Dixon Hearne writes the American South. He is the author of seven books of fiction and poetry. His work has been twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, as well as the PEN/Hemingway and PEN/Faulkner awards. From Tickfaw to Shongaloo was awarded Second Place in the 2014 Faulkner Novella Competition, judged by Moira Crone. His latest book is Plainspeak: New and Selected Poems. Other work appears in Oxford American, New Orleans Review, Tulane Review, Louisiana Literature, Potomac Review, Wisconsin Review, New Plains Review, Weber: The Contemporary West, and elsewhere. He has published five books of fiction, three anthologies, and innumerable short stories in magazines and journals. He is a frequent presenter at conferences and book events, including the 2009, 2015, and 2016 Louisiana Book Festivals. For details, please visit his official site and Wikipedia entry.

In this episode of Cover to Cover with . . ., Editor-in-Chief Jordan Blum speaks with Hearne about his love for the American South, his path toward crafting poetry and fiction gold, the creative dangers of extreme political correctness and sensitivity, and more.

– Dixon Hearne