"THEY ALL FALL THE SAME":

Wesley Browne began writing his first novel while studying law at the University of Kentucky.

It took him years to complete the project.

Ultimately, it was never published.

"So, I wrote another one," Browne said. "And then I wrote another. I tried to get an agent both times. But nothing ever happened."

In 2014, Browne began work on another novel.

Six years later, his dream of becoming a published author finally turned into a reality.

The timing, however, couldn't have been more unfortunate.

"I had been writing books since my early 20s and it took me until I was 46 years-old to get one published - and it come out just in time for an international pandemic," Browne said.

"Hillbilly Hustle" was released on March 1, 2020.

And as COVID-19 swept across the planet, Browne not only had to face the fear and uncertainly brought on by the virus - and how it would affect his family and business interests - but he also had to deal with the disappointment of not being able to promote his book.

"It was a really bad time," Browne said. "I was sitting around the house feeling bad."

So, the lawyer/restaurateur/entrepreneur started writing again.

He found inspiration, interestingly, in a character who had played a very minor role in "Hillbilly Hustle," - Burl Spoon.

"He is a drug kingpin from Jackson County," Browne said. "He is kind of on top of the world. He has his thumb on everyone - except for his immediate family, who he has no control over."

The backwoods gangster's descent into a deadly cycle of revenge is the storyline behind Browne's latest novel, "They All Fall The Same," which was released earlier this month through Crooked Lane Books.

It is currently accessible at all major online retailers - including Barnes & Noble, Kindle, Audible, Google Play and Apple Books.

Hardcover copies are also available at local bookstores.

"It's been called the Hatfield and McCoys meets the Sopranos - and if anyone is Tony Soprano, it's Burl," Browne said.

"They All Fall The Same" may be inspired - to a certain degree - by that world-famous Bluegrass family feud, but the story is a modern, fresh and painfully honest glance into the darker side of Appalachia.

"I intentionally deal with some of the real-life issues of people in Eastern Kentucky in this book," Browne said.

That grittiness and authenticity is compelling - according to critics.

“Browne draws on his experience with the Appalachian criminal justice system to infuse the narrative with striking details," said a review in Publishers Weekly. "Exciting action and strong emotional pull. Fans of Eli Cranor will devour this.”

Browne took the unique approach to write the novel in "real time," incorporating things going on around him in 2020 and 2021. That, however, meant having to deal with some uncomfortable issues - including the pandemic, protests and social unrest.

"Everyone who reviewed the book, listed that as a positive. They like the setting," Browne said. "I've had no negative feedback about that."

"Hillbilly Hustle" was published through West Virginia University Press, but Browne was determined to finally find a literary agent who could help him get his novel available to a much bigger audience.

He signed with Alice Speilburg, who liked the story, but not the original title - "Spoon."

"She asked me if I had a better name. She didn't think it was very marketable," Browne said. "She was very happy I already had another name in my pocket."

"Hillbilly Hustle" was marketed with a new beer - of the same name - created by Country Boy Brewing. Despite the pandemic, the lager was a big success and is still being produced by the company and distributed all across the region.

"They All Fall The Same" will have a companion beer in conjunction with Blue Stallion Brewing.

"When I was about done with the book, I really wasn't sure which beer made sense," Browne said. "I craving a pineapple IPA. So, I put a pineapple medallion on Spoon's door - which is a sign of hospitality - as an excuse do to a pineapple beer."

The author has been promoting the publication around the state, highlighted by a conversation with Silas House - the current Kentucky Poet Laureate - earlier this month in Louisville.

Browne will have an "In Conversation" event on Thursday at Apollo Pizza in Richmond, which will feature novelist Robert Gipe.

"There's still rungs on the literary ladder that I would like to climb," Browne said. "It really depends on how the book does whether or not I am able to do that."