Notes from

the Porch

Stories behind the stories, book club ideas and reflections on writing the American South.

From the

Journal

Pour a glass of sweet tea and settle in. New essays and reading notes are added here as the seasons turn.

Rocking chairs on a Southern porch in warm evening light

On Writing

November 3, 2026

Writing the Golden Hour: Light, Memory and Place

Why so many important scenes in My Sweet Elisabeth happen in the last hour of daylight, and what that golden light teaches me about memory and storytelling.

Read the Story →

Open novel and a cup of coffee for a cozy book club evening

Book Clubs

October 24, 2026

Hosting a Book Club Night for My Sweet Elisabeth

Reading My Sweet Elisabeth with your book club? Here are discussion questions, menu ideas and a few simple touches to make the evening feel like a true Southern gathering.

Read the Story →

Live oak trees draped in Spanish moss along a quiet Southern path

Southern Stories

October 14, 2026

Why the American South Still Shapes the Stories We Tell

Moss-hung oaks, slow summers and long family memories: a look at why Southern places keep finding their way into the stories that matter most.

Read the Story →