Episode 183 with Eli Cranor, Master of Dialogue, Suspense, and Profundity, and Author of Edgar Award-Nominated Don’t Know Tough and its Followup, the Standout Ozark Dogs

Episode 183 Notes and Links to Eli Cranor’s Work

 

    On Episode 183 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Eli Cranor, and the two discuss, among other things, his childhood athletic and reading life, writers and writing that formed and informed his sensibilities, his views on genre fiction and mentors and anchor texts who helped him sharpen his abilities, and pertinent issues and themes like moral relativity, vengeance and redemption, poverty, and playing with tropes and archetypes. 

 

   Edgar-Award-winning author Eli Cranor lives and writes from the banks of Lake Dardanelle, a reservoir of the Arkansas River nestled in the heart of True Grit country. His critically acclaimed debut novel, Don't Know Tough, won the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and was named one of the "Best Books of the Year" by USA Today and one of the "Best Crime Novels" of 2022 by the New York Times. Eli also pens a weekly column, "Where I'm Writing From" for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and his craft column, "Shop Talk," appears monthly at CrimeReads. ​Eli's newest novel Ozark Dogs ​is now available wherever books are sold.

 

Buy Ozark Dogs

 

Eli Cranor's Website

 

USA Today Blurb for Ozark Dogs: “...5 new must-read books”

 

 

At about 1:50, Eli describes what it’s been like having two books out within a year, including his debut, and the tendency to want to compare the two experiences 

 

At about 4:15, Eli responds to Pete’s question about the relationship between athletics and reading; Eli relates a cool story about his dad’s enforcing a 20-pages-per-day rule

 

At about 6:30, Eli talks about the “classic works” and other books that influenced him, including Bradbury’s writing

 

At about 8:20, Pete and Eli fanboy about Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains” and Eli touts the greatness of “The Happiness Machine”

 

At about 10:15, Eli explains how he “cut [his] teeth on Southern writing” with Larry Brown, Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Jesmyn Ward, and others; he recounts how he got in touch with and mentored by Jack Butler and Johnny Wink

 

At about 13:20, Pete wonders how genre and regional distinction affect Eli’s work and mindset; Elmore Leonard is shouted out

 

At about 15:15, Eli talks about how crime writing allows for room to delve into social topics, and how his teaching in juvenile facilities has informed his writing

 

At about 16:35, Pete points to Ozark Dog’s Acknowledgments and ideas of moral relativity 

 

At about 19:50, Pete lays out the book’s exposition and the book’s motifs of “cameras always watching”

 

At about 21:00, Eli describes wanting to explore the lingering effects of murders in small towns as he describes the relationship between Jo and her grandfather, Jeremiah

 

At about 23:15, Pete and Eli discuss Jeremiah’s demons

 

At about 24:10, Pete gives background on Jo and Colt’s relationship and her homecoming disappointment 

 

At about 25:00, Eli reflects on Jeremiah’s sobriety and mindset

 

At about 27:10, Mona McNabb is characterized 

 

At about 28:40, The Ledfords are characterized, and Eli responds to Pete asking about creating “eccentric” characters 

 

At about 33:15, Pete wonders if Eli was “making a statement” with his depiction of some KKK members 

 

At about 37:20, the two discuss Belladonna, a mother from the book who bucks tropes and archetypes, which Eli expounds upon 

At about 39:25, Eli highlights Lacey as a favorite character, and Pete the book’s stirring plot

 

At about 40:30, Eli speaks to ideas of redemption and vengeance in the book, particularly with regard to Jeremiah

 

At about 43:30, the two reflect on symbolism of a rose in the book

 

At about 44:15: Eli explains meanings and significance of the book’s title; he shouts out Alex Taylor and The Name of the Nearest River collection and Alex’s important and interesting help in shaping the book and the title

 

At about 49:15, Eli outlines his Summer of 2024 Broiler book

 

At about 50:30, Eli discusses the real-life parallels between the book’s nuclear tower and the famous/infamous one that is close to his house

 

 

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  Please tune in for Episode 184 with Robert Ottone. Robert is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of The Triangle; author of the much-anticipated THE VILE THING WE CREATED, out as of April 18. We talked about Seinfeld, The Godfather, Part II, cream cheese, and many serious topics as well. It’s a can’t miss episode.

   The episode airs May 23.