{Giveaway is Closed} The winner is Susan from NC!
I’ve met so many fascinating, talented and creative women since I started blogging all those years ago. One of them is Leslie Anne Tarabella, who is as Southern as I am and lives in Fairhope, AL. I’m trying to remember when we first met and it’s been in the last 4 years, I think when she came here to Georgia for a visit and we got together with another mutual friend (who Leslie Anne introduced me to via email, if I remember right). She was longtime friends with Rachel, who I’ve shared here on the blog with her beautiful Victorian house off the Marietta Square, the Trammell House. I’ve shared the Trammell House two times, so check this one out too. Leslie Anne lived in Marietta for many years with her husband and then they moved closer to home in Fairhope, AL.
{the 3 of us 4 years ago touring another local house: me, Leslie Anne, and Rachel, 2 of the most charming Southern girls I know!}
So, back to when I first met Leslie Anne online. She used to use a fake name when she left comments on my blog, because she was nervous about putting her real name out there. She started her blog, Fairhope Supply Co. several years ago and when she would visit from the blog and leave a comment, I think she called herself Hope. I thought that was hilarious once I found out her name wasn’t really Hope. It wasn’t until years later that she finally started using her real name and I got to know her as Leslie Anne. She’s so cute and witty and a great writer. I’ve met up with her in Marietta and Fairhope and always have fun with her. It’s no wonder that her book is entertaining and funny too, since Leslie Anne is such a happy positive Southern gal!
Leslie Anne has been writing her blog for over 5 years and she’s also a contributor to AL.com and her blog is filled with her Southern stories about home, family, church, and more. Leslie Anne says she’s an accidental author after her blog was discovered and she was asked to be a newspaper writer. The book is a compilation of her most popular blog posts and columns, with witty stories and fun anecdotes.
On a side note, I have to ask her though if she makes up these Southern names woven through her stories. Southerners are known for their 2 name handles, but some of hers are a little suspect. There’s Great Aunt Vina-Mae, cousin John-Jack, Rosie Belle, Billy Mac, and many more. I have to get to the bottom of these Southern styled names! Are they for real? I honestly don’t know anyone with names like this. But Leslie Anne has a fun way with words and you’ll enjoy her short stories.
Leslie Anne and her rescue dog, Doug. Go read the Doug story, it’s cute! She has another dog, a beagle named Lois Lane.
There’s a whole section on Our Charming Southern Ways….oh how fun these are! I relate so much to these Southern ways, since my family is Southern to the bone too. From Are Southern Women Prettier to Humidity Threatens our Crowning Glory, these humorous Southern anecdotes will have you chuckling along and nodding your head, especially if you’re Southern too.
The other book sections involve our Precious Southern Families, Our Darling Southern Manners, Our Delicious Southern Food, and our Divine Southern Churches. And by the way,Leslie Anne married a guy from New Jersey and calls him her Yankee husband.
If you’re Southern (or even if you’re not, you’ll enjoy Leslie Anne’s cute and witty book. She does have a Fannie Flagg style of writing, with humor and hilarity. It’s definitely a feel good book that will have you smiling as you’re being entertained with words. She reminds me a bit of the old newspaper columns here in Atlanta and two of my growing up favorites, Lewis Grizzard and Celestine Sibley. I loved reading their columns in the newspaper when I was young and looked forward to their columns every single week. They are both gone now.
From Leslie Anne’s blog….Although my viewpoint is from my life in a small Southern town, I’ve learned that people everywhere love their families, dogs, good food, God and a good story . . . not necessarily in that order, of course.
If you’re in Birmingham, Leslie Anne will be signing books at Barnes and Noble at The Summit at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feburary 17th, so mark your calendars!
Here’s a little snippet from the book about being Southern:
Some folks call themselves Southern just because of where they were born or where the moving van dropped them off. Others know they are Southern because the South lives within them. You can see the sparkle in their eyes when they see a friend walking they way or someone mentions a fish fry with hushpuppies and grits or suggests, “Let’s go out and sit on the porch.” The answer is never “I’m watching my cholesterol,” or “It’s too hot.”
Rachel and Leslie Anne’s friend, Beth, hosted a really nice book signing party in Marietta before Christmas and Mark and I went. It was so fun to meet Judy (above right) who is a faithful reader of Leslie Anne’s and my blog. Hi, Judy, great to see you that night. She was so sweet!
Rachel set out a beautiful spread of food in her dining room and it was such a fun night. You can see I was noshing on the goodies in this pic.
Back to the book….you’ll also hear a few Bless Your Hearts along the way. I also see on Leslie Anne’s blog that she’s not a fan of sweet tea either…just like me. I get the strangest looks when I tell people I don’t drink sweet tea. Like how in the world could I possibly be a real Southern girl?! For some reason, when I was growing up in a house that had sweet tea in the fridge at all times, I just never acquired a taste for it and never did drink it. I see some of you mentioned peach tea and oh my yes, I love some peach tea. Totally different flavor!
Today I’ve got an extra copy to give away of Leslie Anne’s book, so please leave a comment below and I’ll choose a random winner in a week to send the book to.
Tell me where you are from and if you are Southern or Northern (or Midwestern or from the West Coast) and what do you all think about the South? If you’re Southern, I know you’re proud to be a Southerner, but it’s fun to hear what the rest of the country thinks! And while you’re answering, do you drink sweet tea?
Leave a comment to be eligible to win the book!
If you’d like to order the book, you can find it here:
Tennessee Southerner here sipping on some sweet tea and enjoying your blog post! I’ve been drinking sweet tea as long as I can remember. My husband does not enjoy the taste but both of my sons do. I faithfully read your blog and enjoy your decorating style.
When you compared Leslie Ann to Lewis Grizzard, to me that as the highest compliment ever! I am from the south in east Tennessee and but moved to the deep south in Atlanta and Montgomery and now live with a whole lot of Yankee neighbors in NC! We have turned down many promotions that would require a move out of the south….just can’t do it..yes I do love sweet tea, have a list of funeral foods that I cook as needed, my children were dressed with monograms……and I do have a real life double name…Carol Ann….and so does my granddaughter!
Am I southern? I think I am. I was born in Kansas into an Air Force family and so I spent my early years all over the place. My father retired and we moved back to Smyrna (he was stationed at Dobbins when I was in the 6th grade) in time to begin my senior year in high school. I’ve lived Cherokee County since 1978 and love this north Atlanta semi rural lifestyle! My speech is definitely southern and according to my Kansas relatives, I have an accent. And I enjoy half and half tea. Growing up in a household with unsweet tea, sweet tea is a little too sweet for me. Peach tea is the best!
I was born and raised in the rose capital, Tyyyyyyler, Texas. Due to having to work for a living I am currently work in Houston and I live in one of the largest growing/diverse areas outside of Houston. (sigh)… I still have my East Texas twang and I am sure I am viewed as quite the oddity down here amongst all the interesting cultures and millenials haha. I discovered your blog last fall and have truly enjoyed binge reading whenever possible. Visiting the country of deep east Texas is very similar to your neck of the woods. People in Tyler are just so sweet and cordial. I miss the Football Friday night lights, drinking ‘cokes and sweet tea’, going to church, gardening, eating fresh veggies and enjoying life’s simple pleasures. We don’t miss the water ’til the well goes dry.
Thank you for writing and sharing your life so freely.
Cathy T.
I, too, am a Southern girl to the core…and I also married a Yankee husband! We had to burn his New York Giants football jersey in the barbecue pit when we got married! This book would be a great read and such fun as I’m sure I can relate to many of the stories.
I was born in a wide spot in the road in West Alabama called Winfield and I am Southern through and through. My parents lived in the same house until I was in college. Everyone in town knew who you were and what car you drove so you better not be anywhere you weren’t supposed to be!
I drink sweet tea all day long to this day, but it is sweetened with Splenda now instead of sugar. I was a huge fan of Lewis Grizzard and Celestine Sibley as well. I have books from both of them. Lewis Grizzard’s book titles are great for Charades – “If Love Were Oil, I’d Be a Quart Low” is a favorite. I look forward to reading Leslie Anne’s book!
I consider myself Texan (Ft. Worth) first and Southern second. I also have an Uncle Billy Mac and an Aunt Minnie Bell. No on the sweet tea. Like mine unsweetened. Love your blog!
I have always lived in Alabama and can’t think of living anywhere outside of the south. Love reading books about the south from people who truly understand the south! My niece is a majorette at her high school in Shelby County (Alabama) and it’s fun to see how the costumes have changed over the years. We so enjoy Friday night high school games and watching her at half-time. Hope to make the Barnes & Noble signing in February! And love me some peach tea!
I grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas, and I still live in the area. Yes, I’m a proud upland Southerner. In my much younger days, I was a majorette, too. I was raised on sweet tea, and I loved it. As I got older I acquired a taste for unsweetened tea.
I live what you have done. Love to read but this is a great book. Love anything about the south. My favorite teas are peach and blackberry
Thanks so much for this opportunity to win a copy of your dear friend’s book! I have a good friend who was a drum majorette at some point in her life growing up in Charleston. She has been living in south Florida now and has do many great stories of her life as a “GRITS GIRL”. She’s a fantastic cook and learned all she knows from her Mammaw who had a restaurant in Charleston when she was growing up. My friend has a birthday coming up and I was just thinking I have to find THE perfect gift to celebrate all the parts of Bev that I love! Thanks so much god sharing!
Hi, Joanne, sorry but the book giveaway is closed, this post is a couple years old.