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South by Midwest
South by Midwest is a collection of short fiction, all set in Kentucky, sharing that same sense of place.
Some people say Kentucky is really the Midwest. Most people say its the South. My mom always (diplomatically) would say Kentucky is the Gateway to the South – so it IS the South — but also a place that borrows from both regions.
People here in California are sometimes surprised when I say I grew up with four seasons. It’s actually something I really miss. It shows up a lot in my stories.
Most of these stories were written more than twenty years ago. A couple are newer. Together they reflect different seasons of my life as a writer, while remaining rooted in the same landscape that first inspired them.
Read excerpts from South by Midwest. The completed collection is currently in revision for publication.
Turning Back
Seven years ago, I officially reached the point where I’ve lived in California longer than Kentucky. (I lived in Hollywood off and on from first through third grade, and I remember it. So I count it.)
Maybe our bodies sense things like this, but for whatever reason, there were nights when Kentucky felt closer to me than the 7-Eleven at the corner. It was like it was trying to pull me back.
Also, the last seven years were the pandemic and then four years of one health challenge after another. Together, they forced me to slow down. I’ve always been the type of person who naturally pushes forward, intensely. But slowing down taught me there is a lot to be said for simply being—for giving things the time and space to breathe, grow, and find their own way without trying to force every step. For the first time in a long time, I had the time to lean into that feeling of looking back.
Dancing in the Moonlight
Somewhere in a parallel universe, I walk into the kitchen on Shelby and Burnett , the transistor radio is perched on the corner of the ironing board playing some 70s soft rock, and you are there washing dishes, looking up with your big smile.
Tonight, I miss you, Mom. I guess we will always have these back and forth dances with memories and familiar settings on into eternity, woven between the good times and the bad. Much love to you always, your daughter.
Hug Square
Seen along my walk today. I stood in that square for a few seconds. I needed that hug! Reminder, no matter how dark the days, always look for the good in humanity. Loving this new generation--they give me hope!
Broken Glass
I wrapped this note around my trash so no one digging through it for cans or plastic would get cut. It made me sad -- realizing I jotted down the words on autopilot. Somehow, this has become normal. How did we get here?
Grandmother's Homemade Caramel Icing
I finally nailed grandmother's homemade from scratch caramel icing-- with no recipe! Delicious...taste just like I remembered.