Nashville native and second-time author, Susan Gregg Gilmore, proves again she can spin a tale infused with spellbinding Southern charm with can't loose titles. I mean, who can resist the clever, reel-you-in- titles: Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen and The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove? Cash plunked down for Gilmore's novel one and two, respectively, don't disappoint. And a legion of already fast, loyal fans, including authors Lisa Patton, Lee Smith and River Jordan, flanked Davis Kidd Bookstore last week for the debut of Gilmore's second novel, The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove. Plus, Gilmore intrigues book watchers, like me, with a gracious and endearing charm of her own and an admirable ability to market in this new age of social media and beyond. (Authors: take careful notes!)
After only four short years back in Nashville, Gilmore has already packed up and moved back to Chattanooga where she birthed her three babies, now college-aged; where she groomed her journalism skills before moving to L.A. where she freelanced for the Los Angeles Times before, lucky for her future readers, she dipped into fiction and birthed "Dairy Queen."
When NPR reviewer Alan Cheuse compared Gilmore's "Dairy Queen" to lemon meringue pie, Gilmore showed up at a presentation by the distinguished George Mason University creative writing professor and presented him with a…lemon meringue pie. Last year, Gilmore baked dozens and dozens of pound cakes and sent them to bookstores as a taste and a promotional tickler for Bezellia Grove. Who wouldn't be charmed by this clever author?
I'm excited my friend has released her second novel and I want readers to go out and buy it. All who took my word on Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen expressed gratitude. Gilmore is talent not to be missed. Yet, I'm saving Bezellia for my fall beach trip. I'm pleased to have just read a review that noted that Bezellia traveled to the region where I will also be lodging. Such restraint is probably difficult for hard-core readers to imagine, I'm sure. But, you can purchase your copy of either of Gilmore's masterful novels from her website or your local bookstore, etc. Meanwhile, here's an excerpt of Gilmore's latest work from here.
