The book is set in Caralinda, Tennessee, in the fictional Bell County where Ray Taylor is sheriff and our Hero, Daniel Rivers is one of his deputies. Geographically, the county is located between Robertson and Sumner counties – although in reality those two counties are adjacent.

I have friends in the area, and I became fascinated with the lay of the land. Unlike some farming areas, the country here is not flat. Instead, it pitches and undulates like an endless green sea. In this photo, a tobacco barn sits in the valley of one of those waves, smoke seeping from every seam.

I knew I had to set a story here . . .

—————

Giving in, Daniel cleared his throat and turned back to Aunt Suke. “I have to take y’all to the station to take your statements. If Ray agrees, we’ll secure the house–” The radio on his belt interrupted them as Martha’s sharp drawl spat out words that made them all go pale.

“All units respond. Shots fired. I repeated, shots fired.” She rattled off the address, then added, “Get the lead out, folks. He’s got them penned down.”

April’s voice cracked, and Daniel sprang for the car, ordering her to stay with Aunt Suke. The two other officers guarding the house raced to their cruiser, ready to pull out behind him. Daniel slammed the car door, barely hearing April’s last words.

“That’s my house.”

This note arrived Christmas week, on a card from my first grade teacher. When I met with her during Thanksgiving, I hadn’t seen Mrs. Camp since 1964, when I left her class for the summer.

This woman – this teacher – had been vital in my becoming a writer. Her impact on me has lasted a lifetime, and involves such mundane things as the position of my hand when I write, as well as lifelong memories. It was Mrs. Camp who wisely shepherded a cluster of terrified six year olds through the assassination of John F. Kennedy so that we didn’t feel the chaos the rest of the world did.

When my mother, who recently moved into an assisted living facility, blithely announced that Mrs. Camp lived down the hall from her, I felt a grin cross God’s face. For I had already turned in the dedication to The Taking of Carly Bradford, which focuses on the teachers who have had the most influence on my life as a writer.

Mrs. Camp was first on the list.

If you’re a teacher, never doubt the potential you have for changing a life. If you’re a parent, pay attention to what your kids are saying about their teachers. Although we live in a time when stories about teachers taking advantage of students are so common they’ve become fodder for late night comics, these creatures are, thankfully, a tiny minority. Help your kids find the best teachers out there.

Good teachers are priceless.

When I saw Mrs. Camp at Christmas, she patted my arm and said, “I still can’t get Carly out of my mind.”

I’m glad, Mrs. Camp, I could return the favor, even if it did take 44 years.