I have just finished a book by an allegedly southern author.
She is not.
She may say she lives in the south, and maybe she does. But I bet she hasn't lived here more than a few years, and that as a middle age adult.
She 'thinks' she's got us down pat, and truly believes she can write a southern story.
She has people who will publish her, praise her, and even hang out with her. Those who hang out with her perhaps have hopes that the people who publish her and praise her will publish and praise them. Heck if I know.
What I do know is something she doesn't: Southern can't be faked.
I don't imagine I could move to Boston and live for a few years, then write a book and sound like I was born and bred there.
I was insulted, amused, embarrassed and ashamed while reading this book, depending on what page I was on.
Since when do Southern people end sentences by saying 'yous'. Huh?
And how do we can fresh-picked-out of the garden-out back-tomatoes in December? (This book is supposed to take place somewhere in the mountains of north Georgia.)
And how are we supposed to be out working in the garden in January? Sitting on the front porch? In the heat, I might add.
If southerners have any education at all, they surely don't write and spell like they sound...
Unless, of course, you are a character in a person's book who thinks they do.
Lord help us all.
What if folks who do not know any better buy books written by people like her and take it home and believe that is who we are?
The belief of who we are, how we act, how we think, how smart we are, etc. is already skewed enough.
As she proves.
Imposter!
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