Literary Friday, Edition 66

Guest Post & Giveaway for “The Sassy Belles” 

Our celebration of summer reading continues this month with a guest post by by “The Sassy Belles” author Beth Albright about her hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A former star on soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” Albright kicked off her new career as a writer with her first book this summer. “Wedding Belles” is second in the trilogy, with a third book, “Sleigh Belles,” to be released in September. Find out why Albright will always call Alabama home – it’s more than just the kudzu, Crimson Tide and Piggly Wiggly – and comment on her post today for the chance to win a copy of “The Sassy Belles.” (If you’ve already commented, then you’re entered to win.) One winner will be chosen at random on Monday.

Literary News & Blogs 

“True Blood” is the subject of the first-ever ebook to feature a private sale to a targeted audience. Published by Riverdale Avenue Books and written by Paula Conway, “Throw A True Blood Party: An Unofficial Guide to Partying with Your Favorite Vamps” celebrates vamps, tramps and all things deadly and is packed with deals on products ranging from makeup and clothing, to furniture and food. There’s even a custom-made black crystal chandelier and garlic candles.

Kathryn Stripling Byer has won the 2013 Southern Independent Booksellers Association Award for her poetry collection, “Descent.” Byer was North Carolina’s first female poet laureate. We featured her book in April for National Poetry Month, along with her poem  “Gone Again,” about her feelings for Scarlett O’Hara. 

Anyone curious about the gold cross featured in Tennessee Williams’ play “Night of the Iguana” can now see the original worn by the playwright’s grandfather, an Episcopal minister, in the playwright’s hometown of Columbus, Mississippi. The Victorian cross decorated with an amethyst is now on display in the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center on Main Street in Columbus as part of the Tennessee Williams Tribute, scheduled for September 3-8.

Support a Little Free Library Project in Winston, Salem, North Carolina, on Kickstarter through August 30. To be constructed by Sarah Maxey, the library would be the first registered Little Free Library in her area and would be a hub for sharing books new and old.

The Huffington Post has photos from the Hemingway Look-a-like Contest in Key West, Florida, that was part of the author’s birthday celebration there last month.

Speaking of Florida, making Book Riot’s list of The 10 Most Talked About Books of 2013 are “Tampa” by Alyssa Nutting and “Vampires in the Lemon Grove” by Karen Russell.

Book Riot also has Wilton Barnhardt’s “Lookaway, Lookaway,” on its Five Books to Watch For in August. Since the book is one of our summer reading picks, we’ve got an author interview and review coming up soon.

Literary Events 

Recap: On July 24, the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, hosted a party for Zelda Fitzgerald’s birthday. “Superzelda” author Tiziana lo Porto served as special guest, and cake, punch and wine were served. Get a glimpse of the revelry and lo Porto talking to the crowd below.

An exhibit at Southside Gallery in Oxford, Mississippi, celebrates two of William Faulkner’s works with art by printmaker Boyd Saunders through Saturday.

Flat Rock Playhouse presents “World of Carl Sandburg” and “Rootabaga Stories” through August 10 at the Sandburg Home Amphitheater located on the grounds of the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site outside Hendersonville, North Carolina.

The AJC Decatur Book Festival is scheduled for Labor Day weekend, August 30-September 1, in Decatur Georgia. In addition to Friday night’s keynote address by Congressman John Lewis, other special guests this year include Clyde Edgerton, inaugural poet Richard Blanco and some of our summer reading authors like Karen White, Wendy Wax, Claire Cook and Mary Alice Monroe. The festival has also announced a wide range of programming for children and the largest and most diverse LGBT track lineup in the festival’s history. Stay tuned for a full story with all the festival details coming soon!

Many of the authors on our Summer Reading List have booksigning events coming up. See our Summer Booksignings Calendar to find out if they’ll be in your town.

New in Southern Voice 

Winter in Louisiana, a poem about the heat, always the heat, by Robert D. Bennett.

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