Longleaf Style Magazine

Spring 2010

2010-03-01T13:46:00.003-08:00

Winter 2009/2010

2010-01-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

Winter is upon us the season of furious studying, big celebrations, followed by the comfort of hibernation. Bears have it right not that you have to withdraw to a cave, but every living thing does need some down time: time to think and to refresh the senses.

We don't really think much about having "senses" though we depend on them to give us the full measure of our lives. Imagine living without hearing music, without ever seeing the sunset, or without savoring the delicious shock of ice cream.

These sensations are integral to living, so much so that when one is lost, we desperately seek to replace it. Think of the amputee back from Iraq, still "feeling" in his brain the phantom sensation of bending the knee, and struggling every day to regain mobility using prosthetic limbs.

The life of the legendary Helen Keller is a source of inspiration to everyone. Pictured on our cover is the beautiful new statue honoring her in the U.S. Capitol, reminding everyone who passes that courage, determination, and a compassionate teacher can overcome what seemed a hopeless life deprived of the fruits of fully engaged senses.

All of the senses originate in the brain, that mysterious seat of both the concrete and the ethereal. I guess it would be fair to say that in this issue we've tried to consider both. As usual, we have an overall theme, and we've attracted some very interesting writers to examine each concrete sense. As for the ethereal, those feelings that aren't specific to one of the five senses, there's plenty of that in the story of life and death experiences.

Longleaf award winner John Fleming tells a harrowing tale of being an eyewitness to death and new contributor Christian George brings a fresh voice, countering with a story of the life-after-death experiences of Don Piper and Bill Weise.

We continue the Longleaf tradition of welcoming new writers: Lulu Buffett, who needs no introduction to Gulf Coast regulars, Joan Chrissos, food writer at the Miami Herald, and Nicholas Sparks, whose dozens of books and films have touched audiences the world over. Managing Editor Theresa Shadrix gives us a visit with the irrepressible Rick and Bubba who represent the ephemeral "sense of humor."

And we have our old friends Sherry Kughn, Lisa Berryhill Worsham, and Loyd McIntosh, further illustrating the power of the senses. Last, (but not least!) Longleaf's double award winner, Brandt Ayers, joins up with our friend Daniel Wallace of Big Fish fame, Mike Stedham, and Pat Kettles in a whole section of "nose" stories, which will give you a new perspective on the effects of the proboscis in life, wine, and music. And football.

We hope this exuberance of reading will enliven your hibernation and heighten your senses, bringing you back to Longleaf for our "Adventure" issue in the Spring.

Josephine Ayers, Editor-in-Chief

Fall 2009: Myths

2009-09-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Fall 2009 issue is in!

Summer "Roots" Issue

2009-06-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

Here in the south, family is a popular topic of conversation. “Who’re your people?” is an almost universal greeting, trailing closely the OTHER important question, “What church do you go to?” But when we speak of “roots”, we’re really talking about beginnings of things, usually the beginnings of things important to our families, our communities, and us.

We have stories of many beginnings, starting with the Longleaf pine and continuing with subjects as varied as farming, Southern food, rail transportation, and our own origins - but this is NOT Darwinian! It’s all about curiosity, a favorite trait at Longleaf.

If you’re curious about the Longleaf region, you’ll find a lot to think about when you read Bill Garland’s account of the life of a longleaf pine. It’s a compelling story of a 300-year journey, a single tree bearing witness to our history.

And do you remember Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book Roots, published in 1976? The saga of his search for his family history awakened a deep interest in genealogy and the stories passed down through generations that enrich our sense of family and home. You will be fascinated by Markeshia Ricks’s account of Chris Haley’s memory of his uncle, the book,and the mini-series.

John Fleming introduces us to Jean Baptiste Baudrau II, the dashing scoundrel with whom hundreds along the Gulf Coast claim ancestry. That so many seek proof of familial ties to Jean Baptiste suggests that we’re all secretly proud of the scoundrels in our family tree.

Longleaf continues to attract outstanding writers with extensive Southern connections. In this issue we have two Pulitzer Prize-winners; of course, there’s our hometown boy Rick Bragg, who introduces a beautiful section of memories of home. And we are pleased to welcome a new friend of Longleaf Style, Diane McWhorter, who writes about her native Birmingham today. Diane is the author of Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama—The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution which won a Pulitzer Prize in 2002.

This “home” section is completed with a very personal memory by Edith Alston, Anniston native and former living editor of The Anniston Star. Her mother, Cornelia Alston, the subject of this issue’s excerpt from Edith’s book-in-the-works, Pickups, was society editor at The Star in the 40s and 50s.

What would an issue about “Roots” be without reference to Southerners’ obsession with good food? Nathalie Dupree, the noted food writer and television personality from Charleston shares her wit and wisdom–and some prized recipes–and answers the intriguing question “Just what is Southern food?” And where does much of that fresh food come from? Deirdre Long, The Anniston Star entertainment editor, gets to the roots of farming and the modern trends in cooking “local.”

Along with the exciting new writers in Longleaf, some of our outstanding “repeaters” are here also: Bob Davis with the scurrilous beginnings of the railroad’s route into Anniston, and Brett Buckner on noted wood artist Dale Lewis. Loyd McIntosh shares one man’s journey to finding his Cherokee roots and Sherry Kughn introduces readers to a new collection of Native American artifacts on display at the Oxford Public Library. Last, but certainly, not least, the inspiration for the “Roots” issue, the heartwarming story of her search for a co-worker’s birth family is recounted by managing editor Theresa Shadrix.

So, there are many beginnings for you to savor–but before you dig in to the magazine, celebrate with us the great news for Longleaf Style. We’ve won a Silver and two Bronze awards, plus an honorable mention, from the Magazine Association of the Southeast. We’re enjoying the applause, but it makes us even more determined to produce a better product! Give us your feedback and help us to spread our wings.

Josephine E. Ayers
Editor-in-Chief

Spring Issue

2009-03-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Spring issue of Longleaf Style is in stores now! The theme for this issue is "Collections".

Features
Antique Roadshow by Loyd McIntosh
The Chaos of Montebrier by John Fleming
"Gone With the Wind" Guru by W. Winston Skinner
Margaret Mitchell by Sherry Kughn
"Nyet!" to "Gone With the Wind" by Tatyana Kudriatseva
Collecting Comics by Jason Odom
Dr. Dennis Pappas by Sherry Kughn
Collecting Wine by Pat Kettles
Collecting the "Big Five" by Morgan Silvers
Why I don't Collect by Harvey H. Jackson
Cuisine
Cupcake Obsession by Meg Weidner
Arts
Phillip Simmons's Gates by Mary Eloise H. Leake
Library
"Spit, Scarey Ann and Sweat Bees" by Kathryn Tucker Windham
"Collections of Nothing" by Theresa Shadrix
(be)Scene
Click here for full gallery of the Anniston Revelers' Krewe

We welcome your comments about Longleaf Style.

Southern Fried Bigfoot update

2009-02-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

In Chasing Bigfoot, the story I wrote for the fall 2008 issue, I interviewed Sean Whitley, producer of "Southern Fried Bigfoot". Sean emailed me today with news the documentary about the "skunk apes, boogers, and wildmen" rumored to prowl the swamps and bottomlands of the Southern US, will have its broadcast premiere on April 13, 2009 on The Documentary Channel, carried by DISH Network, at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central. The DVD will also go on sale on DOC's online store around the same time.

I've seen the documentary and it is very interesting because he really looks at all sides, from the chasers to the skeptics. So, mark your calendar, program your TIVO or post a sticky note on your fridge to remind you about the show!

Blessings,
Theresa Shadrix

Odd Eggs

2009-02-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

This is my post for the Southern Authors blog.

By Theresa Shadrix

The spring of 1939 was the perfect time for dreaming in Alabama.

The south was hypnotized by Margaret’s Mitchell’s book Gone with the Wind and with the movie premier later that year in December, Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh would become southern royalty.

Even with the depression and looming war, folks were optimistic.

Classrooms were filling up with students wanting to learn reading, writing and arithmetic.

Farmers were preserving crops by refrigeration.

Industry was booming.

It was the ideal atmosphere for a 21-year-old dreamer.

While most of her friends were setting up house or pursuing careers as nurses and teachers, one young woman set out to become a real newspaper reporter.

Sure, she’d written movie reviews for her cousin’s paper in Thomasville as a pre-teen and the clicking of typewriters in the newsroom held her captive since before puberty.

While other girls played with dolls, she played with wooden type cases and learned to set headlines.

But, just because she had been a shadow in the newsroom, it didn’t make her a real reporter.

In 1939, fresh out of college, she was armed the achievement as class valedictorian of her high school and a degree when she walked into The Montgomery Advertiser for her first job interview.

She felt confident, sure of herself and at home.

After all, the Advertiser newsroom was the incubator of her childhood companions – the words of newspapermen like Grover Hall, Max Moseley and Atticus Mullin.

But, on this spring day in 1939, the dream of this young woman would begin with a compliment and end with devastation.

“I’ve read some of your articles. You write well,” Hartwell Hatton told her. Then he added, “If you were a man, I’d hire you. But, I don’t want any female reporters.”

Confidence and good writing could not change the fact she was a woman.

Kathryn Tucker Windham didn’t give up her dream that day. She wasn’t skipping with glee when she returned home to Thomasville to work with her mother at an insurance office. But, she kept on writing.

She wrote stories for her cousin’s newspaper, The Thomasville Times, and became as a stringer for the Mobile Press-Register, The Montgomery Advertiser and The Birmingham News.

It would take World War II before Windham finally received the call she’d dreamed about. In March 1941, she accepted the position at The Montgomery Advertiser left vacant by Allen Rankin when he became a soldier. She was paid less than Rankin for the same job, but she was finally a real newspaper reporter.

She didn’t have much time to breathe when the real world hit her as two young girls initiated her into the fraternity of reporting. On April 21, 1941 the naive, girl reporter from small town Alabama had to gather facts on the drownings of Euline Hicks, 12, and her sister Juanita, 10.

When one of the bodies was discovered by the river, Windham was the one the police asked the stand guard while they retrieved equipment. This newspaper world didn’t smell as sweet as she recalled in her dreams, but she told every detail in her stories to readers.

Along with being the police reporter, Windham also shared stories of the “odd eggs’ in town and was crowned the “Odd Egg Editor”. Telling odd stories would become her trademark, in print and in spoken word. She shined not only in reporting, but in photography and storytelling.
She was also a widow and mother to three young children at a time when being a single working mother seemed very odd indeed.

Although I was struck by her charm the first time I met her and in correspondence that followed the Longleaf Style magazine feature on Windham in 2007, it took my reading her book, Odd-egg Editor, to appreciate the oddity of Kathryn Tucker Windham. In the current era, when newspapers struggle with identity and reporters want to dictate what stories are important, it is refreshing to remember the dreams and perseverance of a young reporter 70 years ago. Kathryn Tucker Windham excelled at being the odd-woman out and by simply by telling stories. It's a goal that doesn't seem so odd.

Theresa Shadrix is the managing editor of Longleaf Style magazine. Among her most prized books is an autographed copy of Odd-Egg Editor sent by Mrs. Windham that reads, “To Theresa Shadrix, to give account of what it was like to be a girl reporter a long time ago. Kathryn Tucker Windham. Selma, August 2008.”

Winter Issue

2008-11-29T11:17:00.000-08:00

The Winter 2008 issue is out and we hope you will enjoy the journey. The cover photo is taken by Lesa Cummings from her trip with her husband, David, to Antarctica.

The Winter issue includes:

ARTS
Angels in Art by Richard Donohoe
Alabama Angels in Art BY Dr. Karen Henricks
Angel Food Cake by Josephine Ayers
Handel's Messiah by Mike Stedham
First Emperor & King Tut by Mary Eloise Leake

TRAVEL
Steamboat round the bend by Dr. Harvey H. Jackson
The Queen Mary2 by Ed Fowler
Mid Size Cruise Ships by Mary Eloise Leake
Small Ships by Josephine Ayers

TRENDS
Exercise for Travelers by Ann Angell

DESTINATIONS
Ave Maria Grotto by Sherry Kughn
Antarctica by David Cummings

CUISINE
Panola Church BBQ by Bob Davis
Unexpected Food: Stemley Stir Fry by Loyd McIntosh

SPIRITS
Holiday Cocktails by Pat Kettles

LIBRARY
1968-2008: Journey to a world remade by H. Brandt Ayers
Mark Childress by Sherry Kughn

Rick Bragg to speak on Dec. 4 in Atlanta

2008-11-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

Contrary to popular belief, I'm not Rick Bragg's scheduler or fashion consultant, but I do like to let readers know when he is in the area. On Thursday, Dec. 4 Rick will speak at the MAGS luncheon.

Time:
11:30am - 12:00pm - Registration and Networking
12:00pm - 1:30pm - Lunch and Guest Speaker

Location:
Villa Christina
Address:
4400 Summit Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30319

Register Now: Click Here!

MAGS December Holiday Luncheon: Guest speaker, Rick Bragg.
Rick is the author of two best-selling books, Ava's Man and All Over but the Shoutin', and recently released his latest, The Prince of Frogtown. In 1996, Rick won the Pulitzer for his stories published in The New York Times.

Cost:
Pre-Registered Members - $30; Members Door - $35
Pre-Registered Non-Members - $40; Non-Members Door - $45

Rick Bragg book signing in Anniston, Ala.

2008-10-01T13:07:00.001-07:00

Rick Bragg will speak and sign books at the Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County at 6:30 p.m. on Mon., Oct. 20.

Bragg worked at The Jacksonville News and attended Jacksonville State University during the 1970s and rose to become a well-known journalist at The New York Times and at other newspapers. He holds a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. He is the author of All Over But the Shoutin'; Ava's Man; I'm a Soldier, too; and numerous magazine articles.

His recent book, which is about his father, is The Prince of Frogtown.Books will be available for sale at the library. The library is at 108 E. 10th St. in Anniston.

The event is free. Refreshments will be served.

Works by Cal Breed

2008-08-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Cal Breed, featured in the Spring 2007 issue of Longleaf Style, is on exhibit at the Kennedy-Douglass Center in Florence, until Sept. 18, 2008.

Works by Cal Breed
This Fort Payne artist creates beautiful blown glass pieces. All of his designs pay close attention to proportion, color, purity and form. He opened his studio, Orbix Hot Glass, five years ago and his work is now in galleries, museums and collections across the country. His work was accepted in the 2005 Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, D.C. www.orbixhotglass.com

Fred Crane, 90, spoke first line in ‘Gone With the Wind’

2008-08-25T06:35:00.001-07:00

It almost goes without saying that Gone with the Wind is a Southern staple, both in book and film. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has reported that Fred Crane died from complications of diabetes on August 21, 2008. Fred Crane, 90, spoke first line in ‘Gone With the Wind’

If you would like more information on Fred Crane and an interesting story behind this signed photograph, read more at Richard Potters blog.

Rick Bragg Book Signing

2008-08-25T06:12:00.000-07:00

I have great news for folks in Northeast Alabama!
Rick Bragg is coming home to Calhoun County for a book reading and signing for Prince of Frogtown at the Anniston Public Library on Monday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Behind the Pages: Chasing Bigfoot

2008-08-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

When our Longleaf team selected the stories for the fall 2008 issue of Longleaf Style, Bigfoot was not on the list. As a matter of fact, my story Chasing Bigfoot was a last minute addition.

While searching online for something in Talladega, Alabama, I saw a mention about a Bigfoot sighting. I had to know more, so I began an online search for the Southern Bigfoot.

The more I read about some of the researchers, the more I was intrigued. So, at a Longleaf Style editorial meeting I mentioned that I would like to write something about Bigfoot. Of course the room went silent. "Sure, go ahead and write about Bigfoot," they said. Perhaps because I'm known to joke around, they started to laugh. They were joking. I was serious.

So, that is the Behind the Pages reason I came to write about Bigfoot.

I know more than I ever imagined about the Southern folklore, the sightings, the hoaxes, the people in the Bigfoot community and the differences in the Yeti and Bigfoot. It is seriously something I never thought I would have so much knowledge about.

I've been asked a lot about some of the people in the story and I can tell you that they were the nicest people and I didn't have one ounce of reservation about their mental status. They believe in Bigfoot and I didn't want to write a story that made fun of them...this is very easy and the normal route writers tend to take.

In regard to the "Bigfoot Press Conference", of the people I talked to, most of which didn't make the story but helped me in research, most don't have much stock in Tom Biscardi and the claim from the Georgia guys on finding a Bigfoot body. (Update: Yes, in fact it was a hoax. Read the latest at the AJC: Bigfoot tricksters blame promoter.)

Also, the documentary Southern Fried Bigfoot is very well done. You can find out more information about it at www.southernfriedbigfoot.com

Fall 2008

2008-08-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

I promised you that the fall issue of Longleaf Style would be a little edgy and I hope you are not disappointed. The issue is in stores now and features:

Surroundings
The Dead Town of Pelham Range by Nick Cenegy
Cemetery Man, History set in stone. David Norton and the preservation of Landers-McGinnis cemetary by Brett Bucker

Longleaf Library
Book excerpt: Calico Ghosts by Renee Morrison
Midnight at Faulkner's Grave by Hardy Jackson

Cuisine & Spirits
Lucy Buffett by Sherry Kughn
Brine of the Times by Laura Tutor
White Oak Vineyard by Pat Kettles

Arts
The Rural Studio by John Fleming
Howard Finster by Karen Henricks
Cinema Rebirth: Talladega's Ritz, Gadsden's Pitman and McClellan's Monteith by Jennifer Bacchus

Personalities
Albert Von Oldenberg by Sherry Kughn
Chasing Bigfoot by Theresa Shadrix

Destinations
Gun Smoke & Quail Feathers by Lloyd McIntosh

Trends
Dead Sea Products by Roni Proter

Plus BeScene, Strange Alabama book recommendations, Fall Events and the Last Leaf photo.

Bob and Byron Motley Book Signing

2008-07-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

You read about Bob Motley in the Summer issue of Longleaf Style and now you have a chance to meet him!

Bob and Byron Motley will be at the Anniston library to read from "Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants and Stars" and sign books that will be available for purchase.

Saturday, July 19
10am - 12noon
Ayers Room, Anniston Library

Bob Motley is the only living umpire from the Negro Baseball Leagues. While a combat Marine in World War II, Motley found his life's passion, umpiring. In addition to his time in the Negro Leagues, he umpired in the Pacific Coast League and the College World Series, and also officiated semi-pro and college basketball and football games. Motley currently serves on the board of directors for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and is a Royal Lancer with the Kansas City Royals. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife of 55 years, Pearline.

Fall 2008 Issue

2008-07-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm already receiving phone calls and emails asking when the next issue of Longleaf Style will mail out. We are wrapping up the fall issue and it will mail out the first week in August. This issue is, once again, full of interesting stories that we do hope you will enjoy. Check back for details on the content.

Also, I would like to officially invite readers to send us feedback on Longleaf Style. Email to tshadrix@longleafstyle. If your letter is selected for print in a future issue, you will be notified in advance.

Summer 2008

2008-05-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

The summer 2008 issue of Longleaf Style is out! Along with BeScene and the calendar, this issue features:

The Prince of Frogtown, book excerpt and a Q&A with Rick Bragg by Sherry Kughn
Picturing McClellan by Dan Whisenhunt
McClellan: In her words by Karen Harvey
Herb your Enthusiasm by Laura Tutor
Ruling over Greatness: Bob Motley, the only living umpire from the Negro Baseball League by Theresa Shadrix
Living Legends of the Negro Baseball League by Crystal Jarvis
Chilean Wine by Pat Kettles
The Blind Boys of Alabama by Nick Cenegy
Magical Daniel Wallace by Sherry Kughn
The Original Woodstock Run by Michael Gordon

To subscribe, please call 256-235-9253 or 866-814-9253.
You may purchase it at:
ANNISTON
Anniston Library
Anniston Museum
K-Mart
Tysons Frame
Walgreens
Wine Cellar

GADSDEN
Little Faces Doll Shop

OXFORD
Books-A-Million
Good Book Christian

Longleaf Style wins Gold and Silver GAMMA Award

2008-05-09T14:05:00.001-07:00

ANNISTON, AL, May 9, 2008 — Longleaf Style magazine and Consolidated Publishing, Co. received two awards at the 19th annual GAMMA Awards banquet, May 6, 2007, presented by the Magazine Association of the Southeast (MAGS).

In recognition of work in 2007, Longleaf Style won a Gold Medal in the Best Essay category and a Silver medal for Single Best Cover.

• The Best Essay, You Have to Go Home Again by H. Brandt Ayers, a memoir about Willie Morris, was in the Summer 2007 issue. The GAMMA judge said, “In a short amount of space, H. Brandt Ayers is able to relate not only the life and work of a great editor and writer-Willie Morris-but he also evokes a place, a region (the American South), and the friendship he shared with Willie. One of the hallmarks of a great essay is its ability to convey so much information and mood in a limited number of words. Even if a reader were to know nothing about Willie Morris beforehand, he or she would come away understanding and admiring this person.”

• The Best Single Cover, a pink Gerbera photograph taken by David Walters of Avalon Studio in Anniston, Ala., was the Spring 2007 cover.

The Magazine Association of the Southeast is one of the largest magazine organizations in the U.S., with more that 100 titles among its membership. The GAMMA Awards recognizes editorial and design excellence in magazine publishing.

Longleaf Style is published four times annually by Consolidated Publishing and is distributed in Northeast Alabama. Longleaf Style began publication with the Summer 2006 issue. The full-color magazine covers a wide range of topics related to life in Alabama and the South. Profiles and features in 2007 included Kathryn Tucker Windham, Cal Breed, Hal Holbrook, Alabama folk art, and the first original short story by Pulitzer Prizewinning author, Rick Bragg.

Longleaf Style editor-in-chief, Josephine Ayers, said, “There we were among the leading magazines of the Southeast region and we could see that our sales effort, design, and editorial content stands up well to our peers. Winning these awards is not only an honor but also an incentive to be even more creative and successful with future issues.”

MAGS

2008-05-05T22:02:00.001-07:00

Josephine Ayers, Jennifer Williams, Patrick Stokesberry and I are at the MAGS conference in Atlanta. Tomorrow will be a full day of workshops. There are editorial, management, sales and design sessions and each one addresses a variety of elements of magazines. Longleaf Style is two-years-old this summer and we really want to continue producing a magazine people are reading, and talking about. I'll post information about the workshops I attend later this week.

I'm not sure if this is showing my age, but I am actually also looking forward to hearing the keynote speaker at the conference, Steven Slon, who is the editor of AARP magazine. While I am still some years away from membership in AARP, the magazine seems to have revolutionized itself and is somewhat trendy. Plus, they must be doing something right if they have over four million readers ages 18-48 and 32 million over 50.

The MAGS banquet is tomorrow night and we will find out what GAMMA award Longleaf Style won...we are hoping for anything other than "Best Typo".

Rick Bragg Book Signings

2008-04-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a previous blog that Rick Bragg will have a book signing for The Prince of Frogtown at Books-A-Million in Oxford, AL on May 7 at 7: p.m.

Then, I received an email from Ellen Ward at FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock, GA he will have a book signing on Wednesday, May 28th at 7pm. FoxTale Book Shoppe is located at 105 E. Main St., #138, Woodstock, GA 30188
770/516-9989, www.foxtalebookshoppe.com

So, if you can't make it on May 7 in Oxford, then you can try to attend the one on May 28th in Woodstock. Either way, be sure to have your Summer issue of Longleaf Style in hand for him to sign too!

Click HERE for Rick Bragg's book signing schedule.

Longleaf Moments

2008-04-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Let it be known that I am glad the Summer deadline is past and I feel alive once again! Yes, the Summer 2008 issue of Longleaf Style has gone to the printer!

I know I say this with every issue, but we are so excited about the Summer issue! It will feature stories on the Negro Baseball League and Bob Motley, the only living umpire from the Negro Baseball League. Also, profiles on author Daniel Wallace and Jimmy Carter, the only original member of The Blind Boys of Alabama, plus Chilean Wine and Growing Herbs.

We also have an excerpt from Rick Bragg's new book, The Prince ofFrogtown and a Q&A with Rick about the book. Seriously, this is another fabulous story from Rick. Mark your calendar because he will be at the Books-A-Million in Oxford on May 7 at 7 p.m. for a book signing for The Prince of Frogtown.

The Summer issue will mail out on May 6 and be available in stores that week. Speaking of stores, I'd like to welcome GoodBook Christian Store in Oxford as another location you can purchase Longleaf Style. I love going to GoodBook because Tim Skinner knows my taste in books and always has great recommendations for me...sad to say that it is a a rare find in bookstores today!

Oh, and we were notified last week that we won a GAMMA award from The Magazine Association of the Southeast or MAGS for 2007. We won't find out until the MAGS conference, May 6, but we are thrilled!

Our team has already started working on the Fall issue and it will be a bit on the edgy side. Stay tuned for more...

Deadlines

2008-04-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

From Merriam-Webster
Main Entry: deadline
Pronunciation: \-ˌlīn\
Function: noun
Date: 1864
1: a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot2 a: a date or time before which something must be done b: the time after which copy is not accepted for a particular issue of a publication

It is not by accident the two definitions of deadlines are centered around prisoners and publications. Deadlines not only help me in the prevention of low blood pressure, but they keep me humble and honest.

This week is the final deadline for Longleaf Style magazine, of which I am the managing editor. I can make no more excuses about being held captive to a deadline since it is going to print on Friday. My hair seems thinner, words seem to blurry and I may have a slight panic attack on Thursday for fear of missing something. But, it will be worth it all when the Summer 2008 issue is mailed out in May.

I've heard nothing but fabulous comments about the Spring 2008 issue and I think you will be just as excited with the Summer. Our cover story is on the Negro Baseball League and centers around an untold story in our neck of the woods. The personality feature is about the only living umpire from the Negro Baseball League, who was born and raised in Alabama. His life is amazing and I have learned more about baseball than I ever imagined...and I am married to a sports broadcaster!

The Negro Baseball League is quite popular today, some might say "politically correct", but it has not always been that way. Even the Major League pays homage to the players, who were not allowed to play for them. Now, that is ironic! I didn't plan on writing the cover story but I have poured so much time, research and energy into it. So, I do hope readers will love it as much as I have writing it.

OK, so I must go...I'm on a deadline.

Kathryn Tucker Windham in Jacksonville

2008-04-09T14:26:00.001-07:00

The JSU Continuing Education Department presents Kathryn Tucker Windham-The Ghost Lady Presents: The Art of Storytelling Workshop, this Sat., April 12, from 10:00-11:30 a.m. or 1:30-3:00 p.m. at the JSU McClellan Campus Auditorium. The cost is $20. For more information, call 256-782-5918

Ms. Windham was the personality feature in the Summer 2007 issue of Longleaf Style and everyone involved with the story simply fell in love with her. You need to attend this workshop and learn from a pro about the art of story telling!

That's Sew Gee's Bend

2008-04-08T08:33:00.001-07:00

If you read about "That's Sew Gee's Bend" in the spring 2008 issue of Longleaf Style, you can see the quilters in person at the Noble Street Festival in Anniston on May 2. I received this from That's Sew Gee's Bend:

Sister quilters and entreprenuers from Gee's Bend, Alabama, Tinnie Dell and Minnie Mae Pettway will bring their collection of quilts, pot holders, wall art and other items from their company, That's SEW Gee's Bend, Incorporated to Anniston for the opening night of the Noble Street Festival on May 2nd from 6-10 pm.

Along with their daughter/niece and son-in-law Claudia and Frederick Charley who helped shape the company, they have been extremely busy since being incorporated in June of last year. They have been featured in newspapers (business section of the Montgomery Advertiser, The Anniston Star and Cleburne News) and magazines (Longleaf Style, spring edition 08'). They have also been displayed in regional museums, galleries and private shows such as the Mason Murer (Atlanta), Chris McNair Art Gallery and Museum (Birmingham), The Colonial Cottage in Heflin and recently the YWCA's "Arts of Passion" fundraiser for the programs for the women and children of the YWCA. They are also slated for shows in Gadsden and Sylacuaga, Alabama later this year. The sisters private collection line is called "Tinnie Pieces with Minnie Designs"

This "family owned for community unity" company, headquartered in Pell City, Alabama, is a business that wants to be more than the quilts that has made this town famous. That's SEW Gee's Bend also wants to enhance the town's sense of pride with future development and to bring jobs to the community through showing the history and "tastes" of Gee's Bend. The company is also preparing in the near future to represent any of the local quilters (not affiliated with the collective) who wants to have their quilt represented on their website (www.geesbend.net ) For any additional information call DeLon Charley at 205-473-1516 or Claudia Charley at 205-994-1979

That's SEW Gee's Bend is a separate entity and business and is not affiliated with the collective of quilters of Gee's Bend which is represented by Tinwood Alliance out of Atlanta, Georgia.