Blue Green A Novel

Synopsis

Near the town of Tazewell, on the western edge of the Mississippi Delta, amidst vast fields of cotton and ponds of catfish, twenty-four-year-old Warren Pope manages the Paradise Catfish Farm. He befriends most of the locals and struggles with the Delta's lingering reluctance to cast aside the last remaining vestiges of social injustice. Pope's arch-nemesis, Chief Deputy Leo Abrams, doesn't appreciate the northern outsider and the two tangle in a suspenseful, action-packed sequence of events that could only happen in the backwood haunts of Mississippi.

Gregory N. Whitis

Chapter One

The mud grips on Warren Pope's truck hummed as he headed west into the next heat mirage on Mississippi Highway 12. The flat delta road shimmered with wavy blankets of liquefying heat. Dazzling rows of waist-high cotton bordered the gummy blacktop. The bolls were unfolding, revealing tuffs of virgin white cotton in the dense, dark-green foliage.

Pope had been up since three in the morning. The plate lunch of greasy meatloaf, black-eyed peas, and turnip greens induced a desperate need for a short nap. Pope caught himself as he nodded off. He adjusted the AC to max and revved up the fan.

Keeping his eyes on the road, he wiggled the two-way radio mic from the steel clip on the dashboard and pushed the side button.

"Paradise One to Base."

Praises

A tantalizing inside look at the life on a catfish farm filled with adventures and mishaps. The characters are brought to life in an engaging way with plenty of "real life" detail to make you feel like you are there. The book includes nuances that fish folks will appreciate but the story is interesting enough for anyone to appreciate.

Dr. David Cline, Former President, U.S. Aquaculture Society

Loved the subtle humor and vivid descriptions. Hated to put the book down, but had to go to work the next day. I found this book to be very entertaining--with lots of details that made it very interesting. Believable characters and an engaging plot made it especially hard to put down. I highly recommend this debut novel.

Dr. David Straus, Stuttgart, Arkansas

In Blue Green, Whitis describes in great detail, life in the rural south. His authentic voice carries you back into the 1990s, wherein an outsider tries to navigate through the nuanced social strata and occasional overt racism. If you are from the Deep South, these incidents will seem like normal day-to-day happenings with some colorful commentary from the local peanut gallery. If you aren't, you may be surprised at some of the encounters and how folks respond but you will get to glimpse inside this lost piece of America.

Dr. Sarah K. Zingales, Georgia Southern University

Just absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down after the second chapter. It's a fictional story about a young catfish farmer in rural Mississippi. There's a clash of good and evil. It is a story of triumph.

Ardent Penguin Book Review

The prose is clear and uncluttered. The story moves briskly from scene to scene. I found Blue Green an enjoyable, even admirable, first effort.

Don Noble, Alabama Public Radio

Blue Green” Is An Intriguing Read Seen From The Eyes Of An Outsider

“Blue Green” is an intriguing read seen from the eyes of an outsider steeping into the lives of a small southern town. The accounts of culture class, prejudice, interaction and insight are those experienced by many stepping into a small southern town from anywhere that is not a small southern town. The story is going somewhere but it is not predictable, it is captivating. The descriptions of the people and events are accurate with those of us who have experienced the same. Once you pick up Blue Green it is hard to put down because you become engaged in the events. The writing makes one feel like they are experiencing the interactions standing beside Warren Pope watching a hot typical day go by in the outskirts of Tazewell, Mississippi.

KD South

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