Bird Dogs, Fly Rods, Venerable Characters, Loves Lost and Found

H.B.’s sporting trips and work travels have led him on many adventures, from Costa Rica to British Columbia, from Florida to Alaska. When circumstances led H.B. to retire to The Orchard, alone save for his trusted Springer Spaniel Jack, he balked at settling back into small-town life. H.B. did everything he could to avoid being at his hometown. If friends called for him to join a hunting expedition, he was ready. When work called with a new consulting job, even in a backwoods southern town, he was there. Anything to get out of The Orchard.

The Orchard is a story of bird dogs, fly-fishing adventures, venerable characters and loves lost and found. West’s unique writing style, sparse yet full of emotion, takes the reader on a slew of adventures as well as an emotional journey. We’re right there with him while driving through the colorful streets of Costa Rica, we feel the crisp cold of a day fly-fishing in Maryland, and we get an inside look at the trials of training a bird dog. But The Orchard is also a story of relationships and community. While he writes of doing all he can to escape The Orchard, the truth is that the place is as much a part of H.B. as his love for a day knee-deep in waders, a good gun dog, and a strong drink.

Sprinkled with just enough history to make you feel at home in The Orchard, H.B. takes the reader along on his own journey as he explores changing friendships and new relationships and falls in love again.

”This Book is Better Written Than “Hillbilly Elegy” – Mary Stojach, Maryland Writers Association, Critique Group Leader ”An amusing yet poignant romp through a man’s days and nights as he travels through life.” – Bob Cairns, author of The Comeback Kids, V&Me and Pen Men “Baseball’s Greatest Bullpen Stories Told by the Men Who Brought the Game Relief” “Good Whiskey, Shotguns, Loyal Dogs, Flyrods and Seegars. I’m Liking It A Lot.” – Roger Pinckney, Senior Editor, Sporting Classics Magazine