Moonshine—when not inspiring fist-fights and gunshots—can loosen a good story.
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, a jug of the notorious libation found its way from hand to hand on the stage of the Camel in Richmond, VA. Taking sips and swapping tales were Dean King, local bestselling author of The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story; Geoff Shandler, King’s editor from Little, Brown and Company in New York City, and Darrell Fetty, Hollywood producer of the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning mini-series, The Hatfields & McCoys. “Warring Words, Endless Possibilities: The Hatfields & McCoys from Bookstore to Reality TV” was the last Writing Show of James River Writers’ 2013 season, and it was indeed a show-stopper.
King described his years of original research, including documents and interviews with relatives of both families. He unearthed anecdotes that shed new light and brought vivid detail to the tangled saga. More