Chris McGinley
Once These Hills
It’s 1898. Up on Black Boar Mountain in eastern Kentucky, life is quiet for the small settlement of farmers who work the land around their cabins. But when ten-year old Lydia King unearths an ancient, preserved body on the seep bog, a curse is let loose. At least that’s what some people believe.
The Writer’s Dossier 2/24/2025 – The Chris McGinley interview
DOSSIER: Having lived in the Lexington, Kentucky area for a few years, the Dossier Guy
knows it’s an inspirational special place for many reasons. How does living
there influence the ideas you come up with for your crime stories?
MCGINLEY: Lexington is an interesting place, not exactly a big city, but not a small town either. There are all types living here, urbanites, rural-types, and everything in between. What’s cool is the literary and arts community generally. Lotta people here know what I’m writing about and they tell me stories about their own lives, about their colorful relatives, and about life in ole Kaintuck generally. People are easy-going and you see such types in my fiction. There are rogues everywhere, though, and these are also the types who appear in my books. Mostly, it’s the Kentucky quotient that influences my creative work, not Lexington per se. The state has a rich history, one which fascinates me. For my historical thriller, Once These Hills, I conducted quite a bit of research into regional history, and in this respect, I was aided by the scholars and historians around Lexington—both professional and amateur.
The deal with Hazard, Kentucky
DOSSIER: I’ve never understood why Hazard, Kentucky isn’t in Hazard County. What other strange things about eastern Kentucky have you found in your research throughout the area?
MCGINLEY: The Duke Boys, remember are from Georgia, and “Hazzard” is spelled differently! (But I think the actor who played Boss Hogg once visited Hazard, KY.) The name was taken from the eastern Kentucky town, I believe. Of course, there is no Hazard (or Hazzard) County, KY. I think one of the strangest things about eastern Kentucky is that there exists an incredible amount of little-known scenic sites, places of intense beauty that rival some of America’s most famous state and federal parks. Many of them are visited way less than they should be. I don’t know if it’s “strange,” by definition, but one thing that might surprise people is the renaissance of certain downtown areas in the region. Take Hazard, for example. Like other small towns in eastern Kentucky, and across central Appalachia, the downtown is experiencing a sort of renewal: bookstores, coffee shops, local merchants, craft beer, and fantastic food. Finally, and this one that’s really important to me. Something people will find both strange and surprising is that eastern Kentucky (and again, Appalachia generally) is home to a TON of talented writers. In fact, regional writing has a long history here. It’s just that people don’t hear as much about the talents writing now . . . or earlier. That’s changing rapidly, however.
The university library
DOSSIER: Where and when do you like to write? Are you hanging out in the University of Kentucky quad, a random horse farm, Doughdaddy’s Doughnuts in Versailles, or wandering the bourbon trail?
MCGINLEY: Funny but yes, I sometimes write at the University library, partly because I’m a graduate alum, but also because that’s the place where I find the research that informs my writing. And those old Kentucky writers I mentioned above? The University library houses so many of those titles. So when I write in the library—close to my house—I feel a connection to those long-ago Kentucky writers about whom I think so highly. I also write on my back porch, often at night. (Doughdaddy’s is great, by the way, but my favorite is Frank’s!)
Characters based on research
DOSSIER: Your books and stories bring together tough characters in tough environments. Do you focus on developing character over environment, do you try to educate (since you’re a teacher) by revealing interesting facts about a particular area, or do you just wing it and see what happens?
MCGINLEY: Most of the characters I write nowadays are based on research in the past, on dynamics like the rise of the timber and coal industries in Kentucky, or on labor issues there. I read about certain types—say, business moguls, or labor “agitators,” or folks caught in between—and then flesh out my story from there. The natural environment is equally crucial, though. I feel that places like “the valley,” or “the knob” are characters as much the human characters.
New projects are coming!
DOSSIER: Do you have any breaking news or special announcement you’d like to disclose in your Dossier?
MCGINLEY: Well, thanks for having me. That’s really important. And I appreciate the hard work you do to support the industry, Jeff. I guess I should say that I’ve signed a couple contracts for two books forthcoming, and that I’m excited about both of them. Thanks for having me.
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