Pineville Trace
by Wes Blake
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Pub Date Sep 03 2024 | Archive Date Sep 03 2024
The University of Indianapolis | Etchings Press
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Description
A Novella-in-Flash from Etchings Press Book Prize Winner Wes Blake.
After being sentenced to a minimum-security prison in eastern Kentucky, former southern revival preacher and confidence man, Frank Russet, escapes. Taking only a cat named Buffalo and a desire to outrun his former life, he journeys to the fringes of society. As he struggles to survive, Frank confronts his past, seeking redemption amidst the wilderness.
A Note From the Publisher
Wes Blake’s fiction and essays have appeared in Louisiana Literature Journal, Blood & Bourbon, Book of Matches, Jelly Bucket, White Wall Review, and elsewhere. His novella, Pineville Trace, won the Etchings Press Book Prize and his novel, Antenna, was a semifinalist for the UNO Press Lab Prize. He holds an MFA from the Bluegrass Writers Studio. He lives in Kentucky.
Advance Praise
"A man escapes from prison only to find he can’t separate himself from his past. Pineville Trace is a story of a man on the run. Wes Blake renders the tale with great empathy and in language that’s so lyrical it practically lifts from the page. Blake is a writer to watch."
—Lee Martin, author of the Pulitzer Prize Finalist The Bright Forever
"Wes Blake’s Pineville Trace is a Pilgrim's Progress through an America of our shared past; at times ardent or breathless, it is a dream book in the form of a road novel, a vision quest about finding a house in the trees. Accompanied by a wise cat, Blake’s protagonist is on the lam after becoming a seeker. Together they persevere, drawing strength from Shawnee visions, other restless wanderers, and the call of a sanctuary up ahead. Pineville Trace is a story of a light in the window with reminiscences of darker water. Ghosts come down the mountain. Blake’s novel shines into the spirit and reveals the struggle of our living in such worldly and spiritual conditions."
—Matthew Haughton, author of Stand in the Stillness of Woods
"Pineville Trace examines what happens when loneliness becomes habitual. Frank, a once capricious and charismatic southern revival preacher, does what he does best when feeling caged: he leaves, walking away from a minimum-security prison in eastern Kentucky with the only friend he has left—a yard cat named Buffalo. A terse, poignant, and sometimes bitter look at a man’s journey to tether his interior world to a meaningful anchor in the physical one [...], Blake’s debut novel manages to expertly capture that feeling of standing in an empty motel hallway, moving away and toward something, depositing you inside your own private emotional purgatory, the in-between time when you are invisible to everyone except yourself."
—Tina Andry, author of ransom notes
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781955521345 |
| PRICE | $12.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 138 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Emily M, Reviewer
This was a quick read and I enjoyed it. The balance between the past and the present was nice to get a sense of the main characters thoughts. I really enjoyed Buffalo and their relationship. The stability she gave him. My only wish was that we saw some more interaction with others.
Kat ., Reviewer
A slice of life novella that was a quick read that I thoroughly devoured. I highly enjoyed the interactions between Buffalo and the main character. While the transition between the past and present was written very well and smoothly.
For fans of Stoner by John Williams, you will enjoy this book
blankpagepanic �, Reviewer
Not my usual kind of read but I enjoyed it, if that's even the right word. The first 20% were a bit confusing, I had to get used to the voice and story, but after that this was a pretty smooth, quick read. The relationship between Buffalo and Frank was my favorite part (I'm biased; I love cats).
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
hannah w, Reviewer
I always enjoy a good meandering tale of inner turmoil from a MC who has to rediscover their way. fans of silas house’s “Lark Ascending” will enjoy this story, though Pineville Trace’s is more of a metaphorical rather than literal apocalypse. an apocalypse of the soul, if you will.
this is a tale that is wholeheartedly more about the journey than any destination, or long term plot device for that matter.
but any literary character on a journey of self discovery — particularly later in life and after a significant series of life altering changes — will always call to me.
it’s poetic in nature, features a lot of actual nature, and if you love cats as a familiar (or buick lesabres, for that matter) then you will find something to endear you to this book.
J C, Reviewer
This was a great read, I felt the story was perfect as a novella and I loved getting to flip between the past and present. Buffalo was definitely one of my favourite characters. The travelling aspect of the story helped it from feeling stale and gave a sense of relatability to the character as he travelled. I fell in-love with the self discovery and poetic nature this book provided.
Words, Images, & Worlds (, Reviewer
This is a book of inner architecture and I really like the literary approach that Wes Blake takes. I also appreciate how much he accomplishes in the novella space — an intriguing travel through geography and through mind, and a recommended literary read.
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