Oak

A smart, black comedy-drama (is satirical crime fiction a genre?), Oak focuses on the conflict between an uncompromising, strong-willed woman and an insensitive, avaricious and adulterous property developer bent on ‘dozing a third-generation family farm to build tract homes and a strip mall. An ancient and majestic oak tree stands in the way of the development and becomes the central point of a nefarious plot — complete with drama, mystery, and a little romantic interest thrown in for good measure. Contract killers accept the unusual job of “whacking” a tree to fulfill the developer’s goal. Oak is a raucous and frequently hilarious work of commercial fiction. While racing through the fields of Nebraska, the reader is encouraged to consider contemporary social issues including the dangers of unchecked development; loss of the family farm; and their perceptions of Middle America and the people who call it home.

Originally written as a screenplay, Oak was awarded semi-finalist status at the Land Locked Film Festival. It has since been re-crafted and developed into a full-length fiction manuscript.