Pretty Southern

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So You Want A Southern Home? 5 Tips for Pretty Southern Style

Have you ever looked up the definition of Southern culture? Here’s the definition, according to Google: “Southerners have a very well developed culture, consisting of food, music, art, literature, and even manners that differ from the rest of America.” Isn’t it fabulous?!

In addition to our rich culture, Southerners also have a distinct and sought-after style. So, how do you create a Southern-style home? Well, it’s more than hanging up a “Welcome Y’all” sign, but it also doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive either. You’ve probably flipped through countless glossy pages of iconic Southern homes in magazines, or created a “Southern Decor” Pinterest board, and thought, “How? How do I create this?”

So, here are five, simple ways to update or create your own Southern home decor.

1. Blending Something Old With Something New

A key element of Southern style is to implement antiques. If you have a piece of furniture that has been passed down to you, make sure you make that a focal point in your home. Blending antique or older items, with modern style is a common theme in Southern homes, and easy to do! Oftentimes, that old family piece of furniture has a story behind it, which will make it a great conversation piece for you and your guests. No family heirlooms? That’s ok! Grab a friend and start scouring local antique and vintage market places or stores (check it out here)…you’ll be sure to find something that suits your style, and your budget.

2. Flower Power

Inside, and outside, at any Southern home, you will find gorgeous flowers! Southerners take great pride in their landscaping and gardens especially when they employ the services of professionals such as tree surgeon sussex. Don’t be scared to bring these flowers into your home, in a variety of ways. Floral decor can be found in wallpaper or accent chairs, in planters or pots on the front porch, or as a fresh centerpiece on a dining or kitchen table. Flowers are a simple way to add some Southern flair to your home. Grab some hydrangeas and put them by your front door, hang up some flower baskets, and start with some floral throw pillows inside, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your Southern Pinterest board dreams! If you don’t have access to fresh flowers, then try tree branches, palms, or sprays from your yard, which will instantly fill a room, and create life and character. Get creative!

Flowers are also the perfect way to show someone you care on their birthday, and did you know that each month has its own special meaning? Just like with birthstones, each birth month has a different corresponding flower. Why not check out this birth month flower guide to learn more!

3. Outdoor Space is Everything

Southern homes are known for their beautiful front porches adorned with rocking chairs and custom timber furniture Melbourne. However, if your home doesn’t have a front porch, there are ways to make any outdoor space a Southern space like adding modern house number signs. Some simple tips to do this might be: Add a seating area, some flowers, and some cafe lights. Create a space that you find lovely, and that brings you comfort, and you’ve accomplished your own outdoor, Southern, space. Paint your front door a bright or bold hue, and don’t forget to hang a wreath! If it’s time to update your driveway, you can get the best block paving service at didsburydriveways.

Additionally, you can buy a composite decking in Denver if you want to increase your curb appeal.

4. Let There Be Light

The Southern homes that we all drool over tend to have a lot of natural light. If you have natural light in your home, highlight it with light and airy curtains. If your home lacks some natural lighting, don’t worry! Natural light can be created by the colors that you use in your home. A little paint will go a long way! Paint the walls light, neutral colors, or coastal colors, to best utilize the light that you have coming into your home. Also, Energy efficient lighting such as LED daylight bulbs are game-changers! They will instantly lighten and brighten your home, and your mood! These are fairly quick and cost-effective ways to invite some major Southern vibes into your living space. If you need to install new lighting fixtures, you may consider hiring this professional Electrician Rockwall, TX. Let the professionals from companies like Asbury Electric or contact your Littleton residential electrician at MZ Electric and let them handle this job. You can also visit a place like callbigfamily.com/lighting-installation/ for more guidance and assistance.

Looking for an accent color? Try green. Green will help give your space an indoor-outdoor feel and is a common staple in Southern homes.

5. Texturize Your Space

What does that mean? Basically, add different kinds of materials or surfaces to your floor with great laminate flooring, tabletops, or walls. An example of this is to add some baskets or materials to a hall table, or a blank wall. Other ideas include, a colorful area rug, various natural fibers, playing with patterns, and again, adding some greenery. Southern style is often described as comfortable, yet sophisticated; rooms and spaces that are described as such, usually have lots of texture. When it comes to cleaning your carpet, you can visit a site like andysteamer.com for more helpful info! You may also want to consider hiring the professionals at Eco Clean Solutions as your best option.

Where to Shop?

Maybe you’re thinking that these are great ideas, but where should you to begin to look for these items? Start in your own home! Crazy, right? The truth is, all of us already have some Southern within us, meaning that somewhere in your home is an item that just needs to be fashioned a little differently. Look for any knick-knacks, baskets, plants, or pictures, and start to create your space. Check out local thrift stores, market places, and shops in your area to continue to add to your home’s decor. I just bought this lovely horse area rug last week and it’s just gorgeous!

Are you a DIY-er? There are several tutorials online that teach everything from front porch planter boxes, to garage insulation as per First Defense Insulation. Grab your toolbox, (or your hot glue gun), and some burlap, and start a project or two!

Pride of Ownership

Every home is unique, and you are too. Your home should be a reflection of you, and if it is, then you’ve mastered step one of Southern decor. Southerners are proud of who they are, where they come from, and where they’re going. Blending past, with present, and eyes forward to the future is a common mantra. If you’re looking to create something that is both comfortable and charming, while telling your story… then see steps one through five above.

Whether you’re channeling the beach or your inner steel magnolia, just remember that being Southern is first a state of mind, and then let that reflect in your living space.

What’s your personal Pretty Southern style for your home? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

April 26, 2021
The Atlantans – A Sketch Comedy

Check out our first Pretty Southern script

In this pandemic time when COVID has closed all the local theatres and comedy clubs, I took a virtual sketch comedy writing class with Laugh Lab. Comedian Lace Larrabee started this enterprise (check out my first standup from her inaugural class in 2017) with fellow comic and writer Hillary Heath.

One of the reasons I pursued this class was to sharpen my writing skills. Over the years, I’ve written skits and dabbled in playwriting but had never written an actual script before. And as a lifelong fan of Saturday Night Live and other sketch comedies, I was interested to know just what the writing process was like for creating ‘a game’.

If you watch SNL and are familiar with the popular sketch, The Californians this scene from The Atlantans was inspired by that hilarious work. However, the characters are all my own, originals who are tangential with the whole Pretty Southern fictional world around the Cunningham family, specifically Macy’s friends.

The scene is set in circa summer of 2008, when Facebook was still considered ‘new media’. There was no Instagram or dating apps (which let’s be honest really killed the Buckhead party scene) when girls had Blackberry Messengers and Coach bags instead of giant iPhones in fanny packs.

This photo was from JEZEBEL Magazine’s Most Eligible Party in 2008. Note the Blackberry.

We’d love your thoughts on this scene and what you’d like for us to share next. Because let’s be honest y’all, we could all use more throwbacks to the party days pre-COVID.

So we present to you, dear reader, The Atlantans

INT. A YOUNG WOMAN’S APARTMENT IN ATLANTA
Madison sits primping in front of her bedroom mirror, all dressed up for a night out. There’s a knock on the door. She flips her hair before turning away from the mirror, prancing across the room. It’s her sorority sisters, Jordanne and Shannon. Shannon is carrying a big duffle bag.

Jordanne: Hey girl, haaay!

Madison: Sup ladies! Happy Friday! How was your week?

Jordanne: Oh my god, Maddison. It was such a long one. I’m so ready to party tonight. I called James and told him to pick us up in like ten minutes.

Madison crosses into the kitchen where a bottle of vodka is sitting on the counter and hands them both red solo cups.

Madison: Then it’s time to pregame! Jordanne, here you go, it’s vodka-soda-lime. And so glad you could come up for the weekend, Shannon!

Shannon: Oh my god, y’all, I forgot what a clusterfuck Atlanta traffic is during rush hour.

Shannon drops her Vera Bradley duffle bag on the couch.

Shannon: I took I-20 from Augusta, but then I missed my exit on 285, so
instead of coming down 400, I had to crawl up Peachtree Industrial to Peachtree to Piedmont and got stuck at like every light.

Jordanne: Why didn’t you just take the connector? You could have picked up I-85 through Downtown and taken 400, or have come up West Peachtree to Peachtree.

Shannon: Girl, you know there’s always traffic on Peachtree.

Jordanne: Well, at least you don’t have to be DD tonight because James will be here soon.

Shannon: Who’s James?

Madison: He’s a limo driver that we met leavin’ Johnny’s Hideaway. Whenever we need a ride, we just call James and give him like twenty bucks then he takes us anywhere between Buckhead and Piedmont Park.

Shannon: Oh my god y’all, that’s so awesome.

Jordanne’s cell phone vibrates and she smiles.

Madison: Is that the new boy blowing you up on BBM?

Jordanne: Yes, it’s Caleb. He wanted to see if he and his guys should meet up with us for dinner at Tin Lizzy’s, or later at Five Paces.

Shannon: Wait, did you get a new boyfriend?

Jordanne: Well, not exactly. I’ve been talking to this guy Caleb for weeks. He’s everything I want in a guy: hot, smart, comes from a good family.

Shannon: Hold up. Are you talking about Caleb Roberts?

Jordanne: Yeah… Do you know him?

Shannon: Um, yeah! His brother was in my grade at Magnolia Academy. Their Daddy owns country clubs across the South. They live in Tuxedo Park off West Paces Ferry.

Madison: Shut the front door! That’s the Caleb you’ve been talking to? His family is loaded but he’s such a trainwreck. I heard his parents brought him home from UGA ‘cuz he had a cocaine problem.

Jordanne: Well, I’ve never seen him do lines.

Shannon: Seriously, girl. His mom, Birdie, is best friends with Macy’s mama, Caroline, and Macy has shared some stories. Call Macy if you don’t believe us.

Jordanne: Maybe he’s changed. He seems to like me. We’ve been talking and meeting up for happy hour at Tavern at Phipps, and there was one time we had coffee in Virginia Highlands, and he pays for everything so I’m holding out for a date night at Chops.

Madison: I wouldn’t hold out too long. He’s texting you, wanting to go out, but he is not asking you on a date. He’s such a frat bro. This is about sex.

Jordanne: Even if I do shack with him tonight, I got new sticky boobs at Target just for the occasion.

Shannon: I thought your tits looked bigger! You’re popping out in that dress.

Madison’s phone vibrates in her Coach bag on the counter.

Madison: That’s my condo gate. James must be here to get us.

Shannon: Ok. I need a refill then let’s go. Whatever you decide to do Jordanne, just be careful.

Jordanne: Girl, please!

MONTAGE

James is waiting in the condo parking lot. Madison, Jordanne, and Shannon pile in. Their solo cups match the red leather of the limo’s interior. They toast together. The limo pulls up to the tiny parking lot of Tin Lizzy’s and the girls spill out. They get margaritas at the bar before moving out to the patio beneath the trees. A Three Amigos is placed before them and they dive into the cheese dip.

Jordanne is on her phone, texting and smiling. They leave Tin Lizzy’s where James and his limo are waiting behind the restaurant next to Hal’s. He takes them all of 1 mile up to Five Paces Inn and drops them off.

Caleb is waiting inside. He’s your typical frat bro in a white polo shirt, although nearly 6’3” to his credit. Next to him are two other bros, Linton and Foster. They give the girls shots. Jordanne falls into Caleb, smiling hard; Madison and Shannon give each other the side-eye.

Jordanne immediately runs to the bathroom where Madison and Shannon hold her hair back. She pukes and rallies.

The group decides to move on, Linton gets a taxi, and all the girls and guys pile in to head to Johnny’s Hideaway.

Arriving at Johnny’s, they cut the line and Linton gives the bouncer a $20 so they all get in.
On the loudspeaker, the DJ reminds everyone ‘No drinks on the dance floor’. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” blares. The girls dance together like they’re reliving their college days.

Jordanne makes out with Caleb despite having puke breath, but he’s too drunk to care. At some point, he sneaks away to the bathroom to do blow with his buddies. They shut down Johnny’s at 3 a.m.

The group walks to Waffle House, chows down, then takes a taxi back to Madison’s condo. And then… 🙂

Want to read more of The Atlantans and The Pretty Southern Stories?

Let us know in the comments section below!

August 23, 2020
Inaugural Atlanta SHERO Awards to Honor Five Women Leaders
Five dynamic women leaders from the Metro Atlanta area will be honored at the first annual SHERO Awards by the Greater Atlanta Democratic Women (GADW). Originally planned as an in-person celebration, the event will be held virtually on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. EST.

“Throughout their careers in business and government, these women leaders have made important contributions to make our world safer and more just. They continue to influence and affect change to ensure a better world now, and in the future for our children, and for generations to follow,” said Mindy Boggs, President of the GADW.

The GADW is proud to announce the first SHERO honorees are:
- U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath – Trailblazer Award
- State Senator Jen Jordan – Super Influencer Award
- Melita Easters – Foundation Builder Award
- Pat Mitchell – ‘Dangerous Woman’ Award
- Laura Turner Seydel – Global Impact Award
All five honorees are scheduled to appear live.

To celebrate these incredible women, the GADW has commissioned Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Mike Luckovich to create an original drawing of the five “Super Sheroes.” The popular artist will make a special appearance during the program to unveil this tribute to the honorees.

The annual event will also celebrate the first anniversary of GADW’s founding. Additional plans are being made to make the event unique, informative, and entertaining to support the re-election of both Congresswoman McBath and State Senator Jordan — a donation of $100 will be split evenly for their campaigns.

Register here to attend the 1st SHERO awards

About Our SHERO Award Winners

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath pulled the biggest Georgia Democratic upset of the 2018 midterm elections when she unseated Republican Karen Handel to represent Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. McBath co-sponsored the HAVEN Act, and important legislation to support Pell Grant recipients. She serves on the Judiciary and Education & Labor Committees in Congress, and is campaigning for re-election this year.
More info at www.lucyforcongress.com.

State Senator Jen Jordan has built a reputation for keeping public servants accountable, and corporations honest. She used the power of public pressure via social media to insist that the Kemp Administration and federal officials publicly meet with residents whose health was affected by ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen emitted by the SteriGenics plant in Smyrna. Although the town halls were attended by hundreds of concerned community members, Governor Kemp refused to close the plant to mitigate the issue. Senator Jordan continued the pressure via social media until county officials used their power to temporarily close the plant until the issue was addressed. The Senator has been a leader in providing information to her constituents in real-time via Twitter, and to stimulate public dialog to uphold transparency and accountability in our state government. She has also been encouraged to run for higher office, but is seeking re-election to continue her service in the state Senate. More info at www.jen4ga.com.

Melita Easters is the founding Chair and currently Executive Director of Georgia WIN List, the state’s leading PAC for electing Democratic women. Georgia leads the south for its percentage of women legislators and the nation of its percentage of Black Women legislators. WIN List recruits, trains and supports women in their bids for elected office and Melita spends hours helping women chart their political careers. In addition to her visionary work with WIN List, Easters is also a community leader and successful playwright, who has written and produced plays on notable southerners. More info at www.gawinlist.com.

Pat Mitchell is the co-founder, curator, and host of TEDWomen. Throughout her career as a journalist, Emmy-winning producer, and groundbreaking executive, Pat focused on elevating women’s stories and increasing their representation everywhere. She is chair of the Sundance Institute and the Women’s Media Center boards, and a trustee of the VDAY movement. She is the author of Becoming a Dangerous Woman: Embracing Risk to Change the World. More info at patmitchellmedia.com.

Laura Turner Seydel is a passionate conservationist, activist, and eco-living expert, Seydel also serves as a member of the United Nations Foundation and the Nuclear Threat Initiative. More info at lauraseydel.com.

About the Greater Atlanta Democratic Women (GADW)
The Greater Atlanta Democratic Women is a 501(c) 4 political organization chartered in 2019 by the Georgia Federation of Democratic Women, an affiliate of the Democratic Party of Georgia. Registered voters in Fulton County and the surrounding counties who support GADW’s mission are eligible for membership. For more information, please visit www.gadw.us and the GADW Facebook page.

Want to attend the first Atlanta SHERO awards?

Please let us know in the comments section below and we’ll email you more details!
July 30, 2020
A Message from Congressman John Lewis

Our friends at Consume Media shared this footage from John Lewis filmed at the Davis Academy in 2017.

The Atlanta-based production company posted this to Instagram and thanks to founder, Leo Falkenstein, for allowing us to share it with our community here on Pretty Southern.

Congressman John Lewis was a true American hero and warrior for justice. It was an honor to work with him back in 2017 for The Davis Academy’s “Rise Up” video. His words ring truer now than ever. May we all speak up, speak out, and make a little noise. Rest in Power #johnlewis

“When you feel something, you have to act. You have to speak up, speak out, and make a little noise.”

We are all feeling the loss of this great man in a time where there is still so much work to be done. His legacy will always be with us. America, and especially the South, are better because of his work.

The Davis Academy / 'Rise Up' / Music Video from Consume Media on Vimeo.

Here’s the full transcript of this meaningful message from Congressman John Lewis:

“It meant everything to me that I grew up as a young child, seeing things that I didn’t like, that I thought were wrong, and that I wanted to do something about it.”

“It gave me this feeling that when you feel something, you have to act. You have to speak up, speak out, and make a little noise.”

“I’ve always felt for many, many years, that the children will lead us. The young will lead us. The young will teach us, and show us a better way…”

July 28, 2020
Q&A with Lindsey Rogers Cook – “How to Bury Your Brother”
Our mission at Pretty Southern is to share stories about Southerners doing great work in our region and beyond.

We’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Lindsey Rogers Cook who wrote her first novel, How to Bury Your Brother, which debuted in May 2020.

Full disclosure: Lindsey and I both attended from the same journalism program at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication; however, I’m a few years older and have watched Lindsey’s career take off since she graduated in 2014.

Some good news: in addition to her first novel being published, Lindsey was a recipient of the John E. Drewry Young Alumni Award which recognizes a Grady College graduate of the last decade who has experienced a successful early career.

Here’s a bit more about Lindsey’s success so far

“Lindsey Rogers Cook works as an editor at The New York Times where she teaches reporters and editors about data, and about how to make stories pop on digital media. She graduated from the Women’s Leadership Program at Yale’s School of Management in 2019, a program designed for women in management to prepare for future leadership roles. She also taught data journalism at the graduate level for American University, as an adjunct professor, both in Fall 2015 and Spring 2017. Previously, she worked at U.S. News & World Report as the data editor for news.”

Upon seeing the good news about Lindsey’s first book coming out, we caught up over email and are happy to share Lindsey’s stories (literally!) with the Pretty Southern squad.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from originally? After UGA, what compelled the move from the South to New York?

“I was born in Atlanta, raised in Georgia and attended the University of Georgia, so Georgian all the way. After graduating as a journalism major from college five years ago, I headed to Washington D.C. for a job at U.S. News & World Report. From there, I got a job at The New York Times as a digital editor and moved to New Jersey. Leaving the South was never my goal, but so far, it’s where my journalism career has led me. My entire family and most of my husband’s (he’s also a UGA grad) live in Georgia so we come back often.”

When did you start working on this book? How long did it take from idea/concept to completing your manuscript?

“I started working on the book in 2014, the summer after I graduated. Originally the idea was sparked by a dream, which is how I get many of my writing ideas. Since childhood, I wanted to write a novel, and I figured, why not now? I had never taken a creative writing class (still haven’t) and had no idea how to go about writing a book, so I just sat down and started writing. I would put the book down for months at a time, then come back to it, particularly when I was feeling homesick for Georgia and my friends and family there, all during my first jobs at U.S. News, through covering the 2016 presidential election, planning my wedding and many things in between. My husband was in law school at George Washington University at the time, and we’d spend most weekends working together at the law library (him studying and me writing). It took me three years to write and edit it, over which time, the concept, characters and plot changed dramatically since I didn’t outline at all.”

Where did the original inspiration come from for How to Bury Your Brother?

“The idea originally came from a dream, but was inspired by my family’s own experience with opioid addiction and overdose and the death of a close family member. None of us found letters like Alice does in the book, but Alice’s journey was inspired by the questions that come up after suffering a loss like that — mostly, why. The answer is slippery and impossible to deduce, but through the book, Alice gets some of the closure we didn’t.”

“My family has been incredibly supportive while I wrote this book — it’s dedicated to my grandmother, who has read it dozens of times. I was worried about their reaction at first since addiction is such a personal and in many ways, shameful issue for a family to deal with. But, I’m glad that during my own path to publication, Americans have become more open about addiction and mental health. Reading and discussing this book has helped my family have some difficult conversations about addiction, talk more openly and, ultimately, get some closure, and I hope it prompts similar conversations for the many families who have lost a member due to the opioid crisis.”

What’s your writing process like? Do you have a dedicated day/time to write?

“I don’t have a regular writing routine. I’ll go through periods where I write a lot, and some when I write nothing. For a long time, I wished I could stick with a writing routine and was sure that’s what a serious writer was “supposed” to do. But, I’ve decided to embrace the ebb and flow of my creative process. A great read about all the different work styles of creatives is Daily Rituals: Women at Work by Mason Currey. I keep it in my office as a reminder that there are many ways to be a writer.”

“For both my books, I sat down and tried to write as much as I could without stopping. I admire writers who can start with a chapter-by-chapter outline — it seems very civil. For me, it’s too overwhelming though. I write until I’m too angry and annoyed and confused to go on, then stop and try to untangle what I’ve written. When I’m done with the first draft, I try to outline it. My characters often surprise me while writing, and the endings of both books have been a surprise to me.”

How was the journey of working on the novel to finding an agent and publisher?

“A bit painful, to be honest! Until I started looking for an agent, I knew VERY little about the publishing industry and how it worked. I read Before and After The Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Your First Book by Courtney Maum this year, and it’s a fantastic resource I would recommend to any first-time writer. It’s easy to get sucked in to researching all the oddities of the publishing industry, and avoiding it during the writing process helped me stay focused.”

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer? Would you share some of your secrets to success?

“There’s no right or wrong way to be a writer.”

“Read a ton. Read diverse voices and genres and places and opinions. Read books you love and books you don’t and think about why. Take a book you love and make a chapter-by-chapter outline, tease out what the author is sneakily doing to your soul. I usually read about 80 books a year, and I learn something about writing from every book I read.”

“Write down EVERYTHING. My friends, family and coworkers are familiar with me writing things down that make me laugh, interesting stories, good dialogue or fun facts. I get ideas from everyone I meet and write them on notecards that I shuffle through when I need some inspiration. I can always find one to use. Try it. Perhaps it will annoy those closest to you, but whatever, you’re a writer now, see point one. Read the journals and letters of other writers. I love all the weird observations made by David Sedaris in his–they remind me that everything is copy and that often, truth is stranger than fiction.”

“Join a writing group, preferably one for debut fiction authors. Just make sure you agree to be tender and supportive with each other as you’re writing your first books. I joined a group of fellow journalists while I lived in Washington, D.C. and their encouragement, deadlines and feedback was essential to me.”

“There’s no such thing as an aspiring writer. If you write, you are a writer. Period.”

“I’ve got some book recommendations too:

Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere). With a title like that, how can you not be intrigued? This is my go-to recommendation for writers with an idea who can’t figure out how to get started.

I am a HUGE fan of the ‘thesauruses’ written by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman. I own all of them and keep them on my desk.”

Before the Coronavirus outbreak, were you planning a book tour or to travel to the South? Where have you been sheltering in place?

“Before COVID, I had planned to do some events in the NYC/NJ area and some in the South. All, of course, have been canceled. I’ve been sheltering in place with my husband and our two cats in my family’s home in Duluth, Georgia. We’re both working remotely and plan to stay in Georgia until it’s safe to travel.”

What are your favorite books / who are your favorite authors?

“So many! As I said earlier, I read a ton. And on top of that, I have so many unread books in my house, many of which I’m hoping to work through during shelter in place. I love finding authors with large back catalogs that I can work through. Some authors whose new books immediately find their way into my cart: Dani Shapiro, J. Courtney Sullivan, Zadie Smith, Ann Patchett, Claire Fuller, Celeste Ng, Lauren Groff and Patti Callahan Henry.”

Some of Lindsey’s favorite reads include:
A few books I’ve loved so far this year:
What’s next? You mentioned you’re already working on a second book!?

“I sold my second book (unwritten) alongside my first, so I’m racing toward a deadline on that! It will be published in Summer 2021. The title still TBD, but it’s also a southern family drama, this time set in Memphis, Tennessee.”

Here’s a bit more about How to Bury Your Brother

Alice always thought she’d see her brother again. Rob ran away when he was fifteen, with so many years left to find his way home. But his funeral happened first.

Now that she has to clear out her childhood home in Georgia, the memories come flooding in, bringing with them an autopsy report showing her family’s lies, and sealed, addressed letters from Rob.

In a search for answers to the questions she’s always been afraid to ask, Alice delivers the letters. Each dares her to open her eyes to her family’s dark past—and her own role in it. But it’s the last letter, addressed to her brother’s final home in New Orleans, that will force her to choose if she’ll let the secrets break her or finally bring her home.

Everything I Never Told You meets The Night Olivia Fell set against a vivid Southern backdrop, How to Bury Your Brother follows a sister coming to terms with the mystery behind her brother’s disappearance and death.”

Thank you to Lindsey for sharing with our readers. You can support her (and indie book retailers) by purchasing How to Bury Your Brother from Foxtale Book Shoppe or Indiebound.org. You can also listen on Audible

Also, follow Lindsey on Twitter. And while you’re at it, follow Pretty Southern, too.

#LoveTheSouth
June 9, 2020
Stay Home Y’all

I didn’t take the Coronavirus seriously enough.

When news of COVID-19 first started, I assumed it would be like SARS, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, or any of the other “diseases du jour” we’ve heard about in the last few years. Also, I naively just wanted to go on our ski trip to Jackson Hole, quietly judging all the travelers wearing masks at the airport.

On that ski trip, I fell on the slope and sprained my ankle. As I waited for the ski patrol sled to help me down, I was sitting on the side of the mountain with two of the safety team members and coughed a little.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “It’s not the Coronavirus.”

“It’s okay,” the ski patrol replied. “You’re strong. You’d survive.”

And at that, I started laughing. Perhaps it was a mix of my adrenaline pumping from the fall, and this ski patrol’s Western matter-of-fact way of saying it, but we just had to laugh about it together.

We all know now that this is no laughing matter.

We came home from Wyoming on March 8. It wasn’t until Italy went on lockdown, and then schools and businesses started shuttering that I realized this was going to be a catastrophe.

It’s now been six weeks of sheltering-in-place at Pretty Southern HQ, our Atlanta home. Despite what Georgia’s governor says, I have no plans of reentering society any time soon.

For those of y’all who know me, not going out for an event at least twice every week is a literal gamechanger, let alone staying home for an extended period of time.

I was optimistic that some of my favorite events of the spring season might still happen, such as Taste of the Nation and the Atlanta Steeplechase. Obviously those were canceled, like everything else, due to the need for social distancing.

I feel a bit like Scarlett O’Hara crying over all the good parties getting canceled because of the war.

This year, my husband and I were honored to be invited to a record number of weddings. So far, three have been rescheduled. Two of those couples have gone ahead and gotten legally married on paper because of the circumstances in these trying times.

Having only been 23 when the market tanked in 2008, I wasn’t prepared for the impact this could potentially have our economy, let alone seeing so many people I care about being laid off. For some of my pals from college who are working journalists, this is the second time, for some the third, that they’ve been furloughed in their professional careers.

In the Atlanta startup scene, there are so many talented people who have been let go due to this pandemic. Companies who have raised millions of dollars in venture capital now can’t afford to keep on their staff.

But my biggest fear is the worst hasn’t happened yet.

One of my sources in Europe said: “I’m hearing a total of three waves with the corona. We’re in the first wave. It’ll die down and a second wave will return in October, then the third wave in Spring again of 2021.”

A friend who works for a Fortune 100 company reported they’re also forecasting for 18 months of Coronavirus, until summer 2021 when a vaccine is finally available. Connections at other big corporates have taken pay cuts, going down to four-day-weeks of work while their companies receive billions of dollars in bailout money from the government.

For the first time in my 30-something life—despite all the battles our country has fought overseas, September 11, you name it—this feels like we’re at war. We’re facing a lack of leadership, adequate supplies, scarcity, and people we love are hurting, even dying.

So like a good Southern woman, I turned to the good book for wisdom; not the Bible, but Gone With The Wind. There’s a scene in the text that didn’t make the film. After Scarlett returns to Tara following the burning of Atlanta, she goes to the Fontaine’s place and meets with Grandma Fontaine.

After giving her supplies, Old Miss Fontaine has words for Scarlett. She says that it’s a bad thing to think she’s faced the worst that can happen to her because if she thinks the worst has happened, then she’s naive.

“And that lack of fear has gotten me into a lot of trouble and cost me a lot of happiness,” Grandma Fontaine says.

“Scarlett, always save something to fear—even as you save something to love… And don’t think you can lay down that load, ever. Because you can’t.”

We can’t lay down the load, y’all. Our burden of responsibility is just getting started. For now, the least we can do is stay home where it’s safe.

I’m writing this on behalf of my bestie in Boston who was pulled from her fellowship research to go work in the ICU because of the outbreak. She’s the mother of a 2-year old and scared about bringing the virus home to her daughter and husband.

This is on behalf of my friends who are nurses here in Atlanta, begging people to continue to shelter-in-place so their hospitals don’t get overrun.

A friend who requested anonymity said their hospital in Metro Atlanta has told its nurses to reuse gowns and gloves when possible! She said, “I think the worst part is ICU nurses are being assigned to four patients and having ‘helper nurses’ from other areas that are not ICU trained. New ICU beds don’t equal trained staff. It’s dangerous.”

And this is also for my friend who lost her beloved uncle because he had to go to work, and was not afforded the opportunity to work remotely, then caught COVID and died.

Please y’all, continue to stay home if you can. There absolutely is a point to these shutdowns. And if you have to go out: Stay six feet away.

It’s a terrible thing we can’t all be together, to hug the folks we love the most in this world, or even to shake hands and high-five.

For my blonde friends who hate that their roots or grays are showing, ladies, I feel ya. Because to quote Jonathan from Queer Eye my ‘sparkle is showing’, too. Yes, with all the stress of this world, yours truly at Pretty Southern is going gray.

As much as I empathize with the Southern salon owners who are choosing to open their doors because Georgia’s governor gave the green light, it feels like my civic duty to stay home because it’s not essential for me to cover up my ‘sparkle’.

I’m going to quote a fellow writer, Lauren Duca who gained notoriety for her piece in Teen Vogue about how the president is gaslighting America. Lauren has a newsletter called Pancake Brain, and she wrote: “Living through a global pandemic means we will be forced to cobble together the practicalities of day-to-day survival while imaging the equity and sustainability we all deserve… That means dreaming, and voting, and dancing — it means getting by with the help of our friends.”

How you can help during COVID

Besides staying home, washing your hands, and staying 6-feet away when you go out in public, here are a few resources to help folks who have been impacted the most by the Coronavirus.

No Kid Hungry – dedicated to providing free or reduced meals for kids across the country. This spring season is always an important time to donate as they prepare to help ensure kids have access to food during the summer break. Now with schools closed for the remainder of the year with the pandemic, the team at No Kid Hungry is working even harder. Donate here.

Goodr – this Atlanta-based organization was already doing incredible work to recover food from restaurants, movie sets, stadiums, you name it that would have ended up in a landfill to get it to the folks that need it most. With COVID, founder Jasmine Crowe has established partnerships with some of Atlanta’s biggest names to make sure families and seniors aren’t going hungry. Help out here.

New Story – a nonprofit pioneering solutions to end global homelessness. The Neighborhood is New Story’s latest solution to help turn this vision into a reality. Their first project as a community is to provide rent relief for U.S. families on the verge of homelessness due to COVID-19. Help a family pay their rent here.

ATL Family Meal – the mission of #ATLFAMILYMEAL is to “feed, nurture and support hospitality workers and their families experiencing hunger and joblessness in the metro Atlanta community. This community of chefs, restaurants, suppliers, community stakeholders, and hospitality workers, is working in unison to build new bridges in the community that allow us to feed our Atlanta hospitality family.” Donate or shop in their e-store.

ATL Food Bingo – shoutout to Pretty Southern contributor Rachel Boyd for alerting us to this one. The Atlanta Food Bingo cards represent restaurants in neighborhoods across the city. “Order delivery/to-go, buy giftcards/merch, or donate at ANY 5 participating businesses and SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS. Each purchase has to be at least $20. They don’t have to be in a row, just pick any 5 you want!” Play ATL Food Bingo!

Scrubs Grub – is delivering hundreds of meals each week, serving Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, Alliance Recovery Center, Piedmont ER, Atlanta Medical Center OR, and Wellstar North Fulton ICU. “The coronavirus has made life difficult for all of us in Atlanta and beyond,” says Kat Spivey, the organizer of this fundraiser. “Without question, people in the restaurant and healthcare industries are some of the most affected. We created this GoFundMe to help both… We hope to simultaneously generate needed business for restaurants and feed our brave healthcare workers. Donate to Scrubs Grub.

Also, this Google Sheet provides a list of restaurants, salons, and other local Atlanta businesses that chose to remain close for the time being.

Whatever “normal” looks like for Atlanta, the South, our country, and the world will be very different from anything we’ve ever known. To close out this blog post, I’ll leave y’all with one of my favorite quotes from the great Magaret Mitchell:

Gumption is what makes some people survive when others go under.

Y’all have got gumption in spades. And if you know of anyone else who needs help, a business you want to feature, or if there’s anything else at all, we can rally the Pretty Southern squad, please leave a comment below.

Love y’all, stay well, and we’ll all be together soon.

April 24, 2020