Why did I get up last night to cut a hole in a cardboard box and tape sparkly pipe cleaners to the outside as an antenna? Well, it’s partly because I have spare cardboard boxes (due to lots of Localist book deliveries) and because I always welcome a chance to […]
Less than six months ago, I sat on my porch and came up with an idea for a book tour — I thought I’d get on a train in New Orleans, take Amtrak all the way to New York, and stop in bookstores along the way for book signings and […]
When I think of literary Boston, I picture historical figures like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow roaming the streets with walking sticks and bowler hats, admiring the buildings and the parks and thinking deep thoughts. I’m pretty sure that image isn’t accurate anyway (I’m 99% sure […]
The Turner House is the story of a big family struggling to connect after they’ve grown up and (mostly) moved out of the family home. It’s well-written and realistic, and you can read my review of The Turner House over at BookPage. This book was a review copy, which means […]
Last week, the Localist book tour took me around Pennsylvania — to Doylestown, Manayunk (in Philly) and Frenchtown (which is actually in New Jersey) in particular. I’ve been to Philly’s Old City before (and loved it — as any history geek/patriotism junkie would), but I didn’t know how many wonderful […]
It’s not every day you have the opportunity to step into the pages of a book, but next Saturday, if you live in Birmingham, you can — Chris Bennett, a.k.a. Forager Man, a.k.a. the author of Foraging the Southeast, is offering a class on foraging, and he still has spots […]
If you look at my Instagram, you’ll see me smiling and posing, hopping from coffee shop to bookstore to bar, speaking in front of groups at bookstores to promote The Localist book like it’s no big deal. Here’s a secret, though: It is a big deal. I’m naturally shy and […]
At the beginning of this year, I had an idea that I made into a resolution — I designed 30 Days of Local Praise as a way to spotlight a new locally owned Birmingham business every day for a month. I wanted to share my favorite local shops and restaurants […]