The Ballad of Cindy Black is a story about the relationship between a man “bound out” and his companion dog in a turpentine camp in Florida in the 1930s. LISTEN to a reading at the link above. This work was inspired by a story by Zora Neale Hurston based on her WPA interviews. I’m excited to say that I was joined in this dramatic reading by Helmar Augustus Cooper, my husband. He’s a veteran of Broadway, TV, and regional theater. I think he brought the tale to vibrant life. Accompanying the reading by Helmar and me is How Long, How Long Blues by Tampa Red, an example of the bottle-neck style of blues guitar.
The Ballad of Cindy Black is one of my Curiosity Tales, stories in which I explore the lives of canines and the intricacies of our historical relationships. Canines have been on this continent as long as humans have, well before the European Colonization. Native animals were replaced by and intermingled with the breeds brought by Europeans. Dogs have been an integral part of the system of slavery and oppression from its beginnings in the Americas through the Jim Crow Era and up to the present day. Curiosity Tales ponders the relationship and considers a unique canine perspective on American history. Over the next while, I’ll be posting my readings of these short stories. You can listen to previous readings and interviews with writers at Four O'Clock Flowers on SoundCloud.
For information about my novels, go to www.BreenaClarke.com
SHOUTOUT!!! to my subscribers. I’m delighted and surprised to see a new subscriber sign on. Your presence buoys my spirits.
Transporting experience!
fantastic !!! we listened twice xxssss