Fall for Books - Story Spinners

STORY SPINNERS

The Golden Isles are a fertile breeding ground for creatives. Many artists, musicians, writers, and performers live here or visit regularly and find their inspiration sparked by its unique character, rich history, and natural beauty. Here, we take a closer look at some of these local and regional authors.

The “Rock Stars”

It may seem that starting this section with George Dawes Green is an odd choice, as this internationally celebrated author is closely tied to New York, where he founded the renowned not-for-profit storytelling organization The Moth in 1997. However, he’s a perfect place to begin: a champion of both the art & craft of true personal storytelling and independent bookstores. George grew up on St. Simons Island and has a deep affinity for Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Local and regional events and characters color the pages of his most recent novel, The Kingdoms of Savannah and it was George’s fond memories of nights spent on island porches that inspired The Moth to begin with.

Aptly dubbed “A Storyteller’s Storyteller” in an interview by local author James Calemine, George is indeed a first-rate raconteur. His tales capture you from the start, both the spoken word and what he has penned. George’s first novel, The Caveman’s Valentine, published in 1994, won the Edgar Award and became a motion picture starring Samuel L. Jackson. The Juror, released just a year later, was an international bestseller in more than 20 languages and was the basis for the Demi Moore-Alec Baldwin movie. Fourteen years later, his novel Ravens, set here in Brunswick, was chosen as one of the best books of 2009 by the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Daily Mail of London, and numerous other publications. Now, more than a decade later, George has returned to his South Coastal Georgia home with The Kingdoms of Savannah. The provocative page-turner is receiving much critical praise and has already been called an instant classic. Neil Gaiman described it as “the apotheosis of Southern Gothic Noir.” George brilliantly weaves a suspenseful and chilling tale that fits right in with Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

As for the spoken word, The Moth has taken on a life of its own, with the Peabody Award winning Moth Radio Hour and podcast. This year, inspired by its origin—stories shared on warm nights in Georgia as moths flocked towards the porch light and the stories—The Moth celebrates its 25th anniversary with its first-ever Pop-Up Porch Tour. A mobile porch towed by a Chevy Silverado is on the hunt for stories and storytellers, making stops throughout the South. They’ll be in Atlanta October 26-29. Learn more at themoth.org.

George was recently at Righton Books for the release of his book (thank you, Cheri!) and caught up with some old friends from the island, where he brought his Unchained tour back in 2012. He’ll be back on St. Simons as a guest of the Literary Guild on November 1. Reserve your seat on EventBrite and get ready to hear some stellar storytelling.

As James Calemine has already been introduced here, it’s only natural that we turn to this local author’s newest book next. Ghostland America, James’ fifth book, featuring stories and 100 photos taken over several decades in several Southern states, was released in July. Actor Brit Whittle’s review is spot on: “James Calemine is a born storyteller. Ghostland America is a lovely chronicle of a bygone era withered in time but somehow alive in every photograph.”

In 2017, South Magazine ranked Calemine among “Eleven of the Greatest Photographers in the South.” A prolific writer, his work has been featured in many regional and national publications. Ghostland America combines James’ skills beautifully and joins his prior compilation of fiction and photography, The Local Stranger. His two Insured Beyond the Grave books share essays, interviews, and dispatches from the 30+ years he’s spent chronicling some of America’s greatest artists, including Townes Van Zandt, The Georgia Sea Island Singers, Stanley Booth, Hunter S. Thompson, Steve Cropper, and many others. James’ work is always a revelation, sometimes factual, sometimes spiritual. Always worth the read. For more about James and to order his books and photos, visit jamescalemine.com.

In a similar vein, and from another talented photographer with a love of the music scene and eye for unique and off-the-beaten-track scenes, is Abandoned Coastal Georgia. This collection of artistic documentary photographs accompanied by meticulously researched history that reveal the hidden history of Georgia’s coast is the first published work by St. Simons Island resident Paul Meacham. You may recognize Paul’s excellent photography from social media pages for Abandoned Coastal Georgia or Coastal GA Travel or his PaulyRockPhoto concert photos. He might be best known locally as “Pauly on the Radio” though, for his job with Golden Isles Broadcasting. The book is priceless in preserving the visual legacy of many beautiful and historic Coastal Georgia sites, some which have already disappeared. It is now available at Righton Books and other local retailers or online. Paul recently did a book signing at Righton Books and a First Friday photo presentation at SoGlo Gallery, where he will return for a special reception on Sunday, November 6. Purchase a ticket to attend at soglogallery.com: $35 includes a copy of the book, $10 to attend without book. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Friends of Butler Island.

Earth Mothers

The Literary Guild of St. Simons will welcome award-winning author Kathy Bradley on October 6. Kathy is the author of Breathing and Walking Around and Wondering Toward Center. Her books have earned her the Georgia Author of the Year title twice, and now, she brings us a third, Sifting Artifacts.

She too appreciates the importance of stories, saying, “…And it was stories that led me to fall in love with words. Words in books, words on road signs, words spoken in the smooth southern accent of my people.” Her own words describe her work best: “For nearly 25 years I have written about the ordinary and the commonplace, framed through the lens of nature as I've observed it from, among other inspiring places, Sandhill -- a small house with a big heart located on the land my family has farmed for nearly 50 years. I have created that world in newspaper columns, magazine articles, speeches, and two books of what some have called parables and what I simply call glimpses of grace.” She adds, “Just glimpses because life moves fast and expectations are high and anything more than a glimpse would require a lot more stillness than I thought I could afford.” 

It's always a treat when Kathy visits. Find the Guild’s event on Eventbrite and reserve your spot to come enjoy some stories. For more about Kathy and her writing, visit kathyabradley.com.

Another South Georgia “farm girl” receiving accolades for her writing is Georgia Writers Hall of Fame member Janisse Ray. This talented writer, naturalist, and activist made an indelible impression with her bestselling first book, Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, a New York Times Notable. Her recent collection of nonfiction essays about wilderness and life, Wild Spectacle, ranges from Costa Rica to Alaska, and from South Georgia to the Southwest. It also earned her the Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence. Her nature writing often is compared to that of luminaries like Walt Whitman and Rachel Carson, and has won a staggering number of awards, including the American Book Award and Pushcart Prize. 

Janisse lives a simple, sustainable life on Red Earth Farm, near Savannah. She’s an organic gardener, tender of farm animals, slow-food cook, and family-time lover who is active in her local community. She’s no stranger to the Golden Isles and surrounding region, and recently gave a talk at Ashantilly Center. She’ll be on St. Simons Island for a Meet the Author Event on November 15 and hopefully we’ll hear about her new literary adventure: her first work of fiction! The Woods of Fannin County is based on a true story of eight children that vanished from a rented bungalow in Morganton, Georgia in 1945 and how they survived the years that followed. It’s a tale of resilience and hope that promises to be another brilliant work by Janisse. Be sure to reserve your seat on Eventbrite. For more about Janisse and her writing, visit janisseray.com.

Honoring History

Born and raised just three hours away in Sandersville, Georgia, Southern story author William Rawlings still lives on the family farm and practicing medicine there. While writing is an interest that developed rather late, William has published several novels in multiple genres. He says, “Unlike a number of other authors, I didn’t grow up with a burning desire to be a writer. But sometimes you have a story that just needs to be told, and so I hammered out my first book. To my great surprise, it was quite successful, and now writing occupies much of my free time.” 

William’s first five novels were commercially successful works of Southern suspense that earned positive reviews and interest from Hollywood. His September 2019 mystery set in Savannah, The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes, marked a return to that genre. 2023 will bring see a new novel of Southern suspense, featuring John Wesley O'Toole, the disbarred-attorney-turned-art-dealer protagonist of The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes. This will be the first of three new books in which O'Toole is the major character.

The more recent books have been non-fiction stories of Southern history. A Killing on Ring Jaw Bluff, is in part the story of an infamous 1925 murder, and in part a history of the crash of Georgia’s cotton economy in the 1920s. It was named Finalist in History for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards in 2014. His book The Second Coming of the Invisible Empire is a fascinating study of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. Rawlings went even further back into Southern history with The Strange Journey of the Confederate Constitution, an anthology of shorter pieces. He has taken on true crime in 2020’s Six Inches Deeper, about the 1972 Valdosta case regarding Hellen Hanks’ mysterious disappearance and subsequent trials, and again in his most recent book, The Columbus Stocking Strangler. Rawlings calls this half-century spanning account of the serial killer who terrorized the city of Columbus, Georgia in the late 1970s one of his most complex and complicated writing projects, adding “It's also one of the most fascinating, with unexpected twists and turns that rival those of a crime novel."

Of particular interest to local readers, especially in light of the St. Simons Island Lighthouse’s 150thbirthday, is William’s recent book, Lighthouses of the Georgia Coast. This illustrated history of the state's five existing lighthouses, important structures in Georgia's maritime and economic history, was awarded the Finalist in History honor for the 2022 Georgia Author of the Year Awards. 

William was recently here for a signing at Righton Books, but it’s not unlikely that we’ll see him on the island again soon. For updates and more about William’s books, visit williamrawlings.com. 

History is vibrantly brought to life through the unique lens of an art historian and world traveler when you pick up a book by local author Laura Morelli. This bestselling historical novelist earned her Ph.D. in art history from Yale University and turned from scholarly writing to spinning tales of fiction based in historical fact and authentic detail, earning numerous awards along the way. Laura also has a series of Authentic Arts guides to shopping for art, artisan works and more in France, Italy, Florence, Naples & the Amalfi Coast, and Venice that have enriched the experiences of many travelers over two decades. She is far from a stuffy historian and her novels paint such a vivid and engaging world, you’ll feel like you just stepped onto a gondola and are soaking in the beautiful surroundings.

Her novels include The Painter’s Apprentice and The Gondola Maker; The Giant: A Novel of Michelangelo’s David; The Night Portrait: A Novel of World War II and Da Vinci’s Italy; and The Stolen Lady: A Novel of World War II and the Mona Lisa. She recently completed The Last Masterpiece, which is scheduled to be released in May 2023. And somehow, between building a forever home on Sea Island, supervising renovations on other island family homes, making Zoom book-club appearances, managing other literary events and art history lectures in her Art History Academy, and making some time to travel, Laura is already working on her next historical fiction novel.

While Laura has no author events scheduled locally, hopefully we’ll get to see her in person when The Last Masterpiece comes out. In the meantime, she would be happy to talk to your book club via Zoom and also offers pre-recorded presentations. For more details about those options or to learn more about Laura and her books, visit lauramorelli.com.

Another historical fiction author that lives here in the Golden Isles is Kaia Alderson. A Spelman College and University of West Georgia aluma, Kaia’s passion is discovering “hidden figures” in African American women’s history. Sisters in Arms, her debut in the genre, reveals the untold, true story of the Six Triple Eight, the only all-Black battalion of the Women’s Army Corps, and the immense challenges they faced both within the bureaucracy and during their deployment overseas during World War II. These courageous women formed the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and made the dangerous voyage to Europe to ensure American servicemen received communications from their loved ones during WWII. Sisters in Arms was a July 2021 Book of the Month Club pick, a September 2021 Wall Street Journal Book Club pick, and November 2021 Literati/Stephan Curry’s Underrated Book Club pick. 

Kaia has also published romantic comedy and historical romance works, as well as a few comics and short stories. She doesn’t have any local author events scheduled at this time, but we’ll be keeping an eye out! Learn more about Kaia and her books at kaiawrites.com.

Stephen Doster was also raised on St. Simons Island and produces creative works that focus on Georgia and the Georgia Coast. A writer and oral historian, Stephen has produced works of both fiction, including The Jesus Tree and Lord Baltimore, and non-fiction works like the oral histories Voices from St. Simons and Georgia Witness. He is also the brave soul who made the first attempt to encapsulate the history of St. Simons Island in one video: Saint Simons 360. The well-crafted video takes you on a journey around the island and through time, visiting each of six distinct eras as well as historical events that continue to shape the island’s identity.

Stephen’s collaboration with photographer Benjamin Galland, Cumberland Island: Footsteps in Time, published by the University of Georgia Press, garnered them a 2021 Georgia Author of the Year award. Stephen adeptly takes the reader on a chronological journey, outlining the key events and influential inhabitants that have left their mark on this stretch of Georgia's coast, illustrated with stunning color and black-and-white photography and historical images in a beautiful and informative coffee table book. To read more about Stephen and see a full list of his creative works and purchase options, visit s.doster.com.

Galland and retired journalist Jingle Davis have collaborated on three similar books of illustrated history for the University of Georgia Press. 2013’s Island Time: An Illustrated History of St. Simons Island, received the Award for Excellence in Documenting Georgia’s History from the Georgia Historical Records Advisory. Island Passages: An Illustrated History of Jekyll Island in 2016 included commentary from June Hall McCash. Earlier this year, they released Following the Tabby Trail, Where Coastal History Is Captured in Unique Oyster Shell Structures. University of Georgia Press published Buddy Sullivan's 2017 collaboration with Galland: Sapelo: People and Place on a Georgia Sea Island. Known as the area’s foremost historian, Buddy has authored a multitude of other books about Coastal Georgia history. His most recent work is A Georgia Tidewater Companion, which contains observations about his 30 years as a historian.

While Jingle and Ben often make appearances at book signings for the Literary Guild and beyond, Buddy can be found doing lectures for the Coastal Georgia Historical Society as their Senior Historian. His winter Overview of Coastal Georgia History 6-part lecture series is very popular. This October, he’ll return to the Brunswick-Glynn County Library to present An Overview of Historic Brunswick: Our City by the Sea. Information at coastalgeorgiahistory.org and Eventbrite.

When we start delving into local history, there are far too many authors and books catalog here. A couple recent books that have not been mentioned are worth noting, however, and should be added to your shelf if you collect local history. The first is Gullah Geechee Heritage in the Golden Isles by St. Simons African American Heritage Coalition executive director Amy Lotson Roberts and Patrick Holladay. Another is Nick Doms’ From Millionaires to Commoners, The History of Jekyll Island State Park. Both of these titles can be found at our local bookstores and online.

The Sky’s the Limit 

2021 Georgia Author of the Year Taylor Brown was born in Brunswick and grew up on the Georgia Coast. He graduated from UGA, and has settled in Savannah following stints in Buenos Aires, San Francisco, and North Carolina. With his most recent historical fiction novel, Wingwalkers, he steps into the world of American literature’s “three kings:” Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner. This fascinating novel is one-part epic adventure, one-part love story, and one large part American history. The story follows the adventures of a husband-and-wife duo of Great Depression barnstormers who are funding their journey west by performing death-defying aerial stunts from town to town and intertwines them with the real-life exploits of author (and thwarted fighter pilot) William Faulkner. When their paths cross during a dramatic air show, there are unexpected consequences for all. “Brown has taken a tantalizing tidbit from Faulkner’s real life—an evening's chance encounter with two daredevils in New Orleans—and set it aloft in this fabulous novel. With scintillating prose and an action-packed plot, he has captured the true essence of a bygone era and shed a new light on the heart and motivations of one of America's greatest authors.” Garden & Gun placed Wingwalkers at the top of their 2022 Summer Reading List. 

Taylor is also the author of a short story collection, In the Season of Blood and Gold, as well as four previous novels: Fallen Land, The River of Kings, Gods of Howl Mountain, and Pride of Eden. He is the editor-in-chief of BikeBound.com, and his writing has appeared in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The Rumpus, Garden & Gun, Chautauqua, The North Carolina Literary Review, and many others. He and local photographer Ben Galland recently collaborated on “Ode to Blackwater Rivers,” a piece published in The Bitter Southerner. Taylor is the recipient of a Montana Prize in Fiction, and is a three-time finalist for the Southern Book Prize. He’s also been a finalist for the Press 53 Open Awards, Machigonne Fiction Contest, Wabash Prize in Fiction, Rick DeMarinis Short Story Contest, Dahany Fiction Prize, and Doris Betts Fiction Prize. If you haven’t read anything by Taylor, do yourself a favor and please do! For more about Taylor, his upcoming schedule, and his books, visit taylorbrownfiction.com.

Three-time Georgia Author of the year Pamela Bauer Mueller is a fixture in the local literary scene. This Jekyll Island resident is well-known for her historical works, mostly geared toward young adults, and the Kiska cat trilogy for children. Her books, Splendid Isolation, about the Jekyll Island Club; Neptune’s Honor, about King family slave Neptune Small; An Angry Drum Echoed, about “Queen of the Creeks” Mary Musgrove; and Water to My Soul, about “indigo girl” Eliza Lucas are some of her most popular works. Pamela publishes her books through her company Piñata Publishing (kiskalore.com). She is often a vendor at arts & crafts festivals and frequently speaks at schools, the Literary Guild, and other literary events.

Pamela’s most recent work, The Sky Is My Home, tells the story of Hazel Jane Raines, Georgia’s first female aviator. Raines dramatically broke through the constraints of traditional Southern womanhood to enter the exclusively male world of wartime aviation. As a daredevil “barnstormer” and stunt pilot, she left audiences gasping. Then she answered the nation’s desperate need for pilots during World War II, as one of the 25 Americana pilots recruited to serve as a ferry pilot with the RAF, helping turn the tide of battle in the skies, and changing women’s aviation status forever. Raines story is one of patriotism, the power of positive attitudes and the joys of flight. Pam wil be at Righton Books for a book signing on Saturday, October 15 from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Elena Harrison often catches attention in her role as teacher and founder of Golden Isles Belly Dance, but you may not know she is writer Lena Mikado. This fun-loving beauty has a fantastic story about her journey from growing up in Russia to a whirlwind romance that led to her marriage to husband, Chris, and home in the Golden Isles. She recounts the tale in her All the Colors of the Rainbow trilogy: A Journey to the Ocean, A Year in the Sky, and It’s All About Love. They’re humorous, quirky, and full of love, just like their author. Follow Lena on Facebook at Lena Mikado – Funny Books for Women and visit her website at lenamikado.com.

Another brave new voice has come out of the Golden Isles recently to share lessons learned on a personal journey: Kathy Brooks, founder of 2nd Story Goods. In Painfully Honest, this social entrepreneur and world traveler details her painfully honest journey to learning how our desire to help in a developing country or zone often ends up hurting because we are generally ignorant of the complexities there, and because we have believed the popular narrative about the people who live there. Kathy courageously accounts how she came to terms with her own ignorance and savior mentality, writing openly about her mistakes, which are both hilarious and heart-wrenching. These are authentic stories of a brave yet terrified woman who arrived in Gonaives, Haiti and built 2nd Story Goods, despite her blunders. Kathy’s inspiring tale is honest about personal faith and failures and shares a narrative of great and gentle hope. Her incandescent personality shines through in important lessons on learning respect, discarding pity, and embracing grace. The book is available at Wake Up Coffee and online at 2ndstorygoods.com.

Now we come full circle, introducing a woman who may need no introduction, because she is a cultural icon. Award-winning novelist, owner and founder of DownSouth Press, teacher, filmmaker, journalist, and podcast host Tina McElroy Ansa is first and foremost a storyteller. She has regularly appeared with The Moth, along with George Dawes Green and was part of its Unchained tour. She established the Annual Sea Island Writers Retreats on Sapelo Island in 2004 and has taken it on the road to Atlanta and beyond. 

Tina calls herself part of a writing tradition: “one of those little Southern girls who always knew she wanted to tell stories.” Growing up in Middle Georgia in the 1950s hearing her grandfather’s stories on the porch and strangers’ stories downtown in her father’s juke joint inspired her own stories and writing and the fictional Mulberry, Georgia of her books.

Tina’s novels Baby of the Family, Ugly Ways, and Taking After Mudear were all included in the Georgia Center for the Book’s annual lists of the “25 Books Every Georgian Should Read.” Among her numerous honors, Tina received an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Spelman College, the Stanley W. Lindberg Award for her body of work and contributions to the literary arts community of Georgia, as well as the National Book Club Conference’s Bebe Moore Campbell Memorial Award. She is a member of the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent at the Gwendolyn Brooks Center of Chicago State University.

With The Moth and its Unchained Tour, Tina has told her stories before audiences of more than 1,500 at shows at Town Hall in Times Square and at Cooper Union Hall in New York City and has been featured on “The Moth Radio Hour.” She has been a regular contributor to the award-winning series CBS Sunday Morning with her essays, “Postcards from Georgia,” filmed on location here on her home of St. Simons Island. To be honest, she’s always doing something somewhere and it’s hard to keep track of it all! 

What is Tina doing TODAY? She currently hosts the “2 Old Chicks Who Know a Lot of Sh*t” podcast with Wanda Smalls Lloyd. This dynamic duo recently won an NABJ Outstanding Book Award as editors of the essay collection, Meeting at the Table: African American Women Write on Race, Culture and Community. Keep up with Tina and find out what else she’s doing at DownSouth Press on Facebook and on downsouthpress.com.