Love
to Read Romance asked: What are some of your
favorite "southern things" and what are some of your least favorite
"southern things"??
This
question made me start giggling before I even began typing (Covers eyes here)!
There are so many things that I love about the South, but I will say that there
is some culture shock associated with moving to a different part of the
country.
I'm
going to break it down with the very politically correct "Southern
Challenges" (things I could live without) and "Southern Cheers"
(things I adore and don't want to live without).
Southern
"Challenges"
-
CRITTERS. There are so many creepy, crawly things in the South. On occasion,
I've found little green lizards in my laundry basket and bathroom (harmless),
stepped in fire ant piles (they bite and your skin swells up and itches like
crazy), snakes (do NOT wander into tall grass), and cockroaches (shiver,
squeal, stand on chair and call for husband).
-
THE HEAT. When I moved to Alabama, it was in July, with temperatures reaching into
the hundreds every day. At night, things might cool off a little, into the
nineties. Whew! The humidity melts makeup and wilts hair -- making it nearly
impossible to look feminine and fresh after about five minutes outside. The
solution: Don't go outside between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
-
HUNTER'S FOOD. To each his or her own, but there are some things I will not eat
or drink. Most of those include creatures that many men in the South like to
hunt: Squirrel, Rabbit, Dove, Pheasant, Deer, Frog Legs. I'll also throw in a
few much-loved snacks: Pork Rinds, Beef Jerky, and Boiled Peanuts. (Yes,
boiled. Many people love peanuts boiled, but they tend to be soft and a bit
soggy.)
-
SWEET TEA. I really, really have tried to like it. Friends of mine have recommended
trying it half and half (1/2 sweet tea mixed with 1/2 unsweetened tea). Didn't
help. I still can't drink it.
-
FOOTBALL. I have to pray that my husband doesn't read this post. In the South,
Football = Religious Experience. I found a sign (and almost bought it) that
says: We Interrupt This Marriage for Football
Season. Yes, that is my life from August until January. In Alabama, the
rivalry between college teams is so serious that babies are dressed in Auburn
or University of Alabama garb from birth and taught to say "War
Eagle" or "Roll Tide" before the age of two. While I really
enjoy sports, appreciate the value of athletics, and can applaud skilled
players and coaches, I do wish that the competition could be a bit less intense
and cutthroat.
-
TOLERANCE. Much has been done to promote acceptance of racial, religious, and
cultural differences, but there is still much work to be done.
Southern Cheers
-
THE FOOD. Oh, my goodness. The food. Where do I begin? The Deep South provides
an unbelievable array of delicious meal choices. When I first moved to Alabama,
a friend asked if I'd like to go to a "meat and three." (A what?) As
it turns out, a "meat and three" is a country-style restaurant which
features a "meat" of the day (fried chicken, pulled pork) and three
vegetables (creamed corn, friend okra, butter beans). Dessert is included and
consists of mouth-watering choices like Banana Pudding, Peach Cobbler, and
Pecan Pie. Pure heaven. All for less than six or seven dollars.
-
THE PEOPLE. No one is a stranger in the Deep South. Everyone waves, even when
passing by in a car or truck. On the sidewalk or in the grocery store, everyone
says hello. People ask about your day and expect you to answer. I had a flat
tire on a highway and a man stopped and fixed it for me, no questions asked.
-
MANNERS. Children, from the time they are able to speak, are taught to say,
"Yes ma'am," "No sir," "please," and "thank
you" to any and all
adults, not just family. This includes strangers, store workers, neighbors, etc.
And as young people and adults, those "ma'am" and "sir" are
still used with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, neighbors, and
all adults. It's a form of respect, and so reinforced that it becomes
automatic. Now, when I travel outside the South, it's jarring to hear children
who don't use manners and don't say "ma'am" or "sir."
-
THE WEATHER. After twenty years of snow and freezing cold October through May,
it's so wonderful to wake up to blue sky and sunshine during the winter months.
I do, however, miss snow at Christmas.
-
ARCHITECTURE. Traditional antebellum homes in the South are so gorgeous, with
their sprawling porches and elegant columns. We own a
one-hundred-and-eight-year-old home in a historic district with lovely heart
pine hardwood floors, tall ceilings, and sliding pocket doors. Our friends live
in adorable bungalows, regal plantation-style homes, and everything in between.
Each one is unique and special in its own way.
-
LITERATURE. Truman Capote (In Cold Blood). Rick Bragg (All Over But the
Shoutin'). Winston Groom (Forrest Gump). Mark Childress (Crazy in Alabama).
Joshilyn Jackson (Gods in Alabama). Fannie Flagg (Fried Green Tomatoes at the
Whistle Stop Cafe). Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird). Enough said. And this
past year, I've been lucky enough to meet Joshilyn Jackson (funny and real!),
Fannie Flagg (polite and lovely), and be in the same room with Harper Lee
(wow!) at the April 2012 Alabama Writers Symposium in Monroeville.
While
I miss many things about my hometown in Upstate New York, I also believe two
things:
1.
There is magic to be found in any town or city...sometimes, you just have to
look for it (or go find it yourself)!
2.
And, as long as your loved ones and friends are near, any place in the world
can be called "Home."
Check out Lauren's latest release... it is awesome!~
Dancing Naked in Dixie
Lauren Clark
Monterey Press
May 21st 2012
Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired.
With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.
Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?

The Deep South is the perfect setting for Lauren Clark’s novels; contemporary fiction sprinkled with secrets, sunshine, and surprises. Her heroines are real women with real obstacles in their lives; challenges that require strength, sacrifice, and personal growth. And while it’s convenient to have a prince charming on standby, Lauren’s heroines are capable of creating their own happily-ever afters–with brains, not beauty, saving the day.
A former TV anchor, Lauren is a reformed news junkie, non-reformed coffee drinker, and certified library geek. She loves the color pink, her Electra Townie bike, and any place she can see the ocean and stick her toes in the sand. Lauren adores her family, paying it forward, eight hours of sleep a night, homemade macaroni and cheese, and true-blue friends.
Find Lauren:
Website

Amazon Dancing Naked in Dixie
Barnes & Noble Dancing Naked in Dixie
Smashwords Dancing Naked in Dixie
Book Depository Dancing Naked in Dixie
It seems to me that the cheers outweigh the challenges. Always a good thing.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thank you for hosting Lauren today!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful when the good outweighs the bad.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds fantastic. Can't wait to read it.
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
I've always been wary of boiled peanuts and sweet tea, but you can't beat pulled pork!
ReplyDeletevitajex(at)aol(dot)com