Lady Business

I live in a very small city an hour and a half away from Memphis in northeast Arkansas. When I first moved here to go to college, I was really surprised at the lack of author events that weren't a) crime writers, b) cookbook writers or c) people writing specifically about the delta, especially given the state university. Maybe I shouldn't have been, though: author events are expensive and it's a widely known fact people in Arkansas don't read for fun (okay, maybe I am slightly bitter). All in all, I've come to terms with the lack of literary culture. That's why I was surprised to learn from my local YA librarian (who is, by the way, completely awesome) that John Corey Whaley, whose book was the most recent recepient of the Printz Award, was coming to our library. I was excessively thrilled because it's no secret I have Feelings About the Printz Award and Feelings About Southern Literature and Feelings About How Arkansas is Presented in Culture By People Who Mean Well But Often Screw It Up Oh God My Eyes. ( Read more... )