New fiction by Daniel Woodrell

So,

Spencer and I recently rewatched Winter's Bone. It's not a perfect movie, but it's pretty fucking intense.

Daniel Woodrell

It's just not the type of movie you usually see. It's set in the Ozark Mountains, and the characters are impoverished, dangerous, trailer-dwelling meth addicts.

It's pretty bleak shit.

But out of that setting comes his amazing protagonist, Ree, played by Jennifer Lawrence.

She spends the movie looking for her meth dealer father, to make sure he shows up to court. He's probably dead, but if she can't find him the government is going to repossess their house.

Meanwhile, she's taking care of her younger siblings and her catatonic mother.

If you haven't seen this movie, go rent it. It was nominated for Best Picture last year at the Academy Awards.

I bought the book at Russell's a while ago, but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. (It's under a big pile, which includes Monkey Beach, A Visit From the Goon Squad, Irma Voth and Anticipated Results.)

But I've been curious for a while, and I was hyped to see that Daniel Woodrell wrote a short story for the new issue of Esquire. It's called "Twin Forks" and tells the story of Morrow, the owner of a small campground.

I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say there's a beautiful girl involved, and a pair of machete-wielding meth-heads. Woodrell has a great grasp of his style, and the prose is simple, too-the-point and haunting.

Check it out,

Also: You can read an old Esquire profile on Woodrell HERE.

Enjoy!

Will!!