''Branches'' is a novel-in-verse by American author

Mitch Cullin Mitch Cullin (born March 23, 1968) is an American writer. He is the author of seven novels, and one short story collection. He currently resides in Arcadia, California and Tokyo, Japan with his partner and frequent collaborator Peter I. Chang. Hi ...

, with illustrations by the Japanese artist Ryuzo Kikushima. It is the second installment of the writer's ''Texas Trilogy'' that also includes the coming-of-age football novel ''

Whompyjawed ''Whompyjawed'' is the debut novel by American author Mitch Cullin. It is the first installment of the writer's ''Texas Trilogy'' that also includes the dark novel-in-verse ''Branches'' and the surrealistic novel ''Tideland''. ''Whompyjawed'' ...

'' and the surrealistic novel ''

Tideland ''Tideland'' is the third published book by author Mitch Cullin, and is the third installment of the writer's ''Texas Trilogy'' that also includes the coming-of-age novel '' Whompyjawed'' and the novel-in- verse ''Branches''. The story is a f ...

''. In a 2000 interview with the ''

Austin Chronicle Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

'', Cullin stated that his first novel ''Whompyjawed'' was a more accurate reflection of

West Texas West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the desert climate, arid and semiarid climate, semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Texas, Wichita Falls, Abilene, Texa ...

while ''Branches'', he was quoted as saying, "is kind of, maybe to a fault, what other people who haven't really been there might think it's like."The Austin Chronicle (Nov. 10, 2000)
/ref> ''Branches'' was first published in March 2000 as a hardcover edition from

Permanent Press Permanent may refer to: Art and entertainment * ''Permanent'' (film), a 2017 American film * ''Permanent'' (Joy Division album) * "Permanent" (song), by David Cook *"Permanent", a song by Alex Lahey from ''The Answer Is Always Yes'', 2023 Other ...

Footnotes

2000 American novels Novels by Mitch Cullin Native American novels Novels set in Texas Verse novels Texas Trilogy Permanent Press (publisher) books {{US-novel-stub