My family has always lived within sight of the Appalachians. I grew up in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, with a blue-collar viewpoint, surrounded by numerous siblings, cousins and other relatives, who shared hand-me-downs and grand stories in equal measure.
The kinds of people Iknow well, yet still learn from, populate my Grit(ty) Lit stories, written in the voice of my life experiences. I accumulated mine the hard way, as do my characters.
A few years ago, I moved to a semi-rural area of central Alabama, closer to the part of Appalachia that my grandparents and their parents called home. The windows near my writing desk overlook fast-growing water oaks, crooked mulberry trees, and dogwoods that fling white petals on the red clay and chirt earth to honor every spring's arrival. My best friend/husband of many years and I share it all with our two beautiful dog-children, who sometimes scoot over to let us sit on the best couch.
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My short stories have appeared in literary journals and periodicals, including The Rambler, Calliope and The Birmingham Arts Journal. Currently, I'm working on short stories and flash fictions, a new novel and a memoir, WRITING to DEAL, HEAL, FULFILL: A Meditations Memoir.
In 2009, I judged the short story category of Alabama Writers' Conclave's annual contest. I also served as a first reader for the Fifth Glass Woman Prize, choosing some of its prose semifinalists. AWCGlass Woman Website
Besides coaching writers one-on-one, I lead workshops for groups, most recently at Williams Intermediate School, Pell City, AL in 2008, and the 2007 Alabama Writers Conclave. AWC2007 Faculty
In 2007, the Alabama State Council on the Arts made me an adjudicated member in SouthernArtistry.org, a free online artist registry which spotlights artists who live and work in the South. My portfolio
A former freelance book reviewer for the Birmingham News, I now review novels, short story collections, how-to write books and software for writers.
To fill gaps in local and regional literary resources, I founded two ongoing writers groups in Alabama. Since 1998, Smoke City Narrators has provided monthly critiques and other benefits for professional writers. SCN's new Novel Pitch and 1st Five Pages Contest offers inspiration and encouragement for novelists on the process of querying agents or publishers.
The Pell City Pens' critique groups welcome writers of all genres and skill levels. Its contest features brief comments on all entries, low entry fees for adults, no entry fees for tweens, junior high or senior high school students, and a readings and awards ceremony.
Starting in 2010, all contests for both groups will be open internationally.
A W A R D S
*2002 Faulkner-Wisdom Novel in Progress Contest (LA): Semi-finalist W & M *2004 Byline Magazine - 1st Chapter of a Novel Contest Byline *2004 Alabama Writers Conclave - Fiction with a Southern Background Contest AWC *2004 Augusta Arts Council (GA) - Porter Fleming Nonfiction Competition *2005 Alabama Writers Conclave - (Narrative) Nonfiction Contest AWC
*2006 Augusta Arts Council (GA) - Porter Fleming Fiction Competition Fleming *2006 Green River Writers (KY)- President's Prize Short Fiction Contest GRW *2006 Byline Magazine - October Flash Fiction Contest Byline *2007 Women Who Write (KY) - Prose Contest WWW *2007 WritersWeekly - Winter 24-hour Contest WritersWeeklyWinter 07 Winners *2008 Green River Writers (KY) - President's Prize Short Fiction Contest GRW *2008 Faulkner-Wisdom Novel Contest: Semi-finalist W & M
*2009 Elizabeth George Foundation Artistic Grant in Fiction Elizabeth George
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