Chapter One and Introduction

I am Harley Woods, pleased to introduce The Echo readers to the first chapter of my novel “Larita & Lyle.”

I was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Okla. A very important part of Okla. history lies with the Great Depression — and more specifically — the Dust Bowl. While most Warren Wilson College students may attribute the Dust Bowl to the parking lot behind Devries, I grew up understanding this as a historical event.

The height of the Dust Bowl occurred in the mid 1930s, where drought and poor methods of farming and harvesting created a loose layer of dirt and topsoil on the ground which was carried in massive dust storms that wrought tremendous havoc to the Great Plains region. This novel is a fictional glance at what life in the Dust Bowl may have been like, and more specifically is a fictional reimagination of an unconventional relationship between teen Larita and mid-20s outlaw Lyle.

On a more personal note, the subject matter of the novel has a close relationship to my own early teenage years. As a young teen, I had a large age-gap relationship that left me struggling to find independence and self-determination. I learned through this relationship is how dangerous codependence is, and why it is important not to rely solely on the companionship of one person. Additionally, what Larita and I both come to understand, is that promises do not stand the test of time.

The first chapter of the novel oscillates back and forth between Larita as a sixteen-year-old and Larita as an eleven-year-old when she first met Lyle. What I wish to convey to readers through this introduction chapter is dynamic and descriptive imagery, conveying the natural world in detail, establishing characterization, plot setup and other minor craft elements.

Important things to consider before reading are sensitive content surrounding death and sensitive content surrounding sex.

For those who would like to read this first installment, please use this link for access.