Southern Writers ~ Learning As A Lifestyle

The South has produced some of the best known authors. Harper Lee is from Alabama. Margaret Mitchell, Flannery O’Connor, and Carson McCullors are from Georgia. William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams are from Mississippi. Truman Capote is from Louisiana, and these are only a few of the Southern Writers.

Saturday, September 8, the Center for Lifelong Learning is hosting a free workshop, Kudzu Chronicles, a Southern Writers Event at Art on the Square. There are four panel discussions – Writing Tips, Writing Children’s Books, How to Get Published, and Researching and Genealogy. The featured speakers include C.S. (Christopher) Fuqua, Robert S. Davis, Dr. Julie Hedgepeth Williams, and Frank Travis.

Robert S. Davis is the author of Civil War Atlanta and Andersonville Civil War Prison. He has more than 1,000 publications dealing with genealogy, history, records, and research. He has been widely quoted by or appeared in CNN, Time, Smithsonian, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere.

C.S. (Christopher) Fuqua is the author of Alabama Musicians: Musical Heritage from the Heart of Dixie. As a guitarist and craftsman of Native American flutes, C.S. Fuqua’s interest in music led him to research and write numerous magazine articles about music and musicians. A native Alabamian and full-time freelance writer, he lives in Athens, Alabama. His published books include Notes to My Becca, Divorced Dads, and the four-novel audio book series Deadlines. His poems, short stories, and nonfiction articles have appeared widely in newspapers, magazines, and journals.

Dr. Julie Hedgepeth Williams is the author of A Rare Titanic Family: The Caldwell’s Story of Survival. Dr. Julie Hedgepeth Williams is a journalism professor at Samford University. She received a B.A. in English and history from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, a Master’s in journalism and a Ph.D. in mass communications from the University of Alabama. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Frank Travis will be presenting Livin’ Poetry. He is known throughout the state of Alabama as “Mr. Poetry,” as most of his spare time is spent performing his “Livin’ Poetry” presentation at schools all across the state.

Friday, September 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, there will be a Meet and Greet event with the authors. Participants will be able to talk with authors and get books signed. Stop by the Silent Auction to bid on other signed books from authors such as Rheta Grimsley Johnson, Daniel Wallace, Mark Childress, and many more. Refreshments will be served. The fee is $20.

For a brochure about this event, call 256-233-8260 or go to our website, athens.edu/CLL. This is such a great opportunity for Athens. Whether you want to write your family history or write a novel, Kudzu Chronicles will give you a chance to hear from people who have already been successful. Ask your questions, learn how to do the background research and get the writing tips you need to get started or get finished. Learning is a lifestyle and this is a very special learning opportunity.