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Joe Henry has worked with horses all his life, while at the same time writing song lyrics for artists ranging from our own John Denver, Frank Sinatra and Olivia Newton-John to, more recently, Garth Brooks and Rascal Flatts.  This summer, Random House will publish his debut work of fiction, LIME CREEK (Random House Hardcover, On Sale June 14).  In this collection, Iowa Writers’ Workshop alumnus Henry follows the lives of the Davises, a twentieth-century ranch family. With each glimpse into the Davises lives, Henry explores the complex relationships between fathers and sons, between men and the land they work, and between a rancher and his animals.  Whether describing a courthouse wedding, the death of a horse, the intimate details of a young man’s first sexual encounter, or an animal versus man confrontation, Henry’s prose is deceptively simple but filled with deep emotion and power. Inspired by some of Henry’s personal experiences, and drawing from his knowledge of ranch and mountain life, LIME CREEK is a beautiful, imagist rendering of formative moments in the life of one family. In addition to being a fine work of fiction, the book will also feature beautiful line art evocative of the American West.  Library Journal recently gave it a starred review and said the stories are “told in heart-wrenchingly beautiful prose…unfolding in discrete and carefully observed chapters, we have the whole picture of these touching, hard-earned lives. Brief but brilliant…this remarkable work is highly recommended.”