RedPubPod 042: "This Book Is About Where I’m From, The Ghosts of Lenoir, My First Tormentor" with Chris Nelson

In this insightful and entertaining episode of RedPubPod, Richard and Patty sit down with local author Chris Nelson, whose debut short story collection, Where You Are From, is already making waves. Chris's path—from bouncer to paralegal to English instructor to published author—is a fascinating ride through real-life plot twists, all grounded in a deep sense of place.

While many writers talk about “place,” Chris embodies it. If you pick up his book, you’ll see what we mean. He captures the slow rise and sharp decline of a small foothill town in Western North Carolina with such precision that you can almost see the empty textile mills and smell the rust of faded dreams. The writing is tight, haunting, and wholly authentic—a collection that entertains while quietly teaching a history lesson about what happens when industry leaves and doesn’t come back, when generations collide, when transitions make it hard to move forward, and when you realize not making a choice is still a decision.

In this episode, Chris discusses why he occasionally cloaks real towns with pseudonyms, how his friends and family reacted to seeing pieces of their world on the page, and what it’s like to reflect life in the Foothills with both candor and care.

Of course, having Richard on hand adds a layer of regional context (because, let’s be real, the man is a walking history book of all that is west of I-77). And yes, Patty had a moment with second-person narration. She may have called it fourth person at first, but hey, cut her some slack—she’s writing this in third person as she types. Or am I?!  

This episode isn’t just about crafting short stories—it’s about reckoning with your roots: the good, the bad, and the beautifully complicated. And, while Lenoir might be his oppressor, what amazing stories come from Chris’s first tormentor.

Enjoy this one, friends. And if you’re from the Foothills, you’re going to feel this one in your bones.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Join Chris Nelson, Redhawk’s Patty Thompson, along with author Rhonda Browning White, for an unforgettable evening of storytelling and literary insight on Tuesday, June 10th at 7 pm at the Lincolnton Cultural Center, Lincoln, NC. The authors will read from their respective books and engage in a lively discussion about the writing life. They’ll be joined by Redhawk Publications’ own Patty Thompson, who’ll weigh in on the process of publishing and the state of small presses. It’s a free event, and you aren’t doing anything else! Come on out! 

Where You Are From by Chris Nelson is available now from Redhawk Publications here! 

 

REDHAWK PUBLICATIONS HOSTS:

Patty Thompson, Acquisitions Editor, Redhawk Publications 

Richard Eller, Executive Director & Podcast Engineer

 

RedPubPod is thrilled to have Taste Full Beans as our premier sponsor in Downtown

Hickory, North Carolina. If you’re ever in town, swing by for fantastic coffee, food, and

Redhawk Publications books. Be sure to tell the awesome folks there that RedPubPod sent you!

 

Taste Full Beans Coffee, Tea & Café

29 2nd Street NW, Hickory, NC

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https://www.tastefullbeans.com/

 

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