Nestled in the foothills of West Virginia, Ron Earl Phillips lives with his wife, a daughter, a German Shepherd, and one too many cats.
Over the year’s Shotgun Honey has been privileged to publish the works of new authors in the short form. Rob D. Smith has contributed to both our flash and short fiction offerings to much praise and enjoyment. We are thrilled to bring his debut novel GOOD-LOOKING UGLY to print. It’s a Southern, pulpy story with a lot of grit that explores people on the fringe and the bonds of family, good or bad.
Daniel Brown was born with the face only a mother could love and his mother couldn’t much stand to look at him either. This constant scrutiny of his looks brought out over-the-top physical acts of rage from Daniel bringing him into altercations with his family, school, and eventually the authorities. While attending court-ordered anger counseling sessions that are the only thing keeping him out of prison, his long-absent country cousin Jayla Durand meets him at his basement apartment in the city begging his favor.
She wants to rip off a cockfighting championship held at the Bluegrass Sportsman Club run by her ex-boyfriend Archie Mudd. She asks Daniel to harness his fury to help get her out from under the thumb of her abusive ex and the Kentucky Fried Mafia who run the club and all of the crooked law enforcement of Marion County. With a score close to a million dollars, she expects they could both upgrade their lives. Daniel agrees to his cousin’s half-ass caper so long as he returns in time to make his scheduled therapy session or face the judge for prison sentencing.
Jayla has held back some pertinent details involving the cockfighting heist such as their getaway driver Meg is her new girlfriend. His cousin’s biggest unrevealed reason is the real impetus causing her to risk the wrath of Bluegrass crime boss Johnny Mudd and his Kentucky Fried Mafia. Will Jayla’s secrets burn their heist plans down, will Daniel’s unchecked rage destroy that quicker, or are things about to get really ugly?
“Smith’s debut novel has the badass vibe of a Kentucky-fried ’70s action flick. With a gritty cast of characters, an anti-hero we can root for, and dialogue as sharp as a rooster’s spur, I hope Good-Looking Ugly is just the first in a long series of books by Rob Smith. In case of an emergency, break the glass, pull the lever—and better hope Good-Looking Ugly’s hero Daniel comes running!”
—C.W. Blackwell, author of Hard Mountain Clay
“Good-Looking Ugly goes down as smooth as a chilled Yoo-hoo and satiates better than the tastiest buttered biscuit. This deep-fried story explores themes of family bonds and division and finding one’s true self, told with meditative efficiency and all against the backdrop of a creative heist that could only take place in a Kentucky holler. The straightforward plot combined with gritty, complex characters will hook you on Good-Looking Ugly. Rob Smith delivers a great book filled with thrills, whip-smart dialogue, and above all else, tons of heart.”
—Curtis Ippolito, author of Burying the Newspaper Man
“Noted short story writer Rob D. Smith turns his tough-but-witty sensibilities to the novel in his debut, Good-Looking Ugly. This is a book that grabs you from the first sentence with its authentic, sharp voice and refuses to let go. A remarkable first effort from an immensely talented writer. Don’t sleep on this one.”
—Bobby Mathews, Anthony-nominated author of Magic City Blues
“Rob D. Smith’s raucous debut novel Good-Looking Ugly centers on an unforgettable protagonist in the fiercely loyal and fearsomely violent Daniel, who will stop at nothing to protect his family from the Kentucky Fried Mafia. Finger-lickin’ good!”
—Scott Von Doviak, author of Lowdown Road
“With an unforgettable protagonist at its core, Rob D. Smith’s smartly-crafted Good-Looking Ugly moves with the skill and efficiency of the cockfighting heist at its center. Smith’s expert balance of rural grit, sharp banter, and complex family relationships marks him as one to watch.”
—James D.F. Hannah, Shamus-winning author of Because the Night
“Good Looking-Ugly is a propulsive, insistent story, rich with wildly flawed characters. It follows a man pushed to the edge, fighting to save the only person he’s ever loved, and explores the complexities of family and loyalty with humor and empathy. A compelling debut.”
—Meagan Lucas, author of the Anthony nominated collection, Here in the Dark
Rob D. Smith is a common man attempting to write uncommon fiction in Louisville, KY. His work has appeared in Apex Magazine, Shotgun Honey, The Arcanist, Thriller Magazine, Rock and a Hard Place Magazine, Tough, Maelstroms, and several other crime, horror, and speculative magazines, anthologies, and online publications. Find his work at https://robdsmith.carrd.co/
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