"Where Are the (fill in the blank)?"

Recently I attended the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Tennessee. I was particularly excited to go to this event as I had been told this one is the "granddaddy of all book festivals" and if you can only go to one, go to it. So when I was asked to attend I jumped at the chance.

The Book Festival is held virtually in the Plaza in front of the War Memorial in Nashville, an impressive place but also a cold one on a cloudy October day. Panel talks are held at the library at the other end of the Plaza. Once you realize where everything is going to be you are okay but for a few brief moments I felt I was lost in a city full of construction. My nephew who lives in Nashville had told me the new state flower is the construction barrel, and I can see why. They are tearing up roads at a rapid rate.

For my panel participation I had the good fortune of being teamed up with a lady named Nan Graham, a lady from North Carolina who dispenses southern humor on Public Radio in her state. Nan and I both write about the South, both have lived in South Carolina, and both have participated in Public Radio in our states. In other words we were a perfect match. I thought our repartee was amusing and the audience seemed to think so too. Unfortunately this good reception did not extend into many book sales.

On Saturday night there was a reception and buffet for the authors in attendance. Also the Southern Book Critic Circle awards were announced. Ron Rash won in the fiction category for SAINTS AT THE RIVER. Tim Tyson was the non-fiction winner for BLOOD DONE SIGN MY NAME.

While Mr. Tyson was giving his acceptance speech a gentleman stood up and said he had a question. When he was recognized he asked, "Where are the blacks?" He seemed to repeat this question a few times and slowly and somewhat hesitantly several blacks stood. This man stated he saw a few black attendees and he also saw a few black servers at the buffet table.

It was an embarrassing and awkward moment that did not seem to be well received by most of the people there. In truth the question could have been "Where are the Asians? Where are the Hispanics? Where are the (fill in the blank)?" 

As the program progressed Clyde Edgerton gave a reading as did William Gay and another man whose name I forget. Between readings a young man sang some country-flavored songs. In this instance someone could have shouted, "Where are the women?" since this was an all male performance.

For my taste the readings were just too literary. Edgerton read a story about an overweight young girl who went to a dance with a boy who was not too smart in the book sense world. On the way home he committed an embarrassing act in front of her. Gay read about a man with Alzheimer's, and the last gentleman read s story about death. This last was the most interesting to me and in my opinion the best written.

Still I would rather have heard something read by Karen Zacharias from her book HERO MAMA, or maybe have Tanya Tucker come on stage and sing a song. She was at the Festival, or at least I heard she was. I never had the good fortune to meet her. Some friends of mine said her panel discussion appearance was a hoot.

Maybe the Southern Festival of Books is the "granddaddy of all festivals" for the BIG authors, but for little known names like me it was unexciting. I never even met the presenters of the event, and I doubt they even knew I was there.

For the time being I think I will stick with smaller venues where you get the feeling you are part of the event. South Carolina Book Festival, here I come.

 

 

 

 

 

©2005 Jackie K. Cooper

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