Sons of Barbee Collins, a Southern adventure novel written by local author William See, follows the life of Wyatt Mashburn as he discovers what makes him happy and what makes life worth living.
The book, originally published in September of 2017, was a passion project for See. He has always had a dream of being a published author and sharing his stories with the world.
“Even as a child, I would picture myself as a storyteller and enjoyed writing prose,” See said. “And there was a time in my life when I had the time to put these stories to paper, and I had a lot of encouragement from friends and family. So, it just came right out.”
See, who studied at MTSU, lives just outside Rutherford County and is a pediatric physician in Lewisburg, Tennessee. While practicing medicine is his profession, See also enjoys traditional country tunes and performs in the Glade City Rounders, an old-time string band that often plays in Murfreesboro. He sings and plays fiddle for the Rounders and is a guitar player, singer and principal writer for the Jackillacs, another local country band.
His bandmate, Josh Smith, in fact, provided illustrations for Sons of Barbee Collins.
Naturally, See’s first novel is greatly inspired by the sights and sounds of Southern culture.
“The character, Wyatt, mimics some of the adventures that I have encountered,” See said. “The stories and situations have been changed in some ways . . . I play Southern old-timey string band music, and that’s what took me on some of these adventures where I encountered some of these really interesting characters that you meet.”
William See
In the writing process, See continued to let Southern influences seep in.
“Sometimes the editors would say, ‘Well, this is really a vernacular kind of a word,’” See said. “And I said, ‘I think the readers will be okay with that.’ And it did come through, and so far it’s been well-received.”
The novel follows Wyatt throughout his life, explaining his very humble beginnings in a converted “bus-home” to his adventures of traveling through the American South. Wyatt is joined Maggie Fields, his girlfriend and kindred spirit, who accompanies him on a journey to find the true meaning of an old family heirloom. The book, as expected, artfully depicts cross-country trips across rolling Tennessee hills and Kentucky campgrounds. See clearly shows his fondness for these areas through the writing, allowing readers to be seamlessly transported to the environments that the characters find themselves in. See also enables characters such as Wyatt to be fully defined and three-dimensional throughout his journey. The author takes time in creating Wyatt’s world and experiences, and deftly uses these elements to demonstrate how they shape the man that he becomes.
Humor is another strong element found in the pages of the novel. The characters are often thrust into awkward and comical situations that can yield grins and chuckles from readers. Many of the characters play off one another in ways that employ a sort of genuine but biting sense of humor.
See said that books such as Don Quixote, which utilizes a similarly dry wit, influenced the novel’s style.
“When I read books, I enjoy the adventurous types: Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo, Tom Sawyer,” See said. “I like any books about people escaping to their own freedom.”
While these influences are greatly felt in See’s novel, he feels that his book carries its own unique style.
“I didn’t know if it would be well-received because I don’t know a lot of other people that are telling tales in that way,” See said. “We’ve had no negative feedback in any way. It’s been just a positive experience all around.”
Sons of Barbee Collins can be purchased now on amazon.com.
