THE BOOK IS A HIT, OR SO JEWEL SAYS!

You know that I, Jewel Tate, don't write here much but I want to toot Mz Barbara's horn for her a little bit. A book is a hard thing to write and I do know she and Mz Regina had a lot of work to do to make it so presentable. We folks here in Harts Corner thought that book was never gonna come out and when it did, I do believe everyone in town bought a copy. We all wanted to know if we were in the book and, most of all, if Mz Barbara had written the truth about us and our town and all the good and bad things that happened here.

Well, although I don't read a whole lot--just have too much else to do than to take the time out--I want to tell you I read every word. And I listened to people here talk about the book, 'cause they read it really quick like. It's that kind of book. You can't put it down. You just have to turn those pages and see what's gonna happen next. Then we all started hearin' from folks all around the country:

"I was right there sitting in a booth in the Blue Moon, listening to the stories and seeing the happenings and feeling like I knew each one of those characters."

"Barbara Mims Deming has brought the true south of the '60's to readers."

"No matter where you grew up, you feel like you're with folks you know in Harts Corner."

"Barbara Mims Deming is the new Fanny Flagg."

The book is a success. Now, don't you think that is the greatest news?

But what really makes a book a success is for more and more people to read it. Now, you know me, I am not a person who speaks up for much of anything, even though I am much more able to stand on my own two feet since Mary Margaret Butler took a chance and hired me to work at the Blue Moon. But I want to get on my soapbox about this "Aunt Lutie's Blue Moon Café" novel.

If you like southern literature, you'll find a good example here. If you've never read it, you need to get educated. If you want romance, it's right here. If you want erotic sex, you ain't gonna get to read about it in this book. If you love small towns and down-home folks and love-your-fellowman tales, you're gonna love this read. If you enjoy mystery and playing detective, dive in to these pages.

Don't wait for the movie...although if Ron Howard or Eastwood or one of those other producers is reading this, you need to take a look. Until it is discovered and hits the big screen, you need to read this book.

Come on by the Blue Moon and we'll let you sit all day in one of our booths to read the book to your hearts content. We might even slip you a piece of Banana Cream Pie to go with it.