Local author releases 9th book set in NC
May 3—LENOIR — Caldwell County author Blair Bryant has recently released his ninth work of self-published fiction, "A Second Chance," a comedy set in North Carolina.
Bryant was born and raised in Caldwell County and graduated from South Caldwell High School.
Currently, he is in charge of a scanning program called Docuware at the Department of Social Services (DSS) that converts all the county's paper files into a digital format.
Bryant has always enjoyed reading. Some of his favorite authors are Robert Newton Peck and John Steinbeck.
"I get inspiration from the people I read," said Bryant. "I started to think I wanted to try writing, too, and see what I can do."
Bryant self-published his first book, "Archie and the New River," in 2003. The story is set in Ashe County. He said he was inspired by stories his grandparents would tell him about growing up in a small village along the New River.
"They told great stories," said Bryant, "and I thought it would make a great book."
"Archie and the New River" tells the story of a young man growing up and getting into mischievous adventures in the 1930s. After his father dies, the young man must take over the responsibilities of being "the man of the house," especially when, two weeks later, his little sister is born.
"That's a true story," Bryant explained. "My grandmother was born two weeks after her father died."
All nine of Bryant's novels are set in North Carolina, with two of them set right here in Caldwell County: "A Spoon in My Pocket" and "Holling and Me," which takes place in Caldwell during World War II. He calls his stories "family fiction," as they are inspired by true stories passed down from his family in the area.
More from this section
Offbeat adventures: Travel to the coolest hidden wonders in every U.S. state
Web Searches for Abortion-Linked Terms Soared After Roe v. Wade Overturned
The most common undergraduate degrees awarded in every state
Right now, some of Bryant's novels can be purchased at local stores in the county. "Minnie Jean" is available at Hart's General Store and Creamery, located at 1651 Taylorsville Rd. SE, Lenoir. "Holling and Me" and his newest book, "A Second Chance," are available at Allie's Country Crafts, located at 603 Lower Creek Drive NE, Lenoir, beside Lower Creek Baptist Church.
In "A Second Chance," Tim and Pete are retired widowers in their 50s who move in together and begin engaging in silly antics and teenage pranks. Pete's high school crush, who he was always too shy to talk to, moves in next door, and the two begin a late blooming romance.
Bryant advises aspiring writers to read, read, read.
"Read the books you want to write," he said. "Keep writing. If you're writing fiction, the most important thing is to show, don't tell. When I write, I have a camera in my head, and I try to describe what I'm seeing in my camera."
He also said that self-publishing takes a lot of time, effort, and support. His wife of 30 years, Mary, is his top editor. They have two grown children together.
"She knows me, and she knows what I'm trying to do," said Bryant.
His strong support system also includes two local proofreaders who give him a lot of feedback, and someone who provides technical support when he needs it.
"It's good to have a support group," Bryant said. "It's hard to do it all on your own and impossible to proofread your own stuff. The more feedback you can get, the better."
For more information about Bryant and his novels, follow Blair Bryant Fiction Writer on Facebook.
