Offering an authentic view of Appalachia in 'Above the Waterfall'

Ron Rash's new book takes place deep in the North Carolina mountains, in Appalachia — a region that remains a mix of myth and stereotypes for many Americans.

Rash knows it well: He lives in those mountains, on a ridge where cell phone coverage and the Internet don't reach. In his novel, "Above the Waterfall," he offers an intimate glimpse into Appalachia's landscape and people.

"Above the Waterfall" follows a sheriff just weeks shy of retirement as he confronts the realities of his meth-ravaged hometown. Local scandals and pressing threats draw him to Becky, a park ranger still scarred by a school shooting in her youth.

Rash joined MPR News' Kerri Miller to discuss his new book, and how some people label him a "regional writer."

"I'm no more regional than anybody writing in New York," he said. But Midwestern and Southern authors can get labeled by the landscapes they write about.

"You don't get a lot of that overseas. When I was in France two week ago, I'm an American writer writing about America."