Read more
"The tale of a stone-cold frontiersman blasting across his beloved Texas highways to retain his sense of daring and independence among friends, family, bookies and under-reported enemies. Beneath the Sands of Monahans introduces Archie Weesatche, a hardworking orphan who's recently sold his petroleum hotshot company, Keep On Truckin'. With money in his pocket and time on his hands, Archie launches a long-planned Tour of Texas with best friend Okinawa Watkins, gambling with a colorful cast of hand-picked boosters and bookies on high school and college football games. Enter Mexican heiress, Josefina Montemayor, who convinces her long-ago lover that Archie's the only man she trusts to raise the $650,000 she needs to release millions in unrecovered cartel cash. Set in a map's worth of Texas locations, this "quest" narrative explores cultural minefields, the precarious nature of oil booms and busts, and the tricky world of cash-money gambling during a legendary winning streak"--
About the author
Charles Alcorn has lived in and written about Texas his entire life. A former all-state linebacker, Alcorn founded Splendid Seed Tobacco Company, was a sportswriter, and worked as a packaged goods copywriter before receiving his Ph.D. in English Literature/Creative Writing (Fiction) from the University of Houston. Alcorn’s is the author of short story collection
Argument Against the Good-Looking Corpse (2011, Texas Review Press).
Beneath the Sands of Monahans is his debut novel. Alcorn currently lives in Edinburg on the US-Mexico border.
Summary
The tale of a stone-cold frontiersman blasting across his beloved Texas highways in an attempt to retain his sense of daring and independence among friends, family, bookies and under-reported enemies.
Beneath the Sands of Monahans introduces Archie Weesatche, a hard working orphan who’s recently sold his oil field hot shot company, Keep On Truckin’. With money in his pocket and time on his hands, Archie launches a long-planned Tour of Texas with best friend Okinawa Watkins, betting with a colorful cast of hand-picked boosters and bookies on high school and college football games.
Enter Mexican heiress Josefina Montemayor, who convinces her long-ago lover that Archie’s the only man she trusts to raise the $650,000 she needs to release millions in unrecovered cartel cash.
Set in a map’s worth of Texas locations, this quest narrative explores cultural minefields, the precarious nature of oilfield booms and busts, and the tricky world of cash money gambling during a legendary winning streak.
Foreword
- National review and feature outreach to print publications (Texas Monthly, NYTBR, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, Boston Globe) and online (NPR, Literary Hub, Buzzfeed, The Millions)
- Local coverage outreach to Texas Monthly, Dallas Morning News, KERA, D Magazine
- Bookseller mailings with emphasis on stores in Texas region
- Promotion at/events pitched for Texas Book Festival, Dallas Literary Festival
- Events: virtual and in-person events with Texas bookstores and venues
