A composite novel that explores the connections and disconnections of individuals working at a chocolate factory in a small southern town, Mars, Tennessee showcases the daily moments of employees – from temp workers to executive management – that define them as people. In the short story “Beyond Our Raising,” Lynn “Duke” Norris suffers material loss but gains emotional power, learning how to open up, finally speaking about the loss of a child. “Clean-Room” places the main character, Adrian Schope, in a situation where he must choose between disappointing his coworkers and jeopardizing his personal safety. The short story “Day Math Loves Drugs” finds the protagonist, Kenny Blanton, scheming to rise through the ranks of the Mars factory while ruminating on the nature of compromise and intimate partnerships. “Tombstone Piledriver” tells the story of a young boy, Jay Ray Schope, reconnecting with his older brother when their father plays a surprise prank before dinner. In the final story, “Mars Department Head Pool Party,” the main character, Gemma Webb, overcomes her personal anxiety and confronts her nemesis and work rival.
Creative writing, Composite Novel, Mars Factory, Masculinity, Multiple Perspectives, Regional Identity, Short Story Cycle
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