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Lakewood 400 Antique Market Signing Next Weekend

Okay, how’s this for one-stop shopping? Next Saturday, March 21, I’ll be signing copies of the new paperback of DEEP DISH at the Lakewood 400 Antique Market in Cumming, Georgia from 1-3 p.m. You can junk and catch up with me (and buy books) in one sweet trip. All you folks in North Georgia who’ve been complaining that I never get up to your neck of the woods can now cruise on over to say hey. And junk. And buy books. We’ll even have a drawing for a big, beautiful basket of autographed MKA books. Hey, Mother’s Day is coming. All this because I was cruising around the blogosphere recently and came across the blog of Lulu and Lauri, two adorable dealers from Lakewood who call themselves 2chippys. Love their junk and their sassy style. The rest is history. Mark it on you calendar and see y’all next Saturday. For those of you who are still missing the old, dearly beloved Lakewood Antique Market that used to be at the Atlanta Fairgrounds on the southside of town, Lakewood 400 is run by the same friendly folks. Lakewood 400 is at 1321 Atlanta Highway, one mile north of exit 13 of Georgia 400. In the meantime, this morning I’m headed over to Scott’s Antique Market. I haven’t been out there since I met up with Eddie Ross , way back in January, so I’ve gotta satisfy my junkin’ jones.

Come see me in Baxley and or Savannah, GA.

The weather promises to be beautiful in South Georgia tomorrow. Sunny and warm. Why not take a cruise over to Baxley to meet me–and buy books? Or come to Savannah this Monday night for my first book signing (and cocktails) at a restaurant? And stay tuned: I went to a fabulous estate sale in Savannah this morning and shot more video. Maybe I can get it downloaded, edited and uploaded before the end of March.

Here are the signing details:

Sat. Mar. 7, 2:00p.m.: Reading and Signing Park Avenue Lake Lodge, Off Buck Head Road, between Baxley and Hazlehurst, GA”Mary Kay Andrews at Lake Mayer”Talk and signing sponsored by Jeff Davis County Friends of the Library and the Appling County Arts Council Book sales by G.J. Ford Book Shop

Mon. Mar. 9: 5-6:3o p.m. Cocktail hour and Book signing at restaurant: Local 11 Ten, 1110 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401(404)815-9327

There she is: Miss America…And me

There are lots of perks to being a published author, but one of the nicest ones is meeting so many fascinating people. Today I was a guest at a coffee given by some of the board members of Georgia Women of Achievement. Next Thursday, I’ll have the privilege of speaking at the organization’s annual induction ceremony at Mercer College in Macon. My hostess’s mother founded this organization–and guess what? She just happens to be Georgia’s first and only Miss America–Neva Jane Langley Fickling–Miss America 1953. The photo above doesn’t do me any favors–but even in sunglasses (and a stunning Miss America-worthy full length fur) you can see that Neva Jane Fickling’s beauty hasn’t dimmed a bit over the years. She is charming, witty, and she plays the piano like a banshee. Just a little coaxing had her sitting at her daughter’s baby grand belting out “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?” After chatting with Miss Neva I learned that we are both Florida natives–she grew up in Lakeland, with a father who was in the orange grove business, and while she was a music student at Mercer College in Macon, she was recruited to compete in the Miss Macon, Miss Georgia and of course, Miss America pageants. A classically trained pianist, she won the talent competition in the pageant, but gave up performing after marrying and having four children, only returning to playing in public again after she became a grandmother. Today Miss Neva is a community activist, performer and adored mother and grandmother. After googling her, I learned that among the prizes she received in 1953 were a custom-made wardrobe, nearly $100,000 in appearance fees–and a white Nash Ambassador with leather seats. Who wouldn’t love to tool around town in a full-length mink in a 1953 Nash? I learned that 1953 was the last year before the pageant began being televised. But as a little girl in the 1960s, my sisters and I never missed watching the Miss America pageant. We would have a sleep-over with our friends, and argue and pick our favorites. I can even remember one of the sponsors: Miss Tonette home permanents. Tragically, since I had tightly curled hair, I was never the recipient of Miss Tonette’s beauteous bounty. In later years, I became an enlightened cynic/skeptic who scorned the idea of beauty pageants. But now? I must bow down to the beauty, talent and charm of Neva Jane Fickling, our OWN Miss America 1953.

Watch out Spielberg…My first movie!

I’m just learning how to shoot, upload and edit video with my new Flip videocam. Geez–I need a second grader to teach me this stuff. Seriously, my friend’s third-grader son can do this backwards and forwards.

Watch out Spielberg…My first movie!

I’m just learning how to shoot, upload and edit video with my new Flip videocam. Geez–I need a second grader to teach me this stuff. Seriously, my friend’s third-grader son can do this backwards and forwards.

Check me out in March Coastal Living..Sorta

I was thrilled to see my friends Tad and Erica Wilson’s gorgeous Tybee Island home, called Amazing Grace, featured prominently here in this month’s COASTAL LIVING. The house, in my opinion, is the most beautiful on Tybee, situated on a large lot on the Back River, and preserved and restored by the always amazing Jane Coslick, and furnished with love by Erica, who, like me, has a serious jones for junking. I met Erica and Tad through Jane a couple of years ago, and eventually scammed an invitation to go down to Tybee and stay in their guest cottage and meet with Erica’s book club. In the history of MKA scams–and believe me, I’ve pulled some scams, this was my personal best. I got to stay in the cottage, do a little writing, and hang out with this warm and friendly couple and their three adorable children. I even got to meet Erica’s sisters and mom that weekend. That’s Grace, for whom the house is named, sitting on the floor looking at a storybook in the photo above. And what’s that on the shabby chic chest to her right? Schnikeys! It’s a stack of books by…Mary Kay Andrews! And the funny thing is, I’d been poring over the CL story and photos, admiring again the loveliness of what Jane and Erica have created, and totally missed seeing my own books in the photo, until I was clued in by an alert fan. What a treat it is to read and re-read this feature on a blissfully beautiful summer beach house–especially on a day like today, when we here in Atlanta are being treated to a rare snowfall. So glad to be cozy and warm at home today. I had a blast meeting friends and fans during my signings over the weekend in Nashville and then Memphis. I even took a sidetrip to the Nashville Fairgrounds Flea Market on Friday. I guess because Friday is setup day, and it was cold and rainy, pickings seemed pretty slim. Still, I did manage to snag a vintage porcelain flamingo for the Breeze Inn. By the time I finished my signing at DAVIS-KIDD in Memphis yesterday, it was raining. I got in my rental car, hoping to do a little junking, and immediately the rain turned to sleet. Five minutes later, snow was creating a near white-out. I junked the junking plans, sped (carefully) to the airport, and hopped an earlier flight out. We had to get de-iced before take-off–a first for me, but I made it home safe and sound, just in time for the snow to follow me east. Thank GAWD Mr. Mary Kay made a pot of chili for us already. Maybe we’ll even have a fire in the fireplace today. Stay warm and dry, y’all.

The Tennessee Waltz

I’ll be dancing my way across Tennessee this weekend, signing copies of the newly released paperback of DEEP DISH. Catch me tomorrow night, Friday Feb. 27 at the Davis-Kidd Booksellers at The Mall at Green Hills at 7p.m. And if you miss me there, follow me over to Memphis on Saturday, for my 1p.m. signing at the DAVIS KIDD on Perkins Extension. Be there or be square!

Our Fixer-Upper: The Breeze Inn

Progress Report on The Breeze Inn: Vintage schoolhouse lights hung in dining room. Check. Vintage postcards of St. Petersburg hung in downstairs bathroom and part of my vintage tin sandpail and toy watering can collection installed in downstairs bath. Check. Master bedroom nightstands painted glossy black to match the Baptist Yard Sale bed. Check. Dresser for Andy’s room painted barn red. Check. Sorta, it still needs a few touch-ups. Drapes made by Tacky Jacky hung in master bedroom. Check. Slipcover for living room sofa made by Tacky Jacky. Check. Bedskirts for Andy’s room ($7 from TJMaxx–score!). Check. Fabulous desk from Ballard’s Backroom Clearance Center (on sale–$139 plus 20 percent off–score!)–installed in office space. Check.

Lack of progress: Heat–not so much. We changed propane gas suppliers, but when they came out to install the new tank they detected a leak in the underground pipe. Billy the plumber came running and they’ve found the source of the leak–a cracked pipe–and that’s been repaired. Billy swears I’ll have heat next Friday when I head down to Tybee before my Saturday book signing event in Baxley. So this week I spent two nights huddled under a down comforter and over my heating pad. On the bright side: at least we had electricity. And electric space heaters on loan from my friends Ron and Leuveda.

Stove: Also not so much. We hauled the defective Bosch stove back to Sears in Atlanta and demanded to exchange it for a working stove. Hauled the new Kenmore stove back down to Tybee, but had an installation glitch, so we still have to get Sears out. Whenever they decide to send somebody. I won’t be holding my breath.

Overall: It’s starting to look and feel like a home. Curious neighbors have started dropping by to voice their approval of the remodel and to welcome us to the ‘hood. My sweet little backdoor neighbor even offered to bake us a pie. Doncha love the South?
Our list of projects still seems pretty long, but we’re beginning to see the light of day. If not the heat.

Outwrite Book Signing Tuesday Night, East Cobb Borders Wednesay

DEEP DISH is just out in trade paperback, which means a spate of booksignings for the next two weeks. You don’t have to be gay or lesbian-lawd knows I’m not–to join me for my signing tomorrow night, Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Outwrite Books in Midtown Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. Bring your feather boas, your Liza Minelli 8-tracks, your Cher outfits–oh yeah–bring money too–and come on down, no matter whose team you’re on, I’ll happily sign your books, or at least dish about my new BFF Eddie Ross. On Wednesday night I’ll be at the Borders Books in East Cobb County at 7p.m. Y’all come!