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Barry L. Hughes is a lifelong resident of the Texas Gulf Coast. After graduating from Texas Chiropractic College in 1983 he practiced in a small-town environment for 30 years.
Having authored clinical case studies, journal articles and over 20 screenplays since 1987 including the award winning "An Act of Random Violence", "The B&L Show" series was his first foray into novel writing, followed closely by "Conflict of Interest", a political thriller based on actual events. His influences include many of the greats of sci-fi and fantasy, but especially L. Frank Baum, Edgar Rice Burrough, J.R.R. Tolkein and most recently, J.K. Rowling.
His newest book, "The Quakies", published by Page Publishing, New York, New York, is a coming-of-age mystery with a bit of Native American and sci-fi twist.
"When I was a child I remember sitting outside on my Granny's front porch listening to stories of war from my father and cousins, of our family history from Granny and her siblings and sometimes of just things that happened in life. I was awestruck and wondered if I'd ever be able to do the same."
"Now, I write for the shear joy of it. I love creating new lives through my characters and watching and helping them mature and grow into three-dimensional people before my eyes. My hope is that my characters will attract and connect with those readers who love a good character-driven story, no matter the genre."
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Quakies is a young adult mystery/coming of age novel written by Barry L. Hughes. Jake Turner was 13 years old in the summer of 1988. His father had just been granted a divorce from his mother, who had deserted the two of them ten years before, and he had finally met the woman who was both his soulmate and the closest thing to a real mother Jake could remember. He had two best friends, Monty and Frijoles. They had been friends since grammar school and had been there during the good and the bad times for Jake. Their eighth-grade science teacher came up with an intriguing proposal for the beginning of their summer vacation. Mr. Maker worked with the American Botanical Society and was especially interested in large biomass organisms. The local stand of Quaking Aspens, affectionately known as the Quakies, would be the subject of a scientific study and paper to which Mr. Maker would be contributing. He needed several assistants to help him conduct his study. The project would entail camping near the stand for two weeks, but Jake's father was hesitant about allowing his son to participate. There were strange legends and superstitions regarding the Quakies, but Mr. Maker and the boys were committed to following the safeguards and recommendations. No one would enter the Quakies at night, and they would always work in pairs.
Barry L. Hughes' young adult mystery/coming of age tale, The Quakies, kept me spellbound as I followed Mr. Maker, Jake, and his friends on their research adventure. I loved the ghost stories Mr. Maker and Mr. Rios, Frijoles' father told around the campfire at night, and could feel the tension and suspense building as strange things begin and continue to plague the four of them as they try to conduct their research. The Quakies is tightly plotted and beautifully written, and it's a joy to read. While it's listed as a young adult offering, I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure or coming of age stories. The Native American legends and lore Hughes includes in his story are marvelous. The plot is compelling and suspenseful, and the characters are authentic and credible. The Quakies is most highly recommended.
