The Velvet discussion

So, I know nothing about snakes, handling, religious aspects of them, and yet, I am finding VLCs depiction of the life and times of the boy, and his family, the snakes, the setting, all very believable. I think he brings an immense authority to this novel, and I don't question any of it.

Me too. I never catch myself trying to argue with the story, which speaks so highly of the VLC's skill in establishing such confidence with the language.

I never wondered during the reading whether this was how it actually went or not, then afterward thought, 'I wonder if he made some of this up or if it's actually like this?' And if he did make anything up, it's damn believable. Sort of like that quote, that excellent fiction makes something more real than if it actually happened.