Last time we recognized six authors and awarded them Oscars in various categories. This time we’ll do the same, but limit our attention to only southern authors.

Best Georgia Girl Makes Good
Mary Kay Andrews is the pen name of Kathy Hogan Trocheck. She’s a UGA grad who worked for the Journal-Constitution for many years and still lives in Atlanta. She first came to my attention in the nineties with novels under her real name. These were the Callahan Garrity books, mysteries centering on a cleaning service (basically you go to clean a fancy Atlanta house and find a dead body). These start with “Every Crooked Nanny” in 1992. Andrews took a different turn when she started writing under her pen name. These stories, beginning with “Savannah Blues” in 2002, became huge bestsellers. Since that time Andrews has done 18 novels. Many — but not all — fall into the category of “beach books.” They are fun, quick-moving, and often heart-warming.

Best Appalachian Folklore
Sharyn McCrumb, a North Carolina native, writes somber and touching stories set in rural Appalachia. She cares as much about the time and place as about people, because the history, customs, and folklore of the area are the factors that shape their lives. I’ve just finished “Prayers the Devil Answers,” about a Depression-era female sheriff in Tennessee who must carry out a hanging. Other favorites of mine are “She Walks These Hills” and “The Ballad of Frankie Silver.” Any title by McCrumb is worth a look, especially those featuring the character Nora Bonesteel.

Best Deep-South
Mystery Spinner
A writer of both short stories and novels, the late Margaret Maron gave us 20 books in the Judge Deborah Knott series, starting with “Bootlegger’s Daughter” in 1992. Her plotlines are steeped in the traditions of southern families. I recently re-read “Uncommon Clay,” which deals with the simmering rivalries of several pottery crafters. In it you can probably learn just enough about throwing pots to realize why the old ways make for such beautiful, collectible pieces.

Best Arkansas/Mississippi Boy Makes Good
Ask anyone to name a writer of legal thrillers and you’ll most likely hear John Grisham. Gris- ham has exposed the seamy underbelly of the practice of law for three-plus decades. He earned his degree from the University of Mississippi, practiced trial law there for years, even served for a time in the Mississippi House of Representatives. So a huge number of his stories take place in (surprise) Mississippi. His second novel, “The Firm,” has sold over seven million copies to date and became a blockbuster movie with Tom Cruise. I could go naming his bestsellers, but instead I’ll just say if you have an interest in the law — in both its positive and negative incarnations — don’t forget about Grisham’s fast-moving stories.

Best Alabama Girl Makes Good
I remember Fannie Flagg from a morning talk show from Birmingham, Alabama. Even then you could tell she was meant for bigger things. Actress, comedienne, game show participant, and of course writer, all followed. She’s best known for “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.” In 2020 she published a much-later sequel to this title called “The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop.” Even though some are not set in the South, all her books are humorous, insightful, and most of all, life-affirming. Try “I Still Dream About You,” “Redbird Christmas,” and “Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven.”

Now for a few honorable mention nominees from the South. Try Susan Wittig Albert (Southwest, herbal medicine), Joshilyn Jackson (the earlier works, not the last two broody psychological ones), Karen White (extrasensory perception set in Charleston), Charles Frazier (historical fiction), and Carl Hiaasen (zany Florida shenanigans).

Happy reading!

Kaye West recently retired from the Henry County Library System. She enjoys reading, taking daily walks, and spending time with friends.  She lives in McDonough with her husband.