For the non-Southerner, a little botany and history lesson . . . . Kudzu is a vine that grows in the deep South. According to what my (Southern) pappy told me years ago, this plant was native to Japan but was introduced to the American South for erosion control. Like the introduction of many non-native species, introducing this one to the South was a big mistake. For one thing, it is an ugly plant (IMHO). And it tends to dominate and kill all of the other vegetation. On top of that, it grows extremely fast and, if someone wants to keep it under control, it takes constant vigilance. Nevertheless it has become a symbol of the deep South and some people in the deep South (ones that don't have to deal with it, I'm sure) have even developed a fondness for it.
Kudzu Gypsy: A Novella. By Kelly Yonce. Rated 4.6 stars, but from only 17 reviews, at Amazon at the present moment; rated 4.41, but from only 17 ratings at GoodReads. Print list price $5.38; digital list price $2.99; Kindle price now $0.00. Amazon Digital Services (self published). 106 pages.
https://www.amazon.com/Kudzu-Gypsy-N.../dp/B00JR8UCCM.
Book Description
With news of her daddy’s death, August Abney returns to her messy roots in Charleston, South Carolina. Despite melodramatic efforts to leave town, the past clings to her like kudzu. While tending to her daddy's estate, she discovers information that may bring closure to her family's tawdriest mystery. With no support from her whimsical mama or childhood sweetheart, she sparks her own investigation, during which her prying will lead to frenemies, a tree full of secrets, and quite possibly the loony bin…