempts to pick up the pieces of his life while something sinister lurks in the background. Bobby can’t quite come to terms with new additions to his family. Our old pal Frank has a tale to tell you about when he worked at that warehouse store. And what about that gas station that burned down? Pull back the veneer and you’ll find there’s more going on than the grumblings of retail employees and the sweat of aspiring teenage football players.
 
The works compiled in this anthology offer a look at the contemporary Southeast through the eyes of its many denizens. From grumpy old men haunted by memories to desperate young women facing their worst fears—the characters and voices in this collection encounter real situations typical to anyone who grew up in the South, including the death of loved ones, the woes of the working class, and strife amongst family. Each story, poem, and photograph illustrates the struggle between preconceptions and the hard truth—presumptions are free, but they ain’t cheap. Truly, there’s something for anyone brave enough to take a peek behind the Rustic Southern Façade...