I was thrilled when I went to the mailbox today. My contributor's copy of Birmingham Arts Journal had arrived containing my personal essay, The Southern Way.
Birmingham Arts Journal is supported by the Alabama School of Fine Arts and other literary-minded organizations. And it is published without profit by passionate volunteers, which makes it even more special to me.
It is also available in its entirety online (click on "latest edition"). My essay is on page 37.
8 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS (I knew it!)
Congratulations!
You rock! You rock! You ROCK! YOU ROCK!!!!!
oh, and besides which, YOU ROCK!!!
Sweet! Beautiful essay. So true, thank you.
Congrats! I enjoyed your essay, and you presented a picture of the South I'm very familiar with too. I had one great-great-great uncle who was "eccentric" and lived in a cave on his vast acreage!
I heard true stories of ancestors from my grandparents to the point that I felt like I knew them personally. Later, as an adult, when others started becoming fanatic about genealogy research, I didn't quite understand it because I already "knew" all MY ancestors as real people.
Have you ever read Larry Brown's novels? He paints a portrait of the "mean redneck" folks in the South - but in a way you can feel compassion and understanding for their mindset. I highly recommend his novel, "Father and Son."
Just as I posted that last comment, I thought about another great southern writer who portrays violent rural folks in an understandable way. He also writes the most beautiful, lyrical prose I've ever read.
His novel, "The Long Home," is truly an excellent book. His name is William Gay.
Thanks, dear friends! (And a special thanks to you, C.S., for the book recommendations. I will definitely check them out!)
We need more front porches and storytellers. That was a wonderful essay!
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