Books with author Richard Morrison

Imagine for a minute; a ghostly theater, a historic gunfight, a lawless oil boom, and a cast of scoundrels. Now add thirty brothels, characters such as H. L. Hunt—who got his start in Downtown El Dorado—some racy women, and finally sprinkle it all with gobs of money as a roaring 1920s oil boom swept over this little community of 3500 and blossomed it to 40,000 in 18 months. You’ll find an “OK Corral” gunfight, mules drowning in muddy streets, and yes, most importantly, you’ll find an old 1920s theater surrounding by numerous other old buildings.—and they’re all filled with spirits! Is Downtown El Dorado, Arkansas the most haunted town in the country?

It’s 1944 and in the little village of Norphlet, Arkansas, Richard and John Clayton are making plans for a quiet summer of fun. However, north of their town is a German Prisoner of War Camp, and just when everyone thinks the War with Germany is about over, there is an escape from the camp and a rabid, Gestapo Colonel leads five former SS Soldiers on a mission of destruction. As the POWs race south to attack the South Arkansas oil refineries, they end up camping in Flat Creek Swamp, just a few miles south of Norphlet. After stumbling upon their camp, the boys plot a daring capture of the POWs. However, that wild summer had a lot more going on than just German POWs on the run. A crazy vision by the boy’s good friend, Ears, has everyone in town changing their name to “Jasper”. And while all of that is going on, Homer Ray’s, bullying causes the boys to try and stop the bullying for good with a trick to end all tricks. Yes, all the Norphlet characters are still part of this wild summer, as Big Six, Doc, Bubba, and Marshal Wing fit right into the story. As the summer of 1944 passes, the escapades of the two boys seem to run together as the boys try to balance the startling events in the little village, while plotting to capture the German POWs.

In his debut novel, Richard Mason takes us back to 1944 Arkansas through the eyes of Richard, a twelve-year-old with a dream. The dream seems simple enough-to buy a red scarf for Rosalie, the prettiest girl in school. However, simply buying a scarf doesn't usually include skunks, bobcats, robbers, and a cast of eccentric characters such as Wing, the one-armed constable who swings a mean blackjack, and Bubba, a big man who wields an even bigger frying pan.

As a young boy, Richard Mason lived the life of the paperboy, ‘Richard, in the novel. His interactions with the people in the small town of Norphlet, Arkansas, and the surrounding woods and swamps, form the basis of his seven-book Richard, the Paperboy series. It was a time of brown, sunburned feet and shirtless summers, when a boy’s only entertainment was his imagination. This book recounts the tale of The Mystery of the Canebrake.

A coming of age story is featured as the 10th novel in the Richard, the Norphlet Paperboy Series. Richard and John Clayton encounter unusual family problems and they decided to spend a few days with Uncle Swamp hoping that their family problems will work out while they are gone. However, rain and more rain floods the area and they are swept down the river on an epic flood. After days on the Ouachita, Black, Red, and finally the Mississippi they manage to swim ashore near New Orleans. Penniless, wearing only cutoff shorts they, they struggle to survive in the French Quarter. After a week of living in the Quarter by eating out of garbage cans and sleeping in a drainage culvert they are picked up and sent to a repressive Louisiana Reform School. The breakout and struggle to return home tests every fiber of the boys emotions. It's a true test of the boys resolve and determination to survive.