Reavis Z. Wortham’s Red River mysteries have been favorably compared to extraordinary talents like Harper Lee and Elmore Leonard, but he says the most important thing for him is to tell a good story. With his books making Best Mass Market Paperback Awards two years running, Reavis is certainly doing that well.br /

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Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler, and on today’s Binge Reading Reavis talks about his passion for preserving stories of small-town mid-20th century Texas before that world is lost forever.br /

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We’ve got three copies of the latest Red River mystery, Laying Bones, to give away to three lucky readers. Enter the draw to win. Offer closes August 23.br /

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ENTER DRAW TO WIN REAVIS BOOKbr /

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And a reminder – for as little as a cup of coffee a month, you can get exclusive bonus Binge Reading content by becoming a supporter on Patreon. Find out more at Patreon.com/thejoysofbingereading.br /

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Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode:br /

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How Reavis combined a fulltime professional career with writingWhy 1960s Texas is so nostalgic for himRed River's key characters series based on real peopleHis list of big name authors he admiresThe new Tucker Snow series in the worksWhat he sees as the 'secret of his success'br /

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Where to find Reavis Z Wortham: br /

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Website: http://reaviszwortham.com/br /

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reavis-Z-Wortham-145640935453067/br /

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Twitter: @ReavisZWorthambr /

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4554817.Reavis_Z_Worthambr /

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=reavis+worthambr /

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What follows is a near as transcript of our conversation, not word for word but pretty close to it, with links to important mentions.br /

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But now, here’s Reavis.br /

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Introducing author Reavis Z. Worthambr /

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Jenny Wheeler: Hello there Reavis, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.br /

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Reavis Z Wortham: Thank you Jenny. It's pleasure to be with you guys. It is always a pleasure to talk to folks that have read some of my work, and to be able to discuss the location and the characters and the storylines that I spin for people.br /

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Author Reavis Z. Worthambr /

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Jenny Wheeler: The Red River series, which is the one we are focusing on mainly today, is popular fiction, but it's got a definite literary edge. You have been compared to some of the paramount writers of your nation – people like Harper Lee and Elmore Leonard. The critics rave, and yet it is popular fiction. That's quite a tricky double stool to sit on. How did you manage that, and what do you think about being compared with Harper Lee?br /

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Reavis Z Wortham: Oh, Lord. When I first saw that in print, I was stunned. I had no earthly idea that anything I could do would be compared to the quality of what Harper Lee produced back in those days. I never considered what I was doing literary fiction.br /

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I was just telling a story. I wanted to tell a story about the area where I grew up, north of Paris, Texas, up on the Red River, and about the people that raised me and the people I knew. I wrote about them the best way I knew how. br /

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Truthfully, I probably learned from reading Harper Lee. I probably learned from Elmore Leonard. I probably learned from James Lee Burke.br /

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Writers read, and I've been a voracious reader ever since I was in kindergarten, so I have absorbed a lot of fine writing. I think that had a lot to do with my style and w...