RaveThe West Virginia Independent ObserverLike an old school country album by Billy Joe Shaver or Merle Haggard, Larry D. Thacker’s debut collection Working It Off in Labor County tells stories about small town life full of quirky characters, humor that can be folksy and innocent but also dark, and heartfelt tales of day-to-day struggle ... Kentuckian writer Larry D. Thacker straddles these different registers with ease, crafting the precise turns of phrase that depict an introspective moment or harkens to a front porch tall tale ... Working It Off in Labor County is a testament to Thacker’s solid storytelling in a lively mix that brings to mind the humor of George Singleton and the hardscrabble stories of Larry Brown.
Amy Jo Burns
PositiveBookPage... lyrical ... Through this kaleidoscopic approach, Burns gives each of her characters the opportunity to shine ... Burns is clearly no stranger to Appalachia. Her evocative, poetic prose contrasts with the gritty world of snake handlers, moonshiners and opioids. At times reminiscent of books by Bonnie Jo Campbell and Ron Rash, Shiner is a powerful novel of generations linked by trauma, and of the hope and resilience needed to break a cycle of misery.
