Interview with Bob Smith and Sara Rhodes, authors of Iniquities of Gulch Fork

In the worn and tired town of Gulch Fork, Arkansas, certified nursing assistant Samantha Caminos heads to her patient Rob Dean's home and wonders how she can find common ground with the aloof, disabled Vietnam veteran who suffers from not only PTSD but also severe neuropathy caused by Agent Orange. As Samantha approaches the house, she has no idea that very soon their lives will take a new turn. Gulch Fork, a town once filled with Ozark tranquility, takes on an aura of evil when bizarre events begin to affect Rob and two other war-scarred veterans, Peter Ness and Ron Woods-Samantha's father. But when Samantha learns that two elderly couples without living relatives in the area have fallen prey to fraud and embezzlement by a man who claims to be a pastor, she sets out on a quest to piece together a complex mystery fueled by those hell-bent on taking advantage of citizens too fragile to defend themselves. In this compelling novel based on true events, three veterans seeking peace and serenity from PTSD fall victim to injustice, prompting a young health care worker to investigate the evil that has infiltrated their once peaceful Arkansas town. 

THE INTERVIEW

Do you have a daily writing routine?

Yes, we've heard over and over that successful writers have one thing in common and that is strictly keeping with a daily writing routine.

Where do you do most of your writing?

At the computer in the den.

Where did you grow up? Can you tell us a little about it?

Bob - I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma, started working at a corner drugstore when I was ten and worked seven days a week until I graduated from high school. This kept me out of trouble I suppose. No, I'm positive, because I didn't have time to get in trouble. Consequently, when I started college it was much easier to spend all my time studying.

Sara - I lived in Alaska most of my young life, moved to Arkansas when I was almost 14 years old. Alaska was the most beautiful place I've lived. The summers were short, but very pleasant. We fished and camped all summer.

What is your motto in life/writing?

Bob - If it feels good, do it. If it sounds good, write it.

Sara - Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?

What inspired you to write your book?

Bob - Writing this book kept me from giving in to my deep-seated rage and resentment.

Sara - A quest to understand my childhood and my father's PTSD.

Bob Smith is a naval officer who had Agent Orange spilled on him in Vietnam and suffers from severe PTSD in addition to disabling neuropathy. After living in Spain, he returned to America and settled in the Ozarks, where he is happily pursuing his dream of writing. Sara Rhodes is a wife, mother, and certified nursing assistant who originally lived in Alaska before moving to the Ozarks with her family. Bob is her former patient whose teachings about PTSD helped her recognize her own father's battle with it. Both Bob and Sara find animals to be a great source of comfort.