Author John Pritchard and his ‘Junior Ray’ to visit main library

HUNTSVILLE – Novelist John Pritchard will discuss his third book in the Junior Ray saga, “Sailing to Alluvium,” at the main branch of Huntsville-Madison County Public Library.

“Sailing to Alluvium” is John Pritchard’s third installment in the Junior Ray saga. (CONTRIBUTED)

Pritchard will visit on Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the main branch auditorium. Admission is free, and books will be available for purchase and signing.

“John Pritchard won literary acclaim with his bawdy, philosophical Southern lawman Junior Ray,” library communications director Anne Marie Martin said. “Barnes & Noble named Pritchard’s first book, ‘Junior Ray,’ as a Top Ten Sensational Debut Novel for 2005.”

The new novel continues the madcap adventures of Junior and his sidekick, Voyd Mudd, who have become “diktectives,” Martin said. The duo attempts to stop the murderous activities of a semi-secret, lethal organization of Southern women, the “Aunty Belles,” headed by Miss Attica Rummage.

Novelist John Pritchard will visit the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library on Dec. 2. (CONTRIBUTED)

Pritchard received praise particularly for dialogue for “Sailing to Alluvium” from Frank Bill, author of “Crimes in Southern Indiana & Donnybrook.” “Honed from the rough roads of dialect, the language within defines Pritchard as one of our great Southern writers,” Bill said.

“The man has an ear for the voice of his people, and he has twisted their words into a tough, raunchy, comic roller-coasting romp, corkscrewing us down the byways of a Delta that is more than likely not traveled by the average tourist, but should be,” Bill said.

For more information about Pritchard’s book signing, call Sophie Young at 256-532-2362.

The main branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library system is located at 915 Monroe St. in Huntsville. For more information, call 256-532-2361 or visit hmcpl.org.