{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:
Patti Osmus says
Southern to the bone! Born in Mt. Airy, NC and raised in Wingate, NC. Mt. Airy is the town Mayberry was based upon. Now live in Oklahoma. Oklahoma claims to be southern but my opinion is not so much!! Livermush, grits, country ham and red eye gravy, mustard greens, biscuits, and yes, sweet tea, although growing up I preferred unsweet, too. I work for the City of Stillwater, OK and boy did I get kidded about my accent when I first started 14 yrs ago. People would stop by my office “just to hear me talk”! When they hired another southern gal from Tennessee, they said it was so we’d each have someone to talk to that could understand what we were saying!! Bless ya’lls hearts.
Janet Price says
Well bless your heart…I’m from Louisisana and live in Alabama. I don’t drink sweet tea either!
Eleanor Jane says
Born and raised in Birmingham by two of the smartest people ever! Only moved north (to Huntsville)) when I married…a guy I finally connected with at (what else?) Training Union! At the University of Montevallo (Alabama College) we Baptists went to our church on Sunday morning for doughnuts (remember those?) and to another church on Sunday night because they served supper. Leslie certainly lives in a hot bed of writers in Fairhope. A friend and I took a group of lifelong learning friends to a camp called Beckwith between Fairhope and Gulf Shores. No luxury there, just like summer csmp, free canoes, swimming, etc. We planned the program around Southern writers in the area and we all had a blast! No W.E.B. Griffith but five lovely (and hilarious Southerners by choice) speakers. One of the speakers was Sonny Brewer (Cormac, The Poet of Tolstoy Park, The Sound of Thunder). One of our members was to introduce him and she politely asked him if he wanted to add anything to his bio and he told her “Say whatever you want”. Up she goes to the podium and says in a whisper “Bless his heart! Sonny had all the money he could ever want” and went on from there with an absolutely fictitious intro. Our audience is looking dismayed, checking the program sheet. I’m standing in the back frantically motioning for her to LOOK AT HER NOTES! Over to the side my friend Joyce is standing next to Sonny who is saying “That’s not me! I didn’t give ya’ll that!” A few moments more and she proudly announced “So let’s give a round of applause for Sonny Brewer! We all want to hear what he has to say!” Sonny steps to the podium and says “NONE of that is true! Why did you say that?” Whereupon Margail straightens her back and says primly “Well, you SAID I could say whatever I wanted” Sonny wound up having a great time and stayed very late talking to our members even though he was leaving in his little Mini-Cooper the next day to see about filming Tolstoy Park! What a fun time in the South!
Rhoda says
What a great story, Eleanor Jane (and your name is so, so Southern too!)
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
Camp Beckwith is a fun place. No frills but good memories. Glad you got to meet Sonny. He’s a local favorite.
Kellie Smith says
I am a true Southerner.. born here in NW Ga.. nothing like southern hospitality! Moved to Texas in 2014 for a short 1 1/2 yr… couldn’t wait to get in my car and drive back. .. nothing like home.. yes I grew up on sweet tea.. My grandmother probably had the sweetest you would have ever had! I sure do miss her & her sweet tea!
Jill Bottom says
I really need a good book to read since it is only 12 degrees outside here in Oklahoma!
Judy Pimperl says
Hi Rhoda! I am a Southern born girl, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to call Leslie Anne a friend. Hey Leslie Anne! Oh, and I don’t like sweet tea either! You two ladies keep up the good work!
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
Hey Judy! So glad to run into you here on Rhoda’s blog! Let’s stay in touch for your next market!
Susan says
Born, raised and still living in a small town in southwest Arkansas. The book sounds delightful and I can’t wait to read it! And, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of a southerner who doesn’t like sweet tea, Rhoda;)
Rhoda says
I know, it’s heresy! Ha!
Cindy in NC says
I was born southern and live in the same town I was born in. I love my grits (with sugar), sweet tea, porches, saying y’all comes natural. I would love to win the book, I do like good stories. Thx.
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
Sugar on grits? Maybe prayer would help.
Barbara Courson says
Southerner (suth’-er-ner) …gracious, easy-going slow-talking friendly folk devoted to front porches, oak trees, cool breezes, magnolias, peaches and fried chicken. (Author unknown) I’m originally from Mississippi but now live in Oklahoma, and, yes, I like sweet tea. Preferably McAlister’s.
Susan Honeycutt says
This book looks awesome 👏🏼I’m a So Cal San Diego gal turned southern living in No Tejas
Jane H. says
I’m a Midwesterner (southern Illinois) transplanted to the south. Well, I don’t know if you would really consider central Florida to be the true south. But that’s where I am now. I DO NOT like sweet tea but I LOVE stories about southern women!
Robin C says
Born in Missouri but got to retire in North Carolina so I’m a proud southerner and I can relate to some of the Southern snippets you’ve shared about the book. Sounds like a great read!
S Cudd says
I am a proud Southerner raised on sweet tea but now my drink of choice is water. Sure would love to read this book. If I am not a winner I will purchase it. Love your blog.
Lezlie Renee' Pipes says
Pick me, Pick me. I should win just because a use my two name, name! 😉 Lezlie Renee’ 😉
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
Double name = two points. Rebel for spelling of Lezlie = pricelsss!
Janice says
Well Bless Your Heart for this give a way about the book, i’m sure I would really enjoy some more southern humor.
I lived in the south when I was first married, we rented an upstairs apartment from the Tennessee senators parents way back in the 1960’s, our first apartment out from Nashville.
Then years later lived in Paducah Kentucky .
I do drink sweet tea and still love the south even though I live in the Show Me state now where it’s negative 20 degrees.
I always wanted to write a book about where all we traveled because of my husbands job, we moved all over the USA however everyone ask Where are You from? bec
Eleanor W. Craig says
I am Southern as the day is long, though living this season of life in NW Montana. I’d love to add another Southern book to my collection!
Linda says
I grew up in KY with sweet tea. I still love it !
Also loved the story of Doug…..HES so cute and glad he has a great home with you and your family and his ” sister “
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
Doug is curled up at this very moment on my bed, which usually I don’t allow, but since it’s so cold tonight, I’m letting him be my bed-warmer!
Lauren@SimplyLKJ says
I had heard a bit about Leslie Ann from Ron, Uptown Acorn. He visits Fair Hope quite often. And, I just found out my old neighbors moved in recent years from Huntsville to Fair Hope. Thinking I need to pay a visit there.
Well, I was born a Yankee…Queens NY, and grew up on Long Island. But at just 10 years of age the folks moved us to GA. When you are 10 and trying to fit in at a new school, you lose the northern accent real quick. I always say Sweet Tea and the South stole my heart. Now if I could only still drink tea! On my crazy sensitivity list.
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
That Ron is a joy. I’ve loved getting to know him. He and I love our hometowns and love giving each other recommendations on things to do and see. I have a great story in the book about my husband’s grandmother who grew up in New York. She was a doll but in shock when she moved with us to Alabama.
Marilyn says
Thank You for the opportunity to win this great book.
Marilyn
Joan says
Congratulations on this book.
Joan