Snake Walkers

by J. Everett Prewitt

Traumatized as a child after witnessing a hanging, Anthony Andrews, the first black reporter at the Arkansas Sun, seeks to solve the mysterious abandonment of a small town and the disappearance of fourteen white men.

Genres: Fiction

328 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

I graduated from Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and earned a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University. I am a Vietnam Veteran and former army officer.

Something About Ann, my latest novel, is a historical fiction novella with eleven short stories that follows a group of soldiers who faced traumatic experiences in Vietnam but remained close after returning to the States. Violence and turmoil continue to haunt the soldiers as they try to normalize their lives.

A Long Way Back tells the story of black soldiers thought to be killed in action who mysteriously reappear in Cu Chi, Vietnam. A curious war correspondent uncovers an illegal army mission gone awry.

So far, A Long Way Back has won the Independent Publisher’s of New England first place award, the Literary Classics Seal of Approval, was a finalist for the Montaigne Medal Award and was a DQ winner in the IBPA Ben Franklin Award contest.
My novel received the Bronze Award from the 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards, the Silver Award from Literary Classics and the Silver Award from the Military Writers Society of America.

I am also the author of the award winning Snake Walkers. My debut novel placed first for fiction in four different literary contests, won the bronze award for general fiction in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year competition, and was also honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

My literary inspiration comes from writers like Cheikh Anta Diop, Malidoma Somé, and Maryse Conde. I also like the futuristic novels of Octavia Butler and Tananarive Due. I grew up reading Robert Ludlum, John Le Carré, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Langston Hughes.

I enjoy reading, tennis, billiards, working out, traveling, cooking, and drinking a good wine. I am the father of Lia Martin of Los Angeles and Eric Prewitt of Las Vegas.

Reviews

[Loretta Jackson]

J. Everett Prewitt’s book is far different from the many other novels I’ve read on the subject. It offers a broad, well-rounded perspective concerning this time in American history. As a boy, the lead character, Anthony Andrews, witnesses the brutal hanging of a youth like himself, a crime he is helpless to prevent. This terrible experience changes his life. Because Anthony finds no mention of the murder in the news, he makes a decision to become a journalist, which throughout the book places him in ever-growing danger. The novel’s theme is made clear by the clever title. The work is skillfully written and added to my understanding of the Civil Rights Movement--a novel everyone should read.

[Cathy]

I really enjoyed this novel. It helped that most the story took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Anthony an educated Black American from a Middle Class family had his own theory on how to deal with racism, prejudice and the Klan in the early 60's in Arkansas. Unfortunately he would come to the realization that what he thought was a simple way to deal with it was not practical. Nor were the people he finally came to work with as a news reporter were who they said they were. I could easily see this book as a movie.

[Gary]

I just finished reading this novel “Snake Walkers.” I really enjoyed the book, and was surprised to find it was the authors first novel. Many times after the first few paragraphs I will tire of a book. With “Snake Walkers,” I was immediately drawn to the characters. I felt them to be genuine and real. I then became intrigued by the suspense, which turned to fascination with the “story.” In the end it was the “realization,” that tied the bow on it. Well done. Mr. Prewitt definitely has a talent for the story, and it would be a shame if he did not write more to share. Perhaps there is a story about his experiences in Viet Nam?

NOTE: I recently received communication from this author. He hopes a collection of short stories will be released by years end.

[Dionna Johnson]

The story is quite interesting, but it has very slow parts in it. I would finally get into the book, only to reach another slow part and put it down. It took me way too long to complete it. Overall, I think the book was ok.