Literary Friday, Edition 51

Announcements

April is National Poetry Month, and we’ll be posting a poem a day through April 30. To read this week’s poems, visit our Southern Voice section. You’ll also notice the ad for Barry W. North’s chapbook “Terminally Human” on the righthand side of the site. Please support Barry, a New Orleans native, this month by checking out his book. And to find out more about National Poetry Month, click here.

Texan Melinda McGuire is currently accepting entries for a second anthology of “Rich Fabric,” a compilation of stories about quilting. Stories, poems, memoirs, essays and black and white photos that feature the culture, symbolism and tradition of quilting will be considered. E-mail Maguire at [email protected] to submit, and deadline is July 1.

Literary News & Blogs

In case you’ve been living under a rock or maybe just a really large crystal chandelier, the new movie version of “The Great Gatsby” comes out May 10. Architectural Digest released photos and details on the movie’s lavish sets this week, while the HuffPo ran six character posters used in marketing for the movie.

And here’s the new trailer for the movie:

Karen Dalton-Beninato’s piece for The Huffington Post titled Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival Rocks. That is All. offers a play-by-play of the stellar festival held last month.

Patti Callahan Henry’s “And Then I Found You” has been chosen as She Reads’ April book club selection. A fresh, new voice in Southern fiction, Henry’s latest book is about a woman with a secret who must confront her past.

In a feature we wish we had thought of ourselves, She Reads is also pairing its book club selections with wine this year. Find out what vintage goes with Rita Leganski’s “The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow.“

Branson, Missouri’s Gone With the Wind Museum recently closed, but fans can view and purchase some of the museum’s collection online, including San Francisco Music Box figurine items, dolls, Scarlett and Rhett salt and pepper shakers, ornaments, games and more.

Speaking of “Gone with the Wind,” our travel story this month goes inside Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast in Covington, Georgia, the model for Ashley Wilkes’ home in the movie and recently opened to the public for the first time.

Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi, has been named the No. 1 bookstore in America by Publisher’s Weekly. Here’s what John Grisham had to say about it: “I love the place. When you walk in the front door you can smell books.”

Tony Award-winning actress Amanda Plummer will return to the New York stage to play to appear in the Off Broadway premiere of Tennessee Williams’ “Two-Character Play.” Loosely based on Williams’ relationship with his sister, Rose, the play features a brother and sister forced to perform for an audience after their own acting troupe deserts them.

Literary Events 

Featured: In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton, Georgia, is hosting “Return to Turnwold” starting on April 7, offering tours of the plantation where Joel Chandler Harris worked and first heard his critter stories. Tours will be offered on Sunday afternoons through April 28 and led by Jim Marshall, noted Eatonton and Putnam County historian. Ticket price is $15, and all tours depart from the museum at 2 p.m. A special 50th anniversary Sunday event will be held at the museum on April 21, when tours will depart instead at 3:30 p.m.

The New Orleans Museum of Art and Ralph Brennan’s Cafe are hosting the inaugural Edible Book Day today starting from 5-9 p.m. Cakes from amateur and professional chefs have either been inspired by a book, incorporate the text of a book into the decoration or look like a book. Judging will be followed by cake tips and a tasting from Brennan’s Executive Pastry Chef Brett Gauthier at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public with the standard $10 entry price to the museum.

The Birmingham Public Library’s popular Bards & Brews series returns to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens tonight with live poetry performances, music and craft beer from Cahaba Brewing, starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Tennessee Williams Tribute Committee presents “Kingdom of Earth,” the original title of Williams’ “Seven Descents of Myrtle,” through 13 at the Old Alford Drug Co. in Columbus, Mississippi.

Beaufort, South Carolina’s Intergalactic Storytelling Festival and Liars Competition takes place April 11-4 at the town center. Click here to read our article “Shooting the Breeze in Beaufort” about the festival.

Oconee Community Theatre will present To Kill a Mockingbird April 12-14 and 19-21 in Seneca, South Carolina, as part of its 2012-2013 season.

The Festival of Words will hold a fundraiser April 13 at Cite Des Arts in Lafayette, Louisiana, with a showing of the new film “Ferlinghetti A Rebirth of Wonder,” beat poetry performances and a silent auction.

University of Central Florida will hold its annual UCF Book Festival April 13 at the UCF Arena. Authors include Kimberly Brock, Jon Dos Passos Coggin, Michael Morris, Patti Callahan Henry, Holly Goddard Jones, Erika Marks, Wendy Wax and lots more.

The Mobile Writers Guild will host an open mic in honor of National Poetry Month on April 18 at Serda’s Coffee on Royal Street in Mobile, Alabama. Registration isn’t required, and poets are advised to arrive and sign up between 5-6 p.m.

The Kentucky Writers Conference in Bowling Green will be held April 19, with the Southern Kentucky Book Fest held the following day.

The Alabama Book Festival will be held April 20 in Montgomery, with a focus on books about food. So far, authors include Sonny Brewer, Michael Morris and Peggy Allen.

The International Biscuit Festival’s Southern Food Writing Conference will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee, May 16-17. As of yesterday, 58 tickets were left. Click here to register.

Harper Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, starts its annual performances of To Kill a Mockingbird April 18 at the Old Courthouse Museum. Shows run Thursday through Sunday, ending May 18.

New in Southern Voice

Today’s poem is Cross-Pollination by Rachael Evans, who left her heart in Louisiana several years ago.

To find out more about Southern authors’ haunts and hangouts, download the Deep South Literary Trail App, now available direct from iTunes and for Android.