William Price Fox is a natural storyteller with a good ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for significant details. His sense of timing is flawless. Read "Southern Fried Plus Six" and "Moonshine Light, Moonshine Bright" and then try to think of an American humorist at work today who can match his talent. His world is Columbia, South Carolina. His characters are of the lower class: moonshiners, laborers, razor fighters, short order cooks, gamblers, poolroom loafers, hustlers, and the like. They are never portrayed bitterly. Rather, they are treated warmly and fondly.

"Ruby Red" is the story of a girl's search for success as a country and western singer in Columbia and, later in Nashville…. Ruby is sexy, unscrupulous, and not very talented. Along the way to Music City, U.S.A., Ruby hustles, compromises, and maneuvers to get in the spotlight….

At the heart of "Ruby Red...