Racing the Shadows – CH Hooks on Can’t Shake the Dust

In this compelling episode of Read Between the Lines, host Molly Southgate sits down with acclaimed author C.H. Hooks to talk about his powerful new novel, Can’t Shake the Dust.

The story follows “Little” Bill Lemon III as he struggles to outrun a family legacy filled with hardship, violence, and resilience. From the gritty cages of The Monkey Palace—his grandfather’s rough-and-tumble bar—to the questionable ventures of his parents, Little finds his escape on the dirt track every Saturday night. In a car that barely runs, he races not just for victory, but for redemption in the backroads of the South.

Hooks masterfully captures the weight of legacy, poverty, and perseverance in a world where there’s never enough—money, opportunity, or even soap to wash away the Georgia red dirt. With its heart-pounding scenes and unflinching truths, Can’t Shake the Dust is a southern tale you won’t forget.

🔗 Links & Resources

Purchase Can't Shake the Dust at Bookshop.org: 

https://bookshop.org/a/10588/9781646034994

 

About C.H. Hooks

C.H. Hooks is the author of the novel Alligator Zoo-Park Magic (2019). His work has appeared in Los Angeles Review, American Short Fiction, Four Way Review, The Tampa Review, and The Bitter Southerner. He has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar and contributor at the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and attended the DISQUIET: Dzanc Books International Literary Program in Lisbon. When he’s not writing, he can often be found on the waters around St. Augustine, Florida, where he teaches at Flagler College.

📚 Connect with C.H. Hooks 🌐 Website: https://www.chhooks.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ch_hooks 🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ch_hooks 📖 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17556827.C_H_Hooks

🔑 Keywords: Can’t Shake the Dust, CH Hooks, Southern fiction, dirt track racing novel, Georgia red dirt, family legacy in literature, rural American stories, literary fiction author interview, Read Between the Lines podcast, Molly Southgate, coming-of-age novel, resilience in fiction, backroads Southern culture, racing redemption stories, southern grit in literature

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