Books by Richard Hood

When his well-to-do physician-father dies, James Thorwait discovers an old, back-room contract indicating that he is, in fact, an adopted child, whose parentage includes a mother named Allie Morelock, from far-back in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Having grown-up in the rarified atmosphere of the well-born of Roalton, Tennessee, Thorwait must now confront the fact of his birth-mother's Appalachian heritage-and he goes in search of her, and her meaning. Establishing contact with a small newspaper publisher in Glade, North Carolina, Thorwait begins the search for Allie Morelock, and finds himself immersed in intense family histories, tensions, and struggles, dating-back generations, and involving people named both Hampton and Morelock. Thorwait travels to Glade, and meets Sam-the newspaper man-and Sam's sister, Leela, both of whom set-out to help him in his search. As it turns out, Leela is married to a Morelock from the area, and James begins his exploration here. As he discovers more details about the Morelock family around Glade, Thorwait finds they have been involved, for generations, in moonshine, and, more recently, drug traffic, throughout the area, reaching back to Roalton, Tennessee, itself. The search for his mother necessarily involves him in an exploration of white liquor dealings in the mountains and "back home." Engaged in digging-up the past, Thorwait finds himself inexorably drawn into present-day passions, pent-up violence, and crime. His search compels him to confront the question of his own identity, the mystery of his birth-mother, and the tangled complexities of his mountain heritage. Praise for CAROLINA BLOOD: "Carolina Blood is a beautiful collection of powerful histories, nested together in one continuous story line covering generations of brutality, love, revenge, and redemption. The novel is a delectable suspense delivered in rich mountain settings inhabited by characters that reflect the entirety of human possibility, from the dastardly to the heroic and everything in between. Hood's knack for painting richly nuanced characters, weaving fine tapestries of intriguing plots, and dousing us with rich Appalachian history makes his storytelling not just compelling, but enriching and important, as well. From the first page the novel intoxicates no less than the moonshine that washes through the narrative." -Win Neagle, author of Smoke and Gravity and Full Count

A home brew revolution is underway. No longer the preserve of 70s throwbacks, a new wave of booze-makers are brewing, fermenting and infusing in their home kitchens, making an exciting array of alcoholic drinks.Brew it Yourself is a collection of more than 75 homegrown brewing recipes, sure to put a fizz back into this popular pastime by adding a modern twist to some old favourites and introducing whole new range of drinks to tantalise the taste buds. Combining two of their passions alcohol and gardening authors Richard Hood and Nick Moyle (the Two Thirsty Gardeners) take special care to explain the importance of the ingredients in each of their recipes whether grown in the garden, foraged in the wild or bought from their local supermarket. With drinks ranging from a classic elderflower sparkle to homemade absinthe, Richard and Nick bring the art of brewing back to earth. They'll tell you how to turn surplus fruit harvests into amazing wines and liqueurs; introduce you to the ancient arts of mead and cider making; guide you through some easy beer recipes, from hop packed IPAs to a striking Viking ale; use surprising ingredients such as lavender and nettles for some fun sparkling drinks; and take you on a world booze cruise that includes a Mexican pineapple tepache, Scandinavian mulled glogg and Finnish lemon sima. Brew it Yourself also debunks myths, celebrates experimentation and takes the fear out of the science of fermentation. It proves that creating your own tasty alcoholic drinks doesn't need to be complicated, doesn't need to be costly and, most importantly, can be a whole lot of fun.