A. Fletcher, in what part of Arkansas are your roots? Fayetteville, Arkansas. The northwest part of Arkansas. What was it like for you to grow up there in the Fifties and Sixties? It was great. I had four younger siblings. We had a lot of fun together, but in other ways, it was difficult in that my parents were heavy drinkers, so there were chaotic times, too. Also, the Sixties were a tumultuous time in Arkansas, race-wise.  We had two wonderful black maids who came and clean

Jo, you live in Boone, North Carolina, the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, the home of Appalachian State University. I’ve heard of...