tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38666108431685400892024-03-13T10:44:22.783-07:00Tea Cakes and WhiskeyA blog of Southern writing and living.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-22300678786753297382013-08-19T12:14:00.001-07:002013-08-19T12:14:43.209-07:00I Miss You!!!!I have missed those of you who follow me here on Blogger since I have moved my blog to my new Website at www.teacakesandwhiskey.com.<br />
<br />
Please follow me to the new site so we can keep up with each other. You can read my latest blogs:<br />
<br />
The Isley Brothers Revisted<br />
Hugh Laurie Takes on the Blues<br />
Letting My Hair Down with Gregg Allman<br />
What Jason Isbell Can Teach You about Writing<br />
Mississippi's Best Kept Secret - The Jason Turner Band<br />
Strange Days - Life in the Days of Social Media<br />
<br />
These are just a few of my offerings.<br />
<br />
So please take a look at the new site. I hope to see you there!<br />
<br />
KatAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-47110187977316695132013-05-01T08:47:00.000-07:002013-05-01T08:49:56.423-07:00Follow My New Blog on Word PressHello Followers,<br />
Please hop on over to <a href="http://www.teacakesandwhiskey.com/">www.teacakesandwhiskey.com</a> to find my new blog and website. Follow me there to find out what is happening with <i>Flamingo Funeral & Tales from the Land of Tea Cakes and Whiskey</i>, read my blog, check out interviews and book signings.<br />
<br />
Hope to see you there!<br />
<br />
Kat<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-6798451815827827322013-03-17T17:32:00.001-07:002013-03-17T17:34:22.089-07:00What Makes a Southern Writer Southern?For those of you who have not yet followed me over to my new website on Word Press, please follow me now to read my latest blogs.<br />
<br />
This week's offering: What Makes a Southern Writer Southern? is at <a href="http://www.teacakesandwhiskey.com/">www.teacakesandwhiskey.com</a><br />
You can continue to follow me there! Hope you will join me at the new site!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-90581599388344863282013-02-24T10:04:00.002-08:002013-02-24T10:04:27.580-08:00www.teacakesandwhiskey.com<br />
If you have found me here, welcome!<br />
<br />
Please follow me to www.teacakesandwhiskey.com to read and subscribe to my new blog and website at wordpress!!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-20102229726764628322013-01-20T12:06:00.000-08:002013-01-20T12:06:52.344-08:00Dear FollowersLetter to My Followers:<br />
<br />
Dear Followers,<br />
<br />
I have finally gotten my new website/blog up and running!!! It is my sincere wish that you will find it<br />
in your hearts to follow me to <a href="http://www.teacakesandwhiskey.com/">www.teacakesandwhiskey.com</a>.<br />
<br />
I will be increasing my posts this year as I embark on the exciting journey of book signings and (fingers crossed) small book tours. <br />
<br />
On March 5th I will be having my very first television interview promoting<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kat+kennedy+flamingo+funeral" target="_blank"> <em><strong>Flamingo Funeral & Tales from the Land of Tea Cakes and Whiskey</strong></em></a> which I will post on the new site.<br />
<br />
For those of you who read my last post about Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, I am planning on documenting my trip to the Mississippi Delta in June and our first meeting. (Assuming, of course, he likes the book!)<br />
<br />
So dear readers, I invite you to come on along for the ride. I may not always take the direct route to my destination, but I've never taken a trip that wasn't fun along the way.<br />
<br />
Which reminds me of a story:<br />
<br />
When my son was fourteen, we had just moved to a new town and I had to take him to Montgomery, AL for something that escapes me now. There were several routes to get to I65 from where we lived. So as we were preparing to leave, I told Travis I had found a new route that would cut a good ten minutes off our trip. <br />
<br />
Travis immediately responded, "I don't know, Mom. Maybe we should just go the way we know."<br />
<br />
"Don't be silly," I replied. "It'll be fun! Think of it as an adventure."<br />
<br />
Travis doubtfully shook his head. "Going to the store with you is an adventure. This will probably be more like an epic journey."<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not promising anything so spectacular as an epic journey, dear readers, but I hope you'll come along for the ride. I may not always take the direct route to my destination, but I don't recall ever taking a trip that wasn't fun along the way.<br />
<br />
And Travis, now with children of his own, still loves to go for those journeys. Today he says, "Whenever I go on a trip with Mama, I always come back with a story."<br />
<br />
And that is what life is all about -- the story!<br />
<br />
Thanks for following ....... Kat<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.teacakesandwhiskey.com/">www.teacakesandwhiskey.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-75734606821886499932013-01-17T12:10:00.004-08:002013-01-17T12:10:47.447-08:00A Conversation with Jimmy "Duck" Holmes<br />
There are some days we just look back and say, "Dang! That was a great day!"<br />
<br />
Yesterday was that kind of day for me.<br />
<br />
Here's how it went. I have one New Year's Resolution - get organized (which will, of course solve all my problems.) I have dedicated my morning hours to promoting<em> Flamingo Funeral & Tales from the Land of Tea Cakes and Whiskey. </em>I was researching the Mississippi Blues Trail as it is a great dream of mine to possibly set up a small book tour along the trail as blues music is an integral part of many of my stories<br />
<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.arts.state.ms.us/folklife/artist.php?dirname=holmes_jimmy" href="http://www.arts.state.ms.us/folklife/artist.php?dirname=holmes_jimmy" target="_blank">Jimmy "Duck" Holmes</a> is considered by some to be the last of the great blues musicians to play in the Bentonia style of blues. I listened to his music to set the stage of the bar scene in which Mr. Holmes is a character in my novella, <em>Flamingo Funeral. </em> I thought if I could find an address for his fan club, perhaps I would send a copy of the work with the hope he would learn he had a fan who had included him in a book.<br />
<br />
The website for the Blue Front Cafe is modest, as is the Blue Front Cafe. It's history, however, is fascinating and detailed on the <a data-mce-href="http://www.msbluestrail.org/" href="http://www.msbluestrail.org/" target="_blank">Mississippi Blues Trail</a> website.<br />
<br />
I dialed the number and told the man on the other end I was an Alabama writer trying to find some information on Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, to which he replied, "Yeah, this is Jimmy "Duck"!<br />
Ok. There are (everyone can tell you this) very few times in life when I am rendered silent. But for a moment, just a moment, there was dead air on the line.<br />
<br />
What followed was a twenty minute conversation - I'm going to say <em>not</em> one-sided - about his music, old blues music, growing up in the South, when he last played in Alabama, the Bentonia Blues Festival, I think the fact that Gregg Allman covered Skip James on his last CD, how cold the weather is and yes, about the fact that I have a new book out and you Mr. Holmes are a character in it.<br />
<br />
He asked me about the book and I told him a little about the bar scene in which he is playing. He seemed to get a kick out of my having him play the Skip James' song,<em> Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues, </em>in the story.<br />
<br />
As I write this, there is a copy of <em>Flamingo Funeral</em> off to Mississippi and I am planning a trip to the Bentonia Blues Festival the third week in June to meet Jimmy "Duck" Holmes.<br />
And if I'm lucky, maybe he will sing a little <em>Hard Time Killin' Floor</em> & <em>Devil Got My Woman.</em> And if I'm real lucky, just maybe he'll take a pic with me and the book.<br />
<br />
Now, that is what I call a damn good day!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-71683344007644006622013-01-09T11:51:00.002-08:002013-01-09T12:08:24.881-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nRvdxTqP-kh5CaFZEHZ6hi8cB2qgpAYWUZKrezwejH7ru-DOkT1Wb73H6t8UcyQ8ElLs_GH0UAzfCe5u4fsxbrpvj6ozj2F1U7eedE4eDi1qOSgJhV682bubIrBtG5STAijqPmYb2P-e/s1600/liebsteraward.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter" data-mce-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nRvdxTqP-kh5CaFZEHZ6hi8cB2qgpAYWUZKrezwejH7ru-DOkT1Wb73H6t8UcyQ8ElLs_GH0UAzfCe5u4fsxbrpvj6ozj2F1U7eedE4eDi1qOSgJhV682bubIrBtG5STAijqPmYb2P-e/s200/liebsteraward.png" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nRvdxTqP-kh5CaFZEHZ6hi8cB2qgpAYWUZKrezwejH7ru-DOkT1Wb73H6t8UcyQ8ElLs_GH0UAzfCe5u4fsxbrpvj6ozj2F1U7eedE4eDi1qOSgJhV682bubIrBtG5STAijqPmYb2P-e/s200/liebsteraward.png" height="199" width="200" /></a></div>
<h4>
I've been nominated!!!!! This is a great idea to venture out and discover new blogs and bloggers. Thanks to friend and fellow writer <a href="http://carlpurdon.blogspot.com/">Carl Purdon</a> for the nomination. This is how it works: A blogger is nominated and he/she</h4>
<ul>
<li><h4>
Posts 11 random facts about themselves and answers the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated them</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
Passes the award on to 11 other blogs (while making sure to notify the blogger that nominated them!)</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
Writes 11 NEW questions directed towards THEIR nominees.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
Is not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated them!</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
Pastes the award picture into their blog.</h4>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>
So here goes. Eleven random facts about me:</h4>
<ol>
<li><h4>
I spent a summer in the seventies (late seventies -- okay, mid-seventies) hiking up the coast of California.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I once helped deliver a baby at home.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I am a BIG Bob Dylan fan.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I lived in Flagstaff, AZ for five years.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I am obsessed with Sons of Anarchy. (Opie, I miss you!) But hey, the new season of Justified began last night! Thank you, F/X.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
For my birthday this year I took my son to see Drake White, Kenny Wayne Shephard, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
A few months before the concert above, I took my granddaughter to see Swan Lake.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I once lived in an old church that still had the steeple on it.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I am extremely clumsy.</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I cannot parallel park. (See above.)</h4>
</li>
<li><h4>
I once had to go to court because a crazy woman (not me) accused my roommate's dog of stealing her chicken. The police searched my house for the chicken, but found no evidence. Why did I end up in court? My roommate's dog, Mac, was in the yard when they arrived, so they got him on a leash law violation. I had to sign for him right then or let them call animal control. Because I signed for the dog, I had to show up in court as the "owner." Mac was cleared of all chicken related charges, but I had to pay the leash law violation fees. We celebrated with a trip to KFC and the pet store for a toy chicken. I spent the rest of the day teaching Mac to retrieve the toy chicken whenever I said, "Winner, winner. Chicken dinner."</h4>
</li>
</ol>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Now, here are Carl's questions:</h4>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
1) Before now, had you ever heard of the Leibster Award?</h4>
<h4>
No, I never had.</h4>
<h4>
2) Before now, had you ever heard of me?</h4>
<h4>
Yes, I have heard of you. I am a big fan. Love The Night Train.</h4>
<h4>
3) How long have you been blogging?</h4>
<h4>
For under a year.</h4>
<h4>
4) What is the primary purpose of your blog?</h4>
<h4>
I began mainly because I had decided to get serious about writing.</h4>
<h4>
5) Where do your blogging ideas come from?</h4>
<h4>
From different areas of life. I wrote one about my trip to New York. One I wrote when I had left my computer charger at my son's house after a visit and had spent the time waiting for its replacement watching garbage on TV. It was my first introduction to the world of Honey Boo Boo. Oh my.</h4>
<h4>
6) Do you blog according to a schedule or is it more random?</h4>
<h4>
Too random. My only New Year's resolution is to get on a schedule.</h4>
<h4>
7) If you have a day job, what is it? If not, just say something interesting.</h4>
<h4>
I am fortunate that writing is the only job I have. So if any of you hear that me whining, you are allowed to cuss me. in fact, you should cuss me.</h4>
<h4>
8) Which search engine is set as default on your browser?</h4>
<h4>
That would be Google.</h4>
<h4>
9) Did you have to check your browser before answering #8?</h4>
<h4>
Of course, I did Carl.</h4>
<h4>
10) What is the title of the last book you read?</h4>
<h4>
Almost finished with <em>Auraria</em> by Tim Westover who does a wonderful supernatural story about this Appalachian town in north Georgia. He handles the setting and dialect beautifully even with English as his second language. A good read.</h4>
<h4>
11) Have you ever met a famous person?</h4>
<h4>
I have a great story about Amarillo Slim the great poker player and over-all gambler in Vegas. He was out there for a tournament in 2010 and my husband and I were taking a break from walking around in the Belagio when we spotted him sitting at a table with one gentleman. I really wanted to introduce myself and ask him a few questions because he had written in his book, Amarillo Slim in a World of Fat People, about my distant relative. Chill Wills, the western movie character actor whom I had never met, but who sounded like a real scoundrel from all the stories that had been told at different ancestor reunions by the faction who was into the geneology bit.</h4>
<h4>
So when it looked like a lull in the conversation between Amarillo and his friend, I went up to their table and said, "Mr. Slim, my name is Kat Kennedy. my mother was a Wills and I was wondering if you might remember Chill Wills."</h4>
<h4>
Slim looked up at me, tipped the hat of his tan cowboy hat with the skinned rattlesnake serving as a hat band, its head facing me, mouth wide-opened, fangs intact and menacing, "That damned Chill Wills, yeah I remember him. He caused me to get dang near knocked offen an escalator in Hollywood (Florida) one time! Pull you on up a chair little lady. Chill Wills, now that's a name I aint heard in awhile. He was always a-getting me in trouble."</h4>
<h4>
And so my husband and I spend the next couple of hours with the notoriously famous Amarillo Slim as he regaled us with stories of the escapades of these two very talented and adventurous men. There came a point when Amarillo, now into his nineties, said, "Miss, do you have any aspirin in your purse? I fell the other day and could sure use a Tylenol or aspirin." I did not, but walked all over the Belagio until I found some. I paid $4.29 for four Tylenol.</h4>
<h4>
On the way back to our hotel Randy and I were talking about how great it was to have met Amarillo and gather the stories when I stopped in mid-sentence, the cold, hard realization dawning on me. I, just as so many before me, had been taken by the greatest of all. Amarillo Slim. The multi-millionaire had beat me out of $4.29 for a pack of Tylenol! But this time Mr. Slim, the sucker at the table came out ahead. I wouldn't trade the hour I spent talking with you for a million bucks.</h4>
<h4>
Amarillo Slim died last summer. I will always treasure that night as one of my favorites with a wonderful man who knew how to tell a story and make a buck.</h4>
<h4>
Now -- my questions.</h4>
<h4>
1. What was your favorite discovery from last year?</h4>
<h4>
2. Did you make any New Year's Resolutions?</h4>
<h4>
3. Have you broken any New Year's Resolutions?</h4>
<h4>
4. What would be your dream vacation?</h4>
<h4>
5. What is your favorite SNL skit, past or present (or both)?</h4>
<h4>
6. Do you have a favorite cult classic movie?</h4>
<h4>
7. Downton Abbey, Yes or No?</h4>
<h4>
8. Where do you write?</h4>
<h4>
9. When do you write?</h4>
<h4>
10. What is your guilty pleasure?</h4>
<h4>
11. What is the best advice you were ever given?</h4>
<br />
<h4>
There it is. Now I get to pass on the torch to eleven bloggers.</h4>
<h4 data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Lauren Clark Melinda McGuires</h4>
<h4 data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Janet Nodar Carrie Cox</h4>
<h4 data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Laura Howard Stephanie Lawton</h4>
<h4 data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Christine McKnight Angela Quarles</h4>
<h4 data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Molly Greene Christopher Cox</h4>
<h4 data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">
Mahala Church </h4>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-63760711094948350152012-11-19T08:12:00.002-08:002012-11-19T08:12:40.642-08:00Flamingo Funeral & Tales from the Land of Tea Cakes and Whiskey now available on Amazon<br />
<br />
<div class="pg XF">
Hey Y'all, </div>
<div class="pg XF">
</div>
<div class="pg XF">
Just a quick post to let you all know that Flamingo Funeral & Tales From the Land of Tea Cakes and Whiskey is now available @ Amazon. com in the Kindle edition. The paperback is due by the end of November.</div>
<div class="pg XF">
</div>
<div class="pg XF">
I am so excited to have the book finally completed!</div>
<div class="pg XF">
</div>
<div class="pg XF">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Here's the back cover with a little information about the book.</span></strong></div>
<div class="pg XF">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9BLL4LcCzUUPBDg01oWTvKQ6xGk1ZexaM9Qt3kYT5JVZ9EjxXZt4WupPLnfxhp2lzjOsg4vXcCgp9nz_sYn1olSYfJrpz82Fk-be-Ei1ldGph7-USvollf3Wxc23aJhC_E_Ge46kgzNs/s1600/Back+Cover+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9BLL4LcCzUUPBDg01oWTvKQ6xGk1ZexaM9Qt3kYT5JVZ9EjxXZt4WupPLnfxhp2lzjOsg4vXcCgp9nz_sYn1olSYfJrpz82Fk-be-Ei1ldGph7-USvollf3Wxc23aJhC_E_Ge46kgzNs/s640/Back+Cover+Final.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>And here's the cover and a link to my Amazon Author's page.</strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9HY91sasZAeGIM1zzDIs-nWs6bov8tqGq94cU4f6-o5C_dS0CUdxMbtZx0VZHDpQkA_61xw8c3J0_hSG4CY66uJeqmMD7hyTSsZbU7USvQdomjRkU_A2oLTBgN3RS0-8RV7KmsXKBqWM/s1600/Book+Cover+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9HY91sasZAeGIM1zzDIs-nWs6bov8tqGq94cU4f6-o5C_dS0CUdxMbtZx0VZHDpQkA_61xw8c3J0_hSG4CY66uJeqmMD7hyTSsZbU7USvQdomjRkU_A2oLTBgN3RS0-8RV7KmsXKBqWM/s320/Book+Cover+%25283%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/author/katkennedy/">www.amazon.com/author/katkennedy/</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Look for changes in the near future. I am in the process of setting up a new website and blog. Don't worry, I'll be taking you all with me.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Until then .....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Kat</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="pg XF">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-46373922475602018912012-10-12T08:28:00.001-07:002012-10-12T08:32:03.701-07:00Melinda McGuire: Guest Blogger on Tea Cakes and Whiskey<h2>
Melinda McGuire Guest Blogs on Tea Cakes and Whiskey</h2>
<br />
<strong>Fairhope, AL</strong> held its annual <strong>Grand Festival of Arts and Books</strong> last weekend. My fellow Southern writer and blogger, Melinda McGuire, who is a devoted believer in the promotion of Southern writers made the trip to Fairhope from Texas. Here is her impressions of her trip and the Festival.<br />
<br />
Melinda, welcome to Tea Cakes and Whiskey!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; mso-line-height-alt: 18.0pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Road Trip<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This past weekend I traveled from northeast
Texas to Fairhope, Alabama, for the Book Festival sponsored by Page and
Palette.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To be honest, I had planned on this post being
a list of things that were wrong with the festival, but I will say just two
things about that:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) Communication is the key to success. An
email letting people know that they are registered and what they can expect when
they arrive (where to go, who to speak to) would have been greatly appreciated.
And, a packet with information and details when the exhibitors for the book
side of the festival arrived would have been excellent.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2) Note to self – when the literature for
something says “Over 150 authors and exhibitors join together to bring
thousands of art and book lovers to downtown Fairhope,” this might actually
mean 7 authors with booths, 10 authors hosted by Page and Palette, and the rest
were art and crafts exhibitors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Okay, one last thing about that – if you are a
writer and you are thinking about setting up a booth for this next year, please
feel free to send me an email – melindamcguirewrites at yahoo dot com – and I
will be glad to share more about my experience there.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now, enough of that. On with the good stuff!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leaving the Pine Curtain (northeast Texas)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<h3 align="center" class="separator" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); clear: both; line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</h3>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zQHd6ogDyI6C3L88Sg6COQlyT6dOIhyphenhyphenYdlcs0GjUdpruqg1bDj9Erh1JuSZDj6SPLwfV14WTtew1d4T0CSLeHKvcUrYXGoOKie1hngHkH6ZY8Gxqzop82ud88RzPBLMLqbOED_xV8W1z/s1600/Leaving+Texas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zQHd6ogDyI6C3L88Sg6COQlyT6dOIhyphenhyphenYdlcs0GjUdpruqg1bDj9Erh1JuSZDj6SPLwfV14WTtew1d4T0CSLeHKvcUrYXGoOKie1hngHkH6ZY8Gxqzop82ud88RzPBLMLqbOED_xV8W1z/s640/Leaving+Texas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter">
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0">
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1">
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1">
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth">
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0">
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight">
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0">
</v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas>
<v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f">
<o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit">
</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="Description: leaving the pine curtain " href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/leaving-pine-curtain-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_1" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1042" style="height: 3.749pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 476.248pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="leaving the pine curtain " src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pine trees heading from home to Shreveport<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was beautiful weather for a road trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I left out early Thursday morning. First “big”
city on the trip is Shreveport.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjDCcv3xSCHwdWeFp-hBgFcKhb1-WcDuvWKLE5WFW5eRyvtVjSUB7GsOWuqzYZLjnVBJqfTMHP2Exwo5DWJmaaafWsLbS8BMfFVR7syummt3dLoseEpXYYr4RInkX11S26uaf-dbsxS9T/s1600/Close+to+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjDCcv3xSCHwdWeFp-hBgFcKhb1-WcDuvWKLE5WFW5eRyvtVjSUB7GsOWuqzYZLjnVBJqfTMHP2Exwo5DWJmaaafWsLbS8BMfFVR7syummt3dLoseEpXYYr4RInkX11S26uaf-dbsxS9T/s1600/Close+to+river.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/middle-louisiana-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Swamp land between Alexandria and Lafayette" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/middle-louisiana-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_2" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1041" style="height: 14.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Swamp land between Alexandria and Lafayette" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Getting close to the river<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The next “leg” of the drive is from Shreveport
to Natchitoches then on to Alexandria. Once you pass through Alexandria, things
get a little muddier <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Description: :)" id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_i1040" style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 11.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title=")" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvdiBW5T7xt8XG7nMs3ROMiZeQOHzLTlAkv5VsiML9CscG5UhKawIIHImFihKzTU3Jpwy3c7A56fY7cijpcQUXkkaSz3o3VfKszSg1-DBlpA__ZN9znqwSoEC4gLmnKThSxxAy30BS4Ll/s1600/Whiskey+Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvdiBW5T7xt8XG7nMs3ROMiZeQOHzLTlAkv5VsiML9CscG5UhKawIIHImFihKzTU3Jpwy3c7A56fY7cijpcQUXkkaSz3o3VfKszSg1-DBlpA__ZN9znqwSoEC4gLmnKThSxxAy30BS4Ll/s1600/Whiskey+Bay.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/whiskey-bay-exit-louisiana-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Whiskey Bay, Louisiana" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/whiskey-bay-exit-louisiana-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_4" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1039" style="height: 12.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Whiskey Bay, Louisiana" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image004.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whiskey Bay exit, before Lafayette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve never stopped in Whiskey Bay, Louisiana,
but I am going to next time. I want a picture of that bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I stopped in Lafayette on my way down to meet
Erin Z. Bass (</span><a href="http://deepsouthmag.com/2012/10/literary-friday-29/#comment-11299" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Deep
South Magazine</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">) and had some Gelato at </span><a href="http://www.carpediemgelato.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Carpe Diem</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The
downtown area of Lafayette is wonderful and vibrant. Carpe Diem was a cute
shop, and the gelato, well, I had the salted carmel. They had free samples, but
really, when you see salted carmel gelato, is there really any reason to try
anything else? No. Not for me.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After leaving Lafayette, I hung a left and
headed towards Baton Rouge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A little side note: when I was younger, I had
these “improve your memory” books that were full of devices to help you with
your study skills and memorization tricks. There was a cartoon of a giant red
stick stuck in the mud in a map of Louisiana because Baton Rouge is the capitol
of Louisiana and the name means “red stick” – so there you go, the memory books
worked!! 1 cartoon out of a set of 10 books…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leaving Baton Rouge, we drove through Slidell,
and then on into Mississippi. It was dark so I don’t have any pictures of that
part of the drive (unfortunately).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The next morning, it was time to go to work!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sexq9sPRRbaM4idsM_ERG383kvwvDUjw-0PmQw7OWgUeB1H3u6cufAxZCPpJobvqrLqWtFkju6-xWJ6TJP9PT5VSh1Gg3z4rZvJCz9PeAK1e9zorxi686jJipVgVX_GPPv0piR-fTLEf/s1600/Setting+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sexq9sPRRbaM4idsM_ERG383kvwvDUjw-0PmQw7OWgUeB1H3u6cufAxZCPpJobvqrLqWtFkju6-xWJ6TJP9PT5VSh1Gg3z4rZvJCz9PeAK1e9zorxi686jJipVgVX_GPPv0piR-fTLEf/s1600/Setting+up.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/before-booth-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Setting up for the festival" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/before-booth-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_5" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1038" style="height: 18pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Setting up for the festival" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before the festival<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Downtown Fairhope, Alabama is beautiful,
artistic, shops on every corner. It really is a great place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDujIBLNsojXAl4xXRAUpfWwRmLiVmSAGzBMukN9uI9FHBThMGm38gQoIzT5Zxsf2xNygyWNBXd0WP_ubF9-BP_h_4PJcPXFFBLxyXK5AkyT5DukXzf_pxBCxAjRTpgDsjXh0B3cvj2cSP/s1600/Flannery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDujIBLNsojXAl4xXRAUpfWwRmLiVmSAGzBMukN9uI9FHBThMGm38gQoIzT5Zxsf2xNygyWNBXd0WP_ubF9-BP_h_4PJcPXFFBLxyXK5AkyT5DukXzf_pxBCxAjRTpgDsjXh0B3cvj2cSP/s1600/Flannery.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/flannery-made-the-trip-al.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Setting up the booth, Flannery O'Connor" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/flannery-made-the-trip-al.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_6" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1037" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Setting up the booth, Flannery O'Connor" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image006.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Flannery made the trip from Lafayette to
Fairhope. Deep South Magazine is sponsoring a conference in November. Wish I
could go!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Setting up the booth …<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiNDOTy_TdIl1hY2zQ1bIm53HShVk8ZME7FnqN_l8LYcW2G1os0czFLvPEmq8ouKiIn3Uln1AnjWiFtGdgh41g7iJ5Zx6Mvo55TR7tBIqLs2v_ZO-fRP3nrj3XpFouswNdCv3jQ69TPif/s1600/Booth+set+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiNDOTy_TdIl1hY2zQ1bIm53HShVk8ZME7FnqN_l8LYcW2G1os0czFLvPEmq8ouKiIn3Uln1AnjWiFtGdgh41g7iJ5Zx6Mvo55TR7tBIqLs2v_ZO-fRP3nrj3XpFouswNdCv3jQ69TPif/s1600/Booth+set+up.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1479278378/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Rich Fabric display" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1479278378/" id="Picture_x0020_7" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1036" style="height: 9pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Rich Fabric display" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image007.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rich Fabric anthology and my grandmother’s
handstitched quilt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think someone forgot to mention to Fairhope
that October is actually Fall, not summer. They really didn’t get the memo on
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuPuRh-B-eme1t7lzXlJUGug5E1hjAsy2utgqHcf1PPP5QuR0iVLnVONNhBywLcrQdaBF9vveVrbpvhX-X4u81XqxyIE0e_HBNkncoFWF1ddppq-LPYvlphlPGRYGyZX5zjRcbN-YT6FX/s1600/Melting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuPuRh-B-eme1t7lzXlJUGug5E1hjAsy2utgqHcf1PPP5QuR0iVLnVONNhBywLcrQdaBF9vveVrbpvhX-X4u81XqxyIE0e_HBNkncoFWF1ddppq-LPYvlphlPGRYGyZX5zjRcbN-YT6FX/s1600/Melting.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/im-melting-al-trip-powerade-bottle.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Me melting in Alabama" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/im-melting-al-trip-powerade-bottle.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_8" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1035" style="height: 2.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Me melting in Alabama" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image008.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m melting… The Powerade bottle in the
background adds to the quality of the pic <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Description: :)" id="Picture_x0020_9" o:spid="_x0000_i1034" style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 11.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title=")" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I remembered to bring the copies of Josephine
– Red Dirt and Whiskey that had the “Adult Content” stickers on the front
cover. I don’t want anyone to be “surprised” by that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzX4aTkhzI1qZlQaxY4gY2I8-w3HFwOdbOfCIBhx6C1X4zZCx26VGQhjDjS3-yv73wFXS9hHohdmWI0aNW_yVXI8G8s5FrdNXb4E82oM-fsZzr3RsUkprgbrYcEwPhbAAJKxLWs-PGPjB/s1600/Josephine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzX4aTkhzI1qZlQaxY4gY2I8-w3HFwOdbOfCIBhx6C1X4zZCx26VGQhjDjS3-yv73wFXS9hHohdmWI0aNW_yVXI8G8s5FrdNXb4E82oM-fsZzr3RsUkprgbrYcEwPhbAAJKxLWs-PGPjB/s1600/Josephine.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Josephine-Whiskey-Hefner-Series-ebook/dp/B004MYG9PU/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Josephine display" href="http://www.amazon.com/Josephine-Whiskey-Hefner-Series-ebook/dp/B004MYG9PU/" id="Picture_x0020_10" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1033" style="height: 6pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Josephine display" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image009.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Josephine Red Dirt and Whiskey</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nelson and Cora got to hang out in the shade
for the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKWR3-n977sdyl_jnvQ5eytcpQuKXuEcw5zQajreMX35PzDlyA_Y5RJzmhlv47hcxz6voZhZfObuYuVmo6AzHCMZIPoCHA3hE91yCZcsJ3Np-FnxX3hRjaA1Q8h0UTHpmnPLqNS4HeLE-/s1600/Nelson+and+Cora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKWR3-n977sdyl_jnvQ5eytcpQuKXuEcw5zQajreMX35PzDlyA_Y5RJzmhlv47hcxz6voZhZfObuYuVmo6AzHCMZIPoCHA3hE91yCZcsJ3Np-FnxX3hRjaA1Q8h0UTHpmnPLqNS4HeLE-/s1600/Nelson+and+Cora.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nelson-Cora-The-Beginning-ebook/dp/B007UPDOOM/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/nelson-and-cora-al-trip.jpg?w=300&h=168" href="http://www.amazon.com/Nelson-Cora-The-Beginning-ebook/dp/B007UPDOOM/" id="Picture_x0020_11" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1032" style="height: 4.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="nelson-and-cora-al-trip" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image010.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nelson and Cora</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I met some GREAT people there --</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="http://sarahwatsonillustration.com/sweet-coco-the-chocolate-makers-apprenti#/i/0" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sarah
Watson</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, illustrator<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jessica Jones, editor, writer, special
publications news director with </span><a href="http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/search/?t=article&d1=1+year+ago&q=jessica+jones" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gulf
Coast Newspapers</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Yaxfromafar" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rosemary
Palmer</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, writer from Nottingham, UK. (That’s a long way to travel!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="http://www.wongastudios.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Isabelle
Parker </span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">from Wonga Studios. Our conversation kickstarted all kinds of
brainstorming <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Description: :)" id="Picture_x0020_12" o:spid="_x0000_i1031" style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 11.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title=")" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nita McGlawn, a previous guest of mine on
Southern Creatives and author of Bama Primer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><a href="http://www.nitamcglawn.com/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">www.nitamcglawn.com</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After the festival ended, I stopped at Cousin
Vinny’s in Daphne, Alabama, for the best muffaletta sandwich, period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L-1iQND-WHMWns4ELTEtIo7H_9upVlMTI4ft32YnvOU1E_-vxYDoK7hm8IR1F68M0BEkdpEvWPkTDRV6AKIPCsNRGI8fwSjUTDUxJyKgud5qS6ZQxlLFoUnBVHEN4J3onZSbyFRpVy7a/s1600/Vinny's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L-1iQND-WHMWns4ELTEtIo7H_9upVlMTI4ft32YnvOU1E_-vxYDoK7hm8IR1F68M0BEkdpEvWPkTDRV6AKIPCsNRGI8fwSjUTDUxJyKgud5qS6ZQxlLFoUnBVHEN4J3onZSbyFRpVy7a/s1600/Vinny's.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/muffaletta-cousin-vinnys-daphne-al.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: dinner at cousin vinny's" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/muffaletta-cousin-vinnys-daphne-al.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_13" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" style="height: 7.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="dinner at cousin vinny's" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image011.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dinner at Cousin Vinny’s in Daphne, Alabama.
It was ridiculously good.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heading Home<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkM3PJUZQmlIbvl69_O8IDjrInW3yzC7O2epFaJseX6zc8l1K3O1eichy-j2-zoUP8A8CK35m2tqreBwCOs-QzSLc-FkNZ6j7SbZfc-kvJl8T7w1KUrCd9tK4XbSYzd_QvGr25XPzT45J/s1600/heading+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkM3PJUZQmlIbvl69_O8IDjrInW3yzC7O2epFaJseX6zc8l1K3O1eichy-j2-zoUP8A8CK35m2tqreBwCOs-QzSLc-FkNZ6j7SbZfc-kvJl8T7w1KUrCd9tK4XbSYzd_QvGr25XPzT45J/s1600/heading+home.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/boudin-outside-lafayette-la-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Boudin shop outside Lafayette" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/boudin-outside-lafayette-la-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_14" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1029" style="height: 9pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Boudin shop outside Lafayette" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image012.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On my way home, I thought it was a little too
early for Boudin …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stayed overnight in Lafayette. Headed out the
next morning –</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPV0RPdLmHvoucz0ustfKiPEzSCR68KajNRowkqNEVfv4ln7NJyfHPe25_u8LTFQnXu-UiHQyTBKmb5rM0jAd5vMSSBw7SPzpfOgcLBj-6OwcIR79j1Aa6d19TXR_Y-bQ3ZqRQ2BWzvbM/s1600/Scott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPV0RPdLmHvoucz0ustfKiPEzSCR68KajNRowkqNEVfv4ln7NJyfHPe25_u8LTFQnXu-UiHQyTBKmb5rM0jAd5vMSSBw7SPzpfOgcLBj-6OwcIR79j1Aa6d19TXR_Y-bQ3ZqRQ2BWzvbM/s1600/Scott.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/dons-meat-market-scott-la-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Don's Meat market, Scott, Louisiana" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/dons-meat-market-scott-la-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_15" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1028" style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Don's Meat market, Scott, Louisiana" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image013.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But then when we made it to Scott, Louisiana,
I decided that no, it actually wasn’t too early for Boudin <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Description: :)" id="Picture_x0020_16" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 11.25pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title=")" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.gif">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Drove the scenic route from Scott to
Natchitoches (meaning I got off the interstate!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7WP2oPaEginsWVI-2VJPZJox2LMwUBfCKnDIf-AxjQuvYzHuA11ZwC2ZuexqIcqkX7wzHQUEmQ3NTLOMXuza6HGYLNRgDz4_u3OcWobs6JrEXLdL9DuM7S1UM3PgxWbM3XTKvHoeoPxb/s1600/Cora's+Antiques.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7WP2oPaEginsWVI-2VJPZJox2LMwUBfCKnDIf-AxjQuvYzHuA11ZwC2ZuexqIcqkX7wzHQUEmQ3NTLOMXuza6HGYLNRgDz4_u3OcWobs6JrEXLdL9DuM7S1UM3PgxWbM3XTKvHoeoPxb/s1600/Cora's+Antiques.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/coras-natchitoches-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Cora's antiques" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/coras-natchitoches-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_17" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Cora's antiques" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image014.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cora’s Antiques in Natchitoches, La. My Cora
would approve!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Home again, home again…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXloB53hDuHcFSGIa8mNV8xD5er6RG9sZAoXBZTyEfS_vIRzbwVRnTBM0jmqznrtnPJ3Fr_IzdnRtO_E0pmNMdQe-8ky3yKIuONM3FG0Ca3pLjKXvtX32fJjFwD1qrbf50Rm3Nj5AAoyex/s1600/Home+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXloB53hDuHcFSGIa8mNV8xD5er6RG9sZAoXBZTyEfS_vIRzbwVRnTBM0jmqznrtnPJ3Fr_IzdnRtO_E0pmNMdQe-8ky3yKIuONM3FG0Ca3pLjKXvtX32fJjFwD1qrbf50Rm3Nj5AAoyex/s1600/Home+again.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/welcome-home-pine-trees-al-trip.jpg"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shape alt="Description: Pine trees - Texas/Louisiana border" href="http://melindamcguirewrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/welcome-home-pine-trees-al-trip.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_18" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 6.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t">
<v:imagedata o:title="Louisiana border" src="file:///C:\Users\Kat\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image015.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(241, 241, 241); line-height: 13.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hello again my lovelies!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p>Thanks, Melinda. Hope to see you at next year's Festival!</o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Contact Melinda McGuire</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Author's page on Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melinda-McGuire/e/B004V55JA6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Melinda_McGuire</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Smashwords author's page: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/melindamcguire" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/<wbr></wbr>profile/view/melindamcguire</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Email: <a href="mailto:melindamcguirewrites@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">melindamcguirewrites@yahoo.com</a><br />
<br />
Blog: <a href="http://www.melindamcguirewrites.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>melindamcguirewrites.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com/</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://www.southernsugarbaby.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.southernsugarbaby.<wbr></wbr>wordpress.com/</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/melindamcguire" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@melindamcguire</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-5368415329597119862012-09-15T08:35:00.000-07:002012-09-16T08:31:20.422-07:00UnpluggedHow could I do such a thing? How had I been so careless? But the evidence was there. Or not there. After a weekend trip to attend my granddaughter's first birthday party and my brother's wedding, I had left behind the charger to my laptop. <br />
DANG!!!!<br />
This was the week I was going to complete the last edit of the book. <br />
This was the week I was going to finalize the book cover.<br />
This was the week I was going to clean out my inbox.<br />
This was the week I was going to .....<br />
<br />
So there I was on Monday morning unplugged.<br />
Of course, I had my trusty iPhone. I began to call around. Out-of-stock. It cost what!?!? The number you have reached is no longer in service. You left your <em>charger</em> behind? (Ouch.)<br />
<br />
Finally, after a quick web search, I found a place that would mail the charger, for a reasonable price, the very same day. Great it should be here by Wednesday! The week was not a total loss. A Wednesday delivery leaves Thursday and Friday to catch-up.<br />
<br />
Now what to do with my two and a half days of down time. The prospects were glorious. I could clean my closet and hold off Hoarders for another year. There's that flower bed that needs attention.<br />
Oh and my office - I'm always saying I should organize my office. Where to begin?<br />
<br />
I began by pouring myself a cup of coffee and starting a list of all the things I wanted to accomplish. And just for the company, I turned on the TV. . . .<br />
<br />
The charger finally arrived on <em>Thursday</em> afternoon. I answered the door, squinting into the bright afternoon sun. As I eagerly opened the yellow envelope, my eyes fell on the partially completed list of things to do. The TV blared - Here Comes Honey Boo Boo! Don't judge me. Y'all know you love a train wreck, too. <br />
<br />
How could I do such a thing? How had I been so careless? In just two and one half days, I had solved thirty crimes, watched twenty interventions, seen I don't know how many people buried alive, and watched a Georgia mother melt butter and ketchup together to make "sketti" sauce for her family's dinner. And most of those shows were on networks with names like Bravo and Arts & Entertainment.<br />
<br />
Those are days I can never get back. But I have learned one thing. I will never again feel guilty for spending time writing or reading. Or watching the Independent Film Channel. With my computer charging away and my mind returning to the world of art and literature, I repent and vow to never spend another wasted minute on the junk that passes as entertainment today. <br />
<br />
Wait . . . did they just say Sugar Bear is taking Honey Boo Boo and the family out to something called The Redneck Games where Pumpkin will bob for pig's feet? Well, my computer isn't fully charged yet. Maybe just one more episode.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-2491515675688514122012-08-14T09:35:00.001-07:002012-08-14T09:41:35.050-07:00Carl Purdon Interviews . . . MeLast month, Carl Purdon interviewed me about my writing process and my plans for Flamingo Funeral. Carl is an excellent interviewer. I appreciate the fact that he takes time to do his research and seems to always ask the right questions. As I am in the throes of getting the book ready for publication and all the work that goes along with self publishing a book, I asked Carl if he would mind if I posted the interview here on my blog. Being the generous writer he is, he agreed to let me post it.<br />
<br />
<strong> <span style="font-size: large;">Carl Purdon's 10 Questions with Kat Kennedy</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: small/normal Tahoma; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#1: Your novella, Flamingo Funeral, is set for
release this year (2012). </b></span></span></span><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: small/normal Tahoma; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Tell us about that and how it's
progressing.</b></span></span></span><br />
<div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="articleBody" style="font-family: inherit;">
<div align="left">
<div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The novella is finished. It was so much fun to write.
It’s the story of a con man’s bizarre funeral, but more than that it’s the story
of how family loyalty will lead us to do the craziest things in the name of that
loyalty and how, in Faulkner’s words, “the pull of blood” is stronger than
common sense. That’s one of my favorite themes. The call of blood can transcend
our morality, our sense of justice, even compromise our own well-being. The
book, Flamingo Funeral, will include the novella as well as five short stories.
Flamingo Funeral just placed as a short list finalist in the William Faulkner
Wisdom Competition, so I’m pretty hyped about that.</span></span></div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px;"><b>#2:
You have been an English teacher in middle school, high school, and at the
college level. Which did you prefer, and why?</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There were certainly things I loved about each group,
but with my personality, I’d have to say the college level. I have a sarcastic
sense of humor, and you can’t really do that in the lower grades. My college
students could appreciate the quick comeback to their own remarks which made for
some lively discussion. Plus I taught world literature in college and loved
discussing Virgil, Chaucer, and Dante -- all the greats and connecting the
themes of the Classics to their lives. It was always a blast to see them get
it.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#3: What is the South Georgia Writing
Project?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">South Georgia Writing Project was an extension of the
National Writing Project. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done. NWP gave
assistance to universities to create writing seminars for local teachers in
grades K-college level for six-weeks each summer. During the six-week seminar
each instructor would produce an intensive presentation concerning some aspect
of writing instruction. After my first summer as a participant, I was asked to
co-direct the project at Valdosta State University. I did this for two more
summers as I completed my Masters. I would have loved to continue, but I got
married and moved back to Alabama. In fact, as soon as I was back from the
honeymoon, I went back to Valdosta for six weeks to finish my final stint in the
project. I served leftover wedding cake for our first meeting. I guess you could
say I was dedicated to the project.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let me share one lesson. One lovely first-grade teacher
gave us a test. It was one picture – a frying pan. We were to write the name of
the object. We all wrote frying pan. She came around and marked a
HUGE</span></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">F</span></span> <span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">on our paper. I hated the look of that big red F. She
then went to the board and wrote the correct answer – Spider. Now, I had heard a
frying pan called a spider before, but had never even thought that a student
would call it something other than a frying pan. It was a valuable lesson in
cultural perspective. I never taught the same after that.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px;"><b>#4:
You are currently the editor/moderator of <a href="https://www.sites.google.com/site/fiveriverswritersgroup/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #992211;">Five Rivers Writers’ Critique Group.</span></a> Tell us something about
the group.</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We are an online editing group dedicated to helping
writers improve their skills and have a forum for discussing the writing
process. We have been in existence for only four months and have been growing
each month. We meet face-to-face once a month for socializing and to actually
“see” our new members. Also, it’s important to meet because when editing online
there is a potential for misunderstanding, so we encourage our writers to bring
questions. We also allot time at our monthly meetings for readings if anyone
wants to share. I’ve found reading material in groups or at open mics to be
valuable in helping to work out areas that might need some tweaking. As
editor/moderator, I keep up with what’s happening around the area with
workshops, members who have been published, awards, etc.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The group has just started an online magazine, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/southerndeltamagazine/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #992211;">Southern Delta Literary Magazine.</span></a> I’ll be asking you soon for
a submission, Carl.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px;"><b>#5:
Why should writers join critique groups?</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<div>
<div style="margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: small/normal Tahoma; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It will make their writing better. Having input on your
work is so important. I don’t always agree with every bit of advice I get from
critique groups, but if several people are telling me the same thing, there’s
probably a problem in my work. People can also give insight that can lead to
some wonderful places. Flamingo Funeral started out as a short story. After it
went through editing with the group, I had one comment that stuck with me –
there’s more to this story. Then my friend and one of my fellow co-founders of
Five Rivers Writers' Group, Charles McInnis, sent a text – Have you ever thought
of having his relatives bury him in the backyard? What was an eight page short
story became a novella.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I also think reading other people’s work is important
because it opens you up to what’s happening out there. Writers tend to be alone
much of the time. We really have to, don’t we? The connections one can make in
critique groups and the help in feedback is
essential. </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#6: Do you think being a poet helps you write better
fiction?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That’s an interesting question. I started writing
fiction because we had too many poetry entries in one of my college lit
magazines and they asked me to try a prose piece. I ended up with a short story
and essay in the issue. Then, during my time in South Georgia Writing Project, I
wrote a few more things. It was only recently that I started getting serious
about writing fiction. I think poetry helps because when I get stuck, I can take
a break and work on editing or writing poems and have the feeling of
accomplishment - a finished piece. It also gives me ideas sometimes for
storylines. My poetic voice, however, is very different from my fiction voice. I
even sound different when I read, so I guess the answer is
maybe?</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#7: There seems to be a mystique about southern
writers. I've never heard the term "Northern Writers," or other like labels
applied. Why is that, or do I only notice "Southern" because I, like you, am
from the South?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s funny, as a teenager, all I wanted was to get out
of the South as fast as possible. When I lived in the West, I found people had
trouble understanding me. (I grew up in southeast Alabama on a peanut farm and
have a very Southern drawl.) For the most part, people were interested in the
music. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Southern Rock was huge in the ’70s. Now, the
South</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>is</i></span> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">my muse. There’s a certain mystique about the South, the
dialect, the food, the way of life. It’s more than this though. Anywhere in the
world that two Southerners happen to run into each other is a family reunion. It
goes back to the blood and transcends race. We’re bound together in a way other
areas are not. We’ve lived through a tragic history that I believe has left us,
a more humane and enlightened culture. We can’t rewrite that history, and we
can’t ignore it either, it wraps around us like kudzu. We can only learn from it
and teach our children and grandchildren its lessons.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We also have a great oral tradition in the South. I
would bet growing up in the South, you have spent many a night listening to
stories on the front porch told by uncles and grandfathers or heard old Scottish
and English ballads sung by grandmothers and aunts. I’ve never met a Southerner
who didn’t have a good story to tell about something, and most love to
embellish.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#8: One of your hobbies is researching old blues
music. Mississippi has a solid history of blues music and is currently
celebrating it with markers along the "Mississippi Blues Trail" program. Have
you visited any of these sites?</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No, but I have researched them. Flamingo Funeral has a
scene which takes place in a black juke joint in Alabama, and the guest musician
is the Bentonia blues musician Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. I hope to see him perform
one day. I love his way of playing.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I also love to listen to old bluegrass and country music
when I write. Most of my stories are set in the late 60’s and early 70’s, so
listening to the music I grew up with helps put me back in that time
period.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And, I have to have my daily shot of Bob Dylan. He has
probably influenced me more than any other writer because I first heard him when
I was fourteen and beginning to question some of the ideas of my elders and
their views on social issues. His early lyrics made me look at life a different
way.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#9: Speaking of blues music, the actor, Morgan
Freeman, owns a club in Clarksdale, MS called Ground Zero. Have you ever been
there? (If not, you should go).</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I just saw the documentary about this. It’s definitely
on my bucket list – Ground Zero and the Blues Trail. I think I feel a road trip
coming on!</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: bold; margin: 0mm 0mm 3.52mm; text-indent: 0mm;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>#10: Let's do something different. There has to be a
question you were hoping I would or wouldn't ask. Ask yourself that question
(please let us see the question), then answer it.</b></span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Okay, here goes, but remember you asked.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><b>Why do you think it is Carl can
only come up with 9 questions for his 10 Questions Blog?</b></span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><b>Answer:</b> I
don’t know. Maybe it’s the humidity.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;">*
* *</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><b>Thanks,
Kat.</b> When winter arrives we'll test your theory on question #10. I'll also
be waiting for that submission request.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><strong>You can find Carl Purdon at his links below. Be sure to check out Carl's novel, The Night Train, available through Amazon.com and Carl Purdon.com below. It's a ride you don't want to miss.</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><a href="http://carlpurdon.blogspot.com/">Carl Purdon, Author</a></span></div>
<strong>
</strong><span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><a href="http://www.carlpurdon.com/">Carl Purdon.com</a></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #010101; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><div class="btn-o" contextmenu="menu">
</div>
<div class="count-o" id="c">
</div>
</span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: #010101; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-81416741282430784092012-07-21T08:13:00.002-07:002012-07-21T08:13:23.065-07:00Faulkner Wisdom Short-list Finalist Excerpt<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: x-large;">Flamingo Funeral</span></strong> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"> Placed as short-list finalist in the 2012 Faulkner Wisdon Creative Writing Competition . Excerpt</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"> I began the long drive to Clayville . . . Meandering through the two-lane black top roads that mark the old Emancipation routes along the Chattahoochee River, I easily fell into the habit of throwing up my hand in greeting to each car I met.<span> </span>Old, unpainted shot gun houses sank into overgrown foliage beside unkempt single-wide trailers alongside the three bedroom Farmer’s Home Loan houses that had sprung up in the area during the sixties and seventies.<span> </span>Memories of my brother, Jim, made me laugh out loud when I recognized the old black juke joints he and I would haunt when we were in high school.<span> </span>I had never felt afraid in those places because everyone knew Daddy and wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me or my brother.<span> </span>We were accepted for what we were --</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"> poor white kids who liked to drink, listen to good blues music and had a gun-carrying crazy-ass father.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">I could hardly believe some of these places were still standing, especially J.B.’s, but there it was rusty roof and broken down porch overgrown with kudzu just as it had been in the mid-seventies. <span> </span>Two black men in beat up, dusty overalls lounged at one end of the porch drinking a clear liquid from mason jars and smoking cigarettes.<span> </span>J. B. was known for his signature moonshine which he called Peachy Pearl as it had a distinct flavor of peach and went down “smooth as a pearl.”</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">The last time I had been at J.B.’s Juke Joint had been just after high school graduation.<span> </span>It was a hot May evening and Jimmy Duck Holmes was going to play at J. B.’s because Duck and J. B, were old friends and Duck was particularly fond of Peachy Pearl.<span> </span>I had been looking forward to the night all week and had even passed on a graduation trip to Panama City, Florida.<span> </span>He was known for playing in the Bentonia style of blues created by Skip James and Jack Owens both Mississippi blues players.<span> </span>It was a style of blues that had a haunting, country sound, and I loved to listen to songs like <i>Devil Got My Woman</i> and <i>Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues</i> by Skip James.<span> </span>Daddy had a bunch of Delta blues records and there was nothing I liked better than listening to them when I was growing up.<span> </span>I had never heard Jimmy Duck Holmes, but I knew if he was anything like Skip James, it would be one fine night.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">Jimmy Duck was as good as I had hoped and had already begun his second set when Gus burst through the front door with his usual assortment of strong-arm misfits.<span> </span>Gus owned the mortgage on J. B.’s and had decided to call in the note that night.<span> </span>He staggered over to the bar and put his pocket pistol on the counter while his crew positioned themselves by the front door.<span> </span>I slunk down as far as I could into the booth praying that Gus wouldn’t see me.<span> </span>My brother, Jim, pulled his old ratty Universtiy of Alabama cap down low and whispered, “Get ready to run like hell, Sis.”</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"><span> </span>J. B. Grimsley was not one to be bullied by a crooked businessman like Gus.<span> </span>He had known Gus since they were children when J. B.’s father had worked as a sharecropper on the family farm.<span> </span>J. B. must have seen this day coming from the time he signed the loan papers on the bar and had been waiting for the first opportunity to beat Gus at his own game.</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">J. B. pulled his shotgun from behind the bar, “Gus, just settle on down, now.<span> </span>Come on over here and let ole J. B. po you a drank.<span> </span>I gots somethin you needs to see ‘fore you shoots up da place.”</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">Gus drank down the shot of whiskey J. B. had poured for him, “Alright.<span> </span>What is it?”</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">J. B. reached under the bar and put some papers in front of Gus. “What the hell is this?”<span> </span>Gus growled, pushing the papers back toward J. B. without even looking at them.</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">“You knows what it is.<span> </span>You knows you signed this place over to me in that poker game las week.<span> </span>Now don’t be sayin you don’t remember.<span> </span>I’s been knowin you a long time, Gus.<span> </span>A long time.<span> </span>You knows and I knows what’s right.”</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">J. B. poured Gus another shot.<span> </span>Gus looked around at the bar full of people staring at him and let </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">out a, “Humph.”</span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">Everyone in the place was frozen as if in a photograph.<span> </span>Most of the people there owed money to Gus or had kin that did.<span> </span>No one would dream of intervening.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">J. B. nodded toward Jimmy Duck and he began to play <i>Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues</i>,<i> </i>a superb choice, I thought.<span> </span>Gus picked up the shot glass and tipped it at J. B. before drinking it and slamming it back down on the deed papers.<span> </span>He picked up his gun and put it back in his front pants pocket, got up from the bar stool and stumbled back out the front door. </span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; zoom: 1;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">“Son of a bitch!” Jim shook his head laughing.<span> </span>“J. B. that’s the coolest damn thang I ever did see.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">Jim stood up and took off his cap and gave a gentlemanly bow toward J. B.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">J. B. scrowled, “Sit yer white ass down fer I tell yo Daddy you been in here ever night this week.”<span> H</span>e picked up the deed papers from the bar and started folding them up.<span> </span>He indulged a momentary smile before putting them back under the counter and retaining his usual stern no nonsense stance.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span>That remains the only example I know of Gus ever coming out on the shallow end of a deal.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">Copyright <span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">©</span></strong></span>2012 by Kat Kennedy </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: black;">All rights reserved.</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-70541120108262069232012-07-09T10:27:00.001-07:002012-07-09T10:27:54.988-07:00Mean Woman Blues<br />
<br />
One of the family traditions in my house was singing old songs while Daddy played the guitar. One of my favorites was Mean Woman Blues. My favorite part was the line about the black cat dying of fright when the mean woman crossed his path. So, I decided to write a story about a mean woman. <br />
<br />
Jolene has gotten under my skin, and I have a couple of storylines I'm letting simmer a while. In the meantime, here is a glimpse of her.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Damned
if she aint downright pretty when she smiles</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, Lidge thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Jolene had had a hard life. She
was forty-three years old and looked every day of it plus some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was what people meant when they said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It aint the years, it’s the miles.</i> She
had been a lot of miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hard living and
drinking had done its duty on her face, but anyone could see the ghost of her
beauty haunting her high cheek bones and long neck. She had not gotten fat like
many of the women she had gone to school with, and had retained her slim frame,
though there was not one ounce of muscle to be found on it. Still, she looked
good in jeans, her usual attire. Jeans and a tank top because the heat in
southern Alabama was unmerciful most of the year. In cool weather, she wore the
same uniform with a sweater thrown over it for the cold, adding a jacket when
the weather reached its coldest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Jolene had not worked in years. She
once had a job at Clayville’s sewing factory, which she hated. One day she
couldn’t take it any longer and walked out. She got the idea from one of her
cousins who had been to Vietnam. She could get help from the government if they
thought she was crazy. When her cousin had come back, he really<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> was </i>crazy. The government paid for his
housing, food, and nearly everything else he needed. Jolene called him up and
asked where he went to get his “crazy check.” He gave her all the details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1em 0px 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Jolene worked out a plan. . . .</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3866610843168540089.post-14191946905857500862012-06-20T13:17:00.000-07:002012-07-03T10:37:15.032-07:00<div class="sites-canvas-main" id="sites-canvas-main">
<div id="sites-canvas-main-content">
<table cellspacing="0" class="sites-layout-name-one-column sites-layout-hbox" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><tbody>
<tr><td class="sites-layout-tile sites-tile-name-content-1"><div dir="ltr">
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">South Meets South at Cafe Wha? in NYC</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">What has brought me here is the belief that there are stories out there that need to be told. Rich stories, of the South especially, that beg to be shared and recorded so we may not forget that we have a legacy rich in language and peculiarities - a </span><span style="font-size: small;">dialect that is unique. Stories that are sometimes funny, sometimes disturbing, and sometimes soothing as a summer rain, but always comforting and familiar to those of us who grew up here.</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I was reminded of this a few weeks ago while on a trip to New York City. On my last night there, I was at the Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, the one place I had been looking forward to going above all others. It was the first place Bob Dylan performed on the cold January night he first set foot in New York in 1961. I knew the Cafe Wha? Band would be superb. I had already listened to them on-line and made reservations for the first show. They delivered. Each member had a particular style and they covered everything from Blues to R</span><span style="font-size: small;">eggae -- Soul to Rock. </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">During the first break, the wild-eyed, charismatic leader of the band happened to be sitting alone at a back table when I walked by, and I couldn't help but voice my enthusiasm.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">He immediately asked, "Where's that accent from?"</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">"Mobile, Alabama!" I replied.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">"I'm a Georgia boy!" he laughed. "Man, I love to hear somebody from home!"</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">And there it is. I hope my readers from the South will love to hear home in my work. I hope my readers that aren't from the South will appreciate a taste of what it is like to have grown up here. After all, don't we all read as part of the human desire to understand each other? </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">The first time I read Jack Kerouac's, <em>On the Road</em>, I had never even left the state of Alabama except to go to the Gulf Coast of Florida, but his work made me want to travel across the country. So at seventeen, I did. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Who knows, maybe without his influence, I would have never seen the western states or had the experiences I have. </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Maybe had I never read Allen Ginsberg or fell in love with Bob Dylan's music and poetry when I was fourteen, I would have never yearned to travel to New York one day and listened to the house band at the Cafe Wha? where a great musician and good ole Georgia boy got to hear a voice from home.</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">That is my goal -- to be a voice from home. It may be a quirky voice as some have said, but I hope you will listen and have a few laughs (or shed a few tears) along the way.</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">If there is one thing we Southerners have learned to do, it is to laugh and cry at the same time. Is there any other way to make it through?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><div>
<br />
Kat Kennedy</div>
<div>
June 20, 2012</div>
</span><br />
<div>
<div style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791025837952892948noreply@blogger.com6