Memories of Roly-Polys and Swimming Pools
And a few more memories of childhood in Alabama (I’m past a dozen now)…. 12) My neighbor’s backyard had the feel of a fantasy. He had a swimming pool and a fig tree. In my own backyard, we had muscadines and scuppernongs, and I would sit under the thick ceiling of vines and pluck them one…
Read MoreMore ’80s memories–Dad edition
#9–My father would take us crappie fishing at night, which was as much about the snacks to me as the fishing. We’d ride out to the middle of the lake, wind whipping hair and jackets, and there was always something ecstatic about that rush of wind. When we’d stop and drop our lines, we could…
Read MoreWhy I Loved Gunsmoke
Childhood Memory #8 I watched Gunsmoke reruns with my grandfather most days—he loved everything about it, and I loved Miss Kitty, the beautiful owner of the Long Branch Saloon (and also maybe brothel?) Plenty of afternoons we would act out the episode once we turned off the television, with me playing Kitty and my grandfather…
Read MoreWhy I Sometimes Act Like I Was Born in the Great Depression
Another batch of memories in preparation for FAMILY LAW, which is set in the world of my own childhood. My grandmother turned 105 this week, and so these are all her. She’s at the center of many of my warmest, best memories. 5. My grandparents did not believe in wasting money on snacks during car trips.…
Read MoreA Few Bits of an Alabama Childhood
My upcoming novel, Family Law, is set in the time and place of my own childhood—the ’70s and ’80s in Montgomery, Al. I haven’t written a distinctly Southern novel since my first book, The Well and the Mine, came out in 2008. As I get ready for this book’s release, I wanted to spend some…
Read MoreNew Novel in May
I submitted Family Law to my publishers nearly two years ago, but–thanks to the pandemic–it’s taken a while to become an actual hold-it-in-your-hands book. Not that I’m complaining: I didn’t want my book to come out in this past year. It was worth waiting. Set in Alabama in the early ’80s, Family Law follows a young lawyer,…
Read MoreHalloween
Of all the things I love about October, the costumes at our Halloween party might top the list. This year’s theme was THREE, and we had some logistical issues. Ten minutes before the party started, I realized the two heads I planned to attach to my son’s Three Musketeer costume–so he would be all three…
Read MoreThis Is What We Do On Our Last Day Before School Starts
Fanta of the Opera
Read MorePaperbacks Out Now
Paperbacks everywhere…a different cover in Canada, the U.K., and the US!
Read MoreOff to See the Wizard
Sometimes I think I’m wasted as a novelist: I could maybe do theme meals full-time. For small children. It’s sort of a niche market. But below is our dinner before going to see The Wizard of Oz at our local theater. We’ve got Tin Manwiches, Emerald veggies, potato tornados, Over the Rainbow Sherbet, Toto-Toast with…
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