Some of My Favorite Writers

Judy Blume deserves first place in my list of favorite writers. This woman's work spoke to me at a vulnerable age, helping me understand that my thoughts, feelings, worries, and physical changes were perfectly normal. It was reading her stories that made me realize I wanted to be a writer. Her writing is timeless. Learn more about Judy Blume and her writing here. (Photo credit Shutterstock)

Silas House is a Kentucky-based writer whose books reach through the noise and the expected and get to the heart of what really matters in this world. He is a novelist, a playwright, an editor, and educator, an activist, to name but a few. His latest work is Southernmost. My favorite of his writings is The Same Sun Here, followed by Eli the Good. To learn more about Silas House, visit SIlas House here.

What can I say about Lee Smith that hasn't already been said? The first time I read her work, my breath caught and I knew this woman was the real deal. She is the Queen of Appalachian Writing, but she writes of much more. Her latest work is the delightful novella Blue Marlin, which is based on a true adventure she had with her family. I love Fair and Tender Ladies, but my favorite is her autobiography, Dimestore: A Writer's Life. VIsit Lee Smith here.

What can I say about Maya Angelou that hasn't already been said? I first came to know her work when I was in high school and chose to read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings for my AP English book report. This book wasn't on a list of "approved classics" so I went to my teacher and pleaded my case. He agreed to let me read it and it was then added to the list. The book shattered, stunned, and educated me. Her poetry is unmatched. Her remarkable life was documented in her seven autobiographies and many books of essays, and her poem, Still I Rise brings tears every single time I hear it. There is SO MUCH more to this woman than I have space, so please visit Maya Angelou's website for information. (Photo credit Shutterstock)

Award-winning writer Brian Panowich is the author of three novels, Bull Mountain, Like Lions, and Hard Cash Valley. Each is set in fictional McFalls County in North Georgia. He writes like he has a gun to his head and no word is wasted. Each book is a thrill ride. My favorite is Like Lions, but each one has a special place on my bookshelves. If you love Southern stories, if you love thrillers, if you love crime stories, if you love books that won't let you put them down, then you'll love Panowich. Learn more about Brian Panowich here. (Author photo used by permission)

Carson McCullers wrote her masterpiece The Heart is a Lonely Hunter when she was 23 years old. Her work is considered Southern Gothic or Southern Grotesque. The Smith-McCullers House Museum is her childhood home in Columbus, GA. It is owned by the Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians, a part of Columbus State University which also owns her home in Nyack, New York. McCullers wrote novels, short stories, plays, and many of her works were translated to the big screen. My favorite is The Member of the Wedding. Learn more about Carson McCullers here. (Photo credit The Carson McCullers Center)

Wiley Cash is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and short story writer based in North Carolina. The first book of his I read was This Dark Road to Mercy, and I knew I had found a unique voice, a writer who writes unflinchingly of the human condition. Cash's books make you think, and the lyrical writing keeps you glued to the page. I'm such a big fan that we named our cat Wiley Cat! Cash's new book, When Ghosts Come Home, is available for preorder now, so contact your local bookstore to reserve your copy. To learn more about Wiley Cash, click here. (Photo credit Mallory Brady Cash, used by permission)

I instantly recognized the people in the stories of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Rick Bragg's stories because they are like so many people I know, so many people I grew up with, and some who are family. When I met Bragg several years ago, I thanked him for giving our people dignity. He does nothing to sanitize or justify anything - his writing is raw and real and unapologetic. Bragg has written many  books about his family, personal essays, and profiles of Jerry Lee Lewis and Jessica Lynch. His newest book, The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People, Lost and Found, can be preordered from your favorite local bookstore now. To learn more about Rick Bragg, click here. (Photo credit KD Smith)

Jacqueline Woodson is a Brooklyn-based award-winning multi-genre writer. She says on her website that there were many things she wanted to "be" when she grew up, but she knew deep down that she wanted to be a writer. In my opinion, she was 100% correct and we as readers are blessed that she followed this calling. My personal favorite book of hers is Red at the Bone, an adult novel told in the voices of several generations of one family. My second favorite is her middle grades book Under a Meth Moon, where she explores how trauma can lead to behaviors and choices we might not make in "normal" circumstances. Her website is fantastic, and you can visit it here. (Photo used by permission)

Flannery O'Connor is one of the greatest short story writers who has ever lived. Her work is usually categorized as Southern Gothic or Southern Grotesque. She had an ability to reach inside of a character and show truth, while being truthful in a situation. Her writing was deeply intertwined with her Catholicism and her illness - she had lupus, as did her late father. She wrote two novels and over 30 short stories. Her childhood home in Savannah and her adult home, Andalusia, are house museums. You can learn more about Flannery O'Connor here.