ABOUT THE BOOK

DROUGHT - WINNER - Publishing Triangle Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction 2026

When Parnell, a recluse from Newark, New Jersey, inherits a dilapidated tobacco farm in Kentucky from his estranged Uncle Willy, he moves to the farm hoping to jump start his empty life. Such begins an odyssey igniting a dual narrative as Uncle Willy shares from the grave about his deep love for a man named Phil, and a violent curse born from hate and intolerance. In Kentucky, Parnell befriends Darl, who works at the Sonic, and John, an eccentric preacher who guides him to learn the twisted fate of his Uncle Willy. Parnell discovers there are more than tobacco leaves buried in the fields. As he unearths a long-hidden crime, to his surprise, he gains a new sense of self.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Alexander Hess is the author of nine novels, including Skyscraper, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, and The Butcher’s Sons, which was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2015. His latest novel Drought won the 2026 Publishing Triangle Ferro-Grumley Best LGBTQ+ Fiction Award. His writing has appeared in HuffPost, Genre Magazine, The Gay & Lesbian Review, Thema Literary Review, and elsewhere. Hess co-wrote "Tom in America," an award-winning short film, starring Sally Kirkland and Burt Young. He was an America’s Next Great Author finalist 2022. He teaches fiction writing at Gotham Writers Workshop and curates Hot Lit, an LGBTQ+ themed monthly newsletter. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Hess lives in New York City with his husband.