Chickasaw Creek

"It's the blood of our actions that defines us, not just the blood in our veins."

In the first installment of the saga of Turner Douglas, journey through the heart of 1950s Alabama as Turner grapples with the shadows of his family's past and the weight of his father's legacy.

Navigating the turbulent years of adolescence and being bullied and ostracized due to his father's alcoholism, Turner finds solace in a motley crew of characters: his backwoods boxer named Rosie, an eccentric hobo, a wise circus sideshow performer, a sassy woman who runs a multiethnic foster home, and others. Navigating the turbulent years of adolescence and being bullied and ostracized due to his father's alcoholism, Turner finds solace in a motley crew of characters: his backwoods boxer named Rosie, an eccentric hobo, a wise circus sideshow performer, a sassy woman who runs a multiethnic foster home, and others.

Join Turner as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, love, forgiveness, and ultimately, redemption.

“Deeply-moving. Chickasaw Creek is both title and metaphor.A voyage through waters both calm and unpredictably violent; both clear and muddy.DeNobile’s white and black characters are richly textured; their lives, loves and losses are detailedas they try to hold on to that which is good while journeying toward a more just society.” —Ron Kuby, Criminal Defense and Civil Rights Lawyer

“Not always rosy, but full of heart. I felt a strong undercurrent of heartbreak and hope throughout the story. The theme of decent people trying to do their best in a hostile time is one that is evergreen.” —Matt Anderson, Director of Civic and Cultural Affairs, City of Mobile

“Vividly and historically accurate. Enriched with key facts and figures, and pop culture of the time. This difficult history will help contemporary readers understand and contextualize a complex period of American history just as it does for Turner. The level of historical information in this novel is a marvel!” —Chris Crowe, author of Mississippi Trial, 1955

“We lovers of history-based stories have our assumptions of what a particular time period and culture was like. DeNobile takes us to 1950s Southern United States during the Civil Rights Movement, which lends itself to all sorts of preconceived notions of what might unfold. But we haven’t yet met Turner and his troubled family, offering us a new understanding of life for a teenager struggling to come of age while attempting to do the right thing for those who are oppressed. A lesson about our country’s history that I found myself wanting to learn a second and third time.” —Jim Farfaglia, author of several books about Central New York history

“History should be told accurately and never be forgotten. DeNobile has written an exciting and realistic novel that recreates life as it was in the American South, depicting an unforgettable period in American history, with true-to-life relationships and situations. A must-read for readers of all ages.” —Vincent T. Dacquino, author of Patriot Hero of the Hudson Valley: The Life and Ride of Sybil Ludington and Hauntings of the Hudson River Valley: An Investigative Journey

“Historically layered and culturally significant. A walk through time and history with complex characterizations, dredging through social inequities of our past, helping to understand the depth of our present times.” —Richard Vitacco, East Bronx History Forum President and Educator of US History