Interview With Author McCracken Poston Jr
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first book, “Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom” (Citadel, Hardcover, February 2024), will be out in a few days.
I am a former state legislator-turned-criminal defense lawyer, but not intentionally. This book chronicles that transformation.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom”
From Amazon:
“Was this small-town TV repair man ‘a harmless eccentric or a bizarre killer’ (Atlanta Journal Constitution). For the first time, Alvin Ridley’s own defense attorney reveals the inside story of his case and trial in an extraordinary tale of friendship and an idealistic young attorney’s quest to clear his client’s name—and, in the process, rebuild his own life.
In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley’s house—and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had.
McCracken Poston had been a state representative before he lost his bid for U.S. Congress and returned to his law career. Alvin Ridley was a local character who once sold and serviced Zenith televisions. Though reclusive and an outsider, the “Zenith Man,” as Poston knew him, hardly seemed capable of murder.
Alvin was a difficult client, storing evidence in a cockroach-infested suitcase, unwilling to reveal key facts to his defender. Gradually, Poston pieced together the full story behind Virginia and Alvin’s curious marriage and her cause of death—which was completely overlooked by law enforcement. Calling on medical experts, testimony from Alvin himself, and a wealth of surprising evidence gleaned from Alvin’s junk-strewn house, Poston presented a groundbreaking defense that allowed Alvin to return to his peculiar lifestyle, a free man.
Years after his trial, Alvin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a revelation that sheds light on much of his lifelong personal battle—and shows how easily those who don’t fit societal norms can be castigated and misunderstood. Part true crime, part courtroom drama, and full of local color, Zenith Man is also the moving story of an unexpected friendship between two very different men that changed—and perhaps saved—the lives of both.”
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in an ever-increasing number of coffee shops. At least half a dozen different coffee shops were used in writing my first book.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a child, I learned most, if not all, of Robert Frost’s poems. I believe that is where I fell in love with words. I also read H.G. Wells, Zane Grey, and others.
As an adult, I like historic nonfiction.
What are you working on now?
I’m promoting my first book, which comes out this month!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have them all, but I’ve been surprisingly successful in meeting interested people on Reddit. There are many true crime groups there.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have another more seasoned mentor curate a list of agents for you. Also, be mindful of fraud (someone starting selling a “summary” of my book on Amazon. I tracked them down to Nigeria, and it was an AI-written rip-off.
What are you reading now?
“Stealing the General” by Russell S. Bonds, and “The Wager” by David Grann
What’s next for you as a writer?
My next book. I don’t know if it will even be nonfiction. Fiction seems attractive from my current perspective.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A survival book. A plant identification book. How to Build a Raft.
Author Websites and Profiles
McCracken Poston Jr Amazon Profile
McCracken Poston Jr’s Social Media Links
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