Hi Everyone! My name is Monica and I recently discovered that I absolutely adore Southern-Lit! (I say recently because I didn't realize there was a southern-lit genre until I joined goodreads in June!) One of my favorite books is, of course, To Kill a Mockingbird, but I also adore The Secret Life of Bees, The Sugar Queen, Gone With the Wind....and many more! I find myself constantly leaning towards southern-lit, I didn't even realize it!
Southern-lit is comforting to me, maybe because my Grandmother was from the south and the books always remind me a bit of her. I just love the descriptions of areas in the south. Even if the story takes place in modern times, the south always has an old timey ring to it and I love that.
I look forward to chatting with all of you about our books. Thank you, Jo for starting this group!!!

You're welcome Monica! So glad to see you over here! Yay!

Hope you can join us for our group read starting 9/15!

I'm so drawn to Southern Lit as well as lit that takes place in the New England area. I'm still unsure why. So much of it just strikes something inside of me.

Weclome to Mia and Shoehn!

Welcome to Katie & Miswol!

Welcome also to Carrie! Glad to see you here!

Welcome again Terry! (I welcomed you over in the Mermaids in the Basement discussion earlier).

I'm 27, single, no children except for my dog! :)
I love to read and teach English and Drama as well as coach Varisty Cheer @ my school.
Reading keeps me sane :)

Oh, and I live in ALABAMA! :)

Carrie wrote: "I'm 27, single, no children except for my dog! :)
I love to read and teach English and Drama as well as coach Varisty Cheer @ my school.
Reading keeps me sane :)"

You know, Carrie, I've often said that reading keeps me sane, too. I don't know how people who don't read do it. Maybe the non-readers are all the crazies running around. LOL

LOL Kathy, that could be a reasonable theory!!!

So glad to see you here Carrie! Feel free to jump in and/or create your own threads! (I know you're busy as of late so no worries if you can't). How the coaching going?

Coaching is going!! We are about halfway finished with football season and then there are competitions. It never ends..LOL!

I LOOOOOVE southern lit! I saw several people mentioned THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES and I teach that! The kids love it.

KATHY: THey are all nuts. Everyone but us :)

Carrie wrote: "KATHY: THey are all nuts. Everyone but us :)"

Amen to that.

They're teaching The Secret Life of Bees in schools now?! That's incredible! I just picked up her new non-fiction book at Costco yesterday (didn't even know she was coming out with a new book) which she co-wrote w/her daughter Traveling with Pomegranates A Mother-Daughter Story

Jo wrote: "They're teaching The Secret Life of Bees in schools now?! That's incredible! I just picked up her new non-fiction book at Costco yesterday (didn't even know she was coming out with a new book) wh..."

I've been wanting the new non-fiction book, too, Jo. Let me know what you think of it. I enjoy Kidd's newsletters I get via email. She seems so wise.

Will do!

Hello! My name is Blakelyn, and I'll be 28 in 9 days. I'm married to a wonderful man, and I love reading. I'm a huge fan of Southern Lit.

Just last night, I met Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor at a book reading in Durham, NC. It was amazing! The Secret Life of Bees is one of my all time favorites. Just wanted to say hello!

Blakelyn wrote: "Hello! My name is Blakelyn, and I'll be 28 in 9 days. I'm married to a wonderful man, and I love reading. I'm a huge fan of Southern Lit.

Just last night, I met Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor a..."

Oh, I'd love to meet Sue Monk Kidd. She's on my list of authors to meet. I love going to signings and book festivals and meeting the authors.

Blakelyn wrote: "Hello! My name is Blakelyn, and I'll be 28 in 9 days. I'm married to a wonderful man, and I love reading. I'm a huge fan of Southern Lit.

Just last night, I met Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor a..."

Welcome Blakelyn! What an awesome experience! Are you reading their new book? Glad to have you here & hope to see more of you!

Thank you for the welcomes!

Jo, I'm finishing up Kindred by Octavia Butler right now, then I plan to start Traveling with Pomegranates :)

I started it but got side tracked by The Lace Reader!

Hi everyone! I joined this group quite a while ago, but haven't participated as of yet. I'm a 49-year-old (well, in November anyway) librarian/cataloger and am Asst. Director for Technical Services at a public library in Pennsylvania. I've always enjoyed such southern writers as Truman Capote; Flannery O'Connor; Tennessee Williams; William Faulkner, but am not really familiar with the later 20th century and 21st century writers. In addition to reading I enjoy folding origami; going to movies, concerts, musicals, plays, museums, craft shows and flea markets. I also collect advertising dolls and figurals. I'm married, no children (except for a large, spoiled black cat named Spooky).

Melody wrote: "Hi everyone! I joined this group quite a while ago, but haven't participated as of yet. I'm a 49-year-old (well, in November anyway) librarian/cataloger and am Asst. Director for Technical Services..."

Hi Melody, welcome. I like your picture icon, and I am trying to place the illustrator because they style look familiar to me. But since my children are now 25 and 23, I am not placing it, but I will tell you that one of our favorite libraries was in Latrobe, PA, many years ago. The librarians made a big old drafty building seem warm and friendly, encouraging a life-long love of books, reading and public libraries.

Glad to hear from you Melody! Welcome! (Again!) Hope to see more of you here too!

Hi & thanks, Terry! My profile picture is from a 1920s or '30s postcard (Halloween is my favorite holiday).

Aren't public libraries the best? :-)

Thanks, Jo!
Oh, one more bio thing--my southern connection is my dad who was from North Carolina.

Melody wrote: "Hi & thanks, Terry! My profile picture is from a 1920s or '30s postcard (Halloween is my favorite holiday).

Aren't public libraries the best? :-)"

Halloween is my fave too!!!

Public libraries are awesome, especially large old ones in Manhattan and Philly!

Jo wrote: "welcome to both LeOta and Shannon! glad to have you here! "

Welcome! I'd love your comments about She-Rain here on Goodreads. The book won't debut until March of 2010, but I've just put the opening pages up here. Please, as a fan of southern fiction, share your thoughts!

Warmest gratitude,
MichaelMichael Cogdill

Michael, just as a reminder, I gladly welcome authors and hope you're able to participate in our group to interact with fellow readers - self promotion of your work(s) is fine as long as you are also an active member of Southern Lit Lovers.

Thanks & much appreciated!
-Jo

Jo, I sure am. I'm just getting aboard Goodreads, both as a reader and a writer.

Speaking of this, how many people here long for another book with the sense of place and poetical diction of Cold Mountain? I'm very curious to hear takes on Mr. Frazier's piece of lore!
mMichael Cogdill

Plenty of Carolina connections here, too. Love the fact Scott Fitzgerald adored Asheville and did some writing at the Grove Park Inn there! What a beautiful muse, that landscape.
m

I wanted to Welcome Judy, Dawn, Emily, Veronica and Grayson to the group! Feel free to drop in and tell us about yourself here and participate in/start your own threads!

hello, I guess this is where I introduce myself. I'm Leann from South GA. I am in my 30s, single, no children. I currently became a college student to finish my Bachelor's. Fun huh. Some of my favorite authors are Karen White, Patti Callahan Henry, Lauretta Hannon, Diane Chamberlain, Mindy Starns Clark.

Welcome Leann! Thanks for joining us!

We're growing by leaps & bounds it seems! I'd like to take a quick moment to Welcome all new members! I look forward to getting to know y'all better here. Please feel free to jump in on past threads and start new ones of your own!