Bruce Wilson is a writer, historian and educator living in Silver City, New Mexico. He is a graduate of California State University-Fullerton and Western New Mexico University where he currently teaches American History. He is a contributing author to the anthology Bug Tales by Paul Klebahn and Gabriella Jacobs and his story "Raven's Nest" received an Honorable Mention in the Desert Exposure 2015 Annual Writing Contest. Recalling the stories his father used to tell, one tale in particular kept popping up in his thoughts, so Wilson traveled to Kentucky to do some research on his family heritage and discovered the actual events of the story. Last year, he returned to the home of his ancestors in Kentucky and walked the country roads and trudged through the rows of the tobacco fields. Unable to get the story out of his mind, he turned the event into a novel- Death in the Black Patch.
"Bruce Wilson's story has a long reach ... his story is your story
and my story. It is fundamentally our story. How he came to tell
it, innocently enough, was a result of his desire to see the place
where his grandparents were born and lived at the turn of the
century in southern, tobacco-growing country in the United States.
First, a chance meeting, then another, next an archived microfilm
front- page story from the Lynnville Daily Messenger, May 21, 1906.
Then, a story of people's lives that reminds us of a shared
history, who we all are, across time and geography.Note: Wilson is
a teacher of history - able to take in a depth of detail in the
construct of a big picture, requiring a deep interest in sequence,
relationships of when and how things come to be. And, Wilson is an
actor - bringing that history-seeking mind and attention- to-detail
to life, finding the key to character and uncovering and revealing
people. And, thank you very much! Here before us, there we all
are.The Black Patch Tobacco Wars of 1904-1909 are a quintessential
example of North American industrialization - money and power
bringing high stakes for everyone as monopolies rose and life and
death hung on the line every day in a country of free men and an
economy up for grabs.The circumstances of this era and how it
played out is truly gripping. The American Tobacco Company, one of
the largest monopolies in U.S. history, versus a grassroots Tobacco
Planter's Protective Association is an iconic U.S. tale. But the
over-reaching tale of these players is also a backdrop, in this
story of us, for Wilson to bring his family members to life with
all their joys and sorrows, strengths and weaknesses, personalities
and relationships.With no adequate answer to be had and bad results
either way, the question to sell your tobacco or not, hold out with
the Association for a strength in numbers affect, or sell for less
than the cost of your crop is a life and death one. Big business,
unions, scabs, underlying racism - it is a frightful story. How
quickly we can become "other" when product and money are the
carrot. This societal war brought Night Riders and Hillbillies into
conflict, farm burnings, shootings and hangings, real havoc between
farmers and ultimately between family members. Art hated himself
for avoiding Wes's question and not giving him the names. It was
the first time he'd ever lied to Wes or held anything back from
him, and it gave him a knot in his guts. But he had to protect
himself and his own family and thought that this was the only way.
Wes Wilson, Bruce Wilson's great grandfather, played a role on the
big stage of Black Patch history along with his wife Zora and their
children, Wes' brother Mark and cousin Art. Wilson brings his
family back to life to become key players in detailed tableaus of
their society, family units, hardships of farming, and coping in a
dangerous world. These scenes have the depth of screen play, the
dialog of personal relationships and belief systems.Anthie and
Sudie, Wilson's Grandparents, rise from similar family
circumstances in the midst of the Black Patch turmoil. They court,
marry, raise children and thrive into the 1960s. For Bruce Wilson,
his family's mysterious and historical story germinated in his mind
for eight years until influences in 2014 brought him to the
decision to tell that story. If only his ancestors could know that
grandson Bruce found his way to evidence of their personal story
and their place in history, writing it for them, and reminding us
that we all live in one patch or the other, with a complicated
stake in a big human picture." -- Silver City Independent
"Death in the Black Patch blends chronicle with creativity to
present a piece of the past.Bruce Wilson's emotionally rich Death
in the Black Patch paints a portrait of early twentieth-century
life in the American South. Inspired by historical events, it
explores the realities of farm life, as well as the complicated
nature of family relationships and how they can be eroded by
suspicion and doubt.Wes and Art Wilson are tobacco farmers, while
Mark owns a general store. They all yearn for simple lives where
they can make a living and take care of their families, but trouble
has come to their Kentucky county.On one side, a tobacco company
looking to monopolize profits has sent slick-talking businessmen to
the fields to offer farmers a pretty penny for their harvested
crops. On the other, a grower's association is willing to go to
violent lengths to enlist farmers to stand against the company,
including dispatching Night Riders to destroy crops and even kill
those who oppose them.Wes and Art must decide what to do with their
crops, and Mark worries for the safety and sanity of his brother
and cousin. While Wes mulls things over with indecision and
whiskey, his family can feel him cracking under the weight of his
burdens. Resentment, bitterness, and distrust send the men into a
downward spiral where secrets become more dangerous than men with
contracts or guns.Death in the Black Patch is abundant in emotional
content. The descriptions of Wes and his family are both beautiful
and brutal, portraying the complexity of love and farm life in the
1900s.Wes's farm, house, and family members are well conveyed in
vivid paragraphs filled with imagery and emotive depth. You can
feel the dirt on Wes's hands, even taste the sour whiskey in his
mouth as he laments the choices he must make.Dialogue is natural
and historically authentic, adding to the genuine traits of the
characters. Their inner monologues are also believable. Wes's
teenage son, Anthie, flips between angst toward his father and
daydreams of the girl he likes, while Wes's wife struggles with her
loyalties to her husband and her responsibilities to her family;
they are relatable and emotionally compelling
characters.Sentimental passages are crucial in driving the novel
forward, as the plot takes an excruciating amount of time to play
out. The main conflict, a potentially deadly raid on the Wilson
farm by the Night Riders, is explored from every angle, leading to
repetitive conversations between characters and duplicated
scenes.The journey of two hired farm hands turned Night Riders is
also examined, elevating the novel with humor and themes of
survival that consistently straddle moral lines. These glimpses
into the characters' passions and processes retain interest when
the plot becomes stagnant. Everything leads up to a surprise
conclusion that seems abrupt in the face of an otherwise lengthy
narrative.The novel was inspired by Wilson family stories, and the
author succeeds in bringing life to his ancestors. The harsh
realities of farm life and the intricacy of communication,
devotion, and emotional labor are well developed. Death in the
Black Patch blends chronicle with creativity to present a piece of
the past." -- Foreword Reviews
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