Southern Writers
Mary Kay Andrews
Fun, amusing stories about Southern women and their friendships with other women.  Heartwarming, upbeat storylines with a humorous portrayal of Southern life.
 
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James Lee Burke
Best known for two haunting mystery series that reflect both on the evil in the world and the hero's violent reaction to it. One features P.I. Dave Robicheaux, the other ex-Texas Ranger Billy Bob Holland. These are reflective stories filled with the hero's thoughts, philosophy, actions, and dreams.
 
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Wiley Cash
 
Dark thrillers with a literary style set in Southern mountain settings.
 
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Fannie Flagg
Compelling southern stories filled with secrets, love, and family wrapped into charming tales with humor and heart. Flagg captures the complexities of siblings, marriage, and families.
 
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Gail Godwin
Literary novels featuring relationships, family, and family history.  Strong elements of spiritual transcendence and a strong sense of place in a Southern setting.
 
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John Grisham
Political and legal issues are at the center of these stories, filled with sympathetic characters and dangerous secrets.
 
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Joshilyn Jackson
Jackson's picturesque settings are rife with dysfunction, her quirky characters are realistically imperfect, and her plots are full of astute observations, much fun, and a keen eye for character.
 
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Tayari Jones
Atlanta native Tayari Jones writes moving novels about flawed families that manage to sustain love despite conflict and betrayals.  Her stories are set in Atlanta and Louisiana.
 
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James McBride
National Book Award winner McBride excels in providing readers with novels and short stories comprised of quirky characters and compelling dialogue.
 
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Mary Alice Monroe
Monroe's books explore the wonder of nature along with women’s lives and relationships, mostly taking place on her native South Carolina coast.
 
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Thomas Mullen
Mullen's novels are filled with riveting characters, a terrific sense of place and time, and hair-trigger action.
 
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Brian Panowich
Panovich's southern crime fiction contains solid characterizations and a tense, suspenseful tone.
 
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Stephanie Powell Watts
Watts portrays the lives of African American families in the contemporary American South.
 
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Leah Weiss
Weiss writes haunting fiction, portraying flawed and complex characters in the rural south and mountain regions. 
 
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Karen White
White writes richly textured, leisurely-paced stories that feature a diverse cast of colorful characters.
 
 
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