LOVE AND HOT CHICKEN

An uproarious and understated story of family, friendship, and romance set in the neon-lit haze of a Southern chicken shack.

When PJ Spoon’s father dies unexpectedly, she leaves her Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt University to return to her tiny hometown of Pennywhistle, the “pesky pebble wedged into the shoe of Tennessee.” Unable to afford (or unwilling to buy) an urn, she and her mother stow his ashes in a Mr. Potato Head, toting him to important events. Unmoored by grief, PJ stays in town, abandoning her studies for a job as a cook at a hot chicken franchise, the Chickie Shak. When the owner shows up and informs the employees that the company is throwing a beauty pageant and participation is mandatory, PJ has no choice but to compete. Plus, the $1 million prize money and promise of free Chickie Shak for life could convince even the most unwilling participant to take a shot at this “boot scootin’ opportunity.” With the help of her determined mother, her best friend Lee Ray, and a Kirstie Alley Sparkle ’n’ Shine 3,000 rhinestone gun, PJ is ready for the spotlight. However, all the change inspired by the contest and the arrival of a new co-worker pushes PJ to grapple with life after her father’s death. Would he even recognize her as a “Hot Chicken contestant shimmying into a bathing suit and rubbing Vaseline on [her] thighs”? A mystery, a romance, and a whole lot of fried food help PJ find her footing in a world without her daddy. By turns hilarious, sad, and introspective, this cross between Steel Magnolias and Gilmore Girls will appeal to anyone who has searched for answers about life and how to live it in a plate of fried chicken.

A clever, heartfelt meditation on grief.