BIO
After many years as an Emmy-winning producer/director/writer, I combined my love for story and science and launched science narrative/writing seminars for Honors College students. When writing (sitting at a computer for hours) became difficult because of cervical arthrosis, I signed up to enumerate for the 2020 Census, completing work during the summer of Covid-lockdown. As the pandemic stretched on, I served as Lead for Registration at the UAB Hoover mass vaccine site (60,000+ vaccines administered!), where I decided to pursue a Master’s in Public Health, and simultaneously collaborated with three women on a book about aging and creativity (forthcoming 2024, University of Georgia Press). I have published books, essays, stories, and articles and received fellowships from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Seaside Institute, Oregon State University, and the Lillian E. Smith Foundation. Upon completion of the MPH, I was a Director at UAB’s Alabama BRAIN Lab , and I’m currently the UAB Associate Director for Wellbeing Initiatives. I continue, as my neck allows, to write.
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Books, Anthologies, Short Stories
Old Enough: Southern Women on Aging and Creativity—Assoc. editor and contributor, University of Georgia Press, forthcoming 2024
“For the Birds.” Essay Anthology, University of Georgia Press, accepted 2022, forthcoming 2024
“Day of the Dead,” All Nigh All Day: Life, Death, and Angels, Madville Publishing, 2023
“Custom Meats.” Alabama Noir, ed. Don Noble, Akashic Press, forthcoming 2019
“Lyrical Acts.” Southern Writers on Writing, ed. Susan Cushman, University of Mississippi Press, 2018
“Woman on a Half Shell.” Second Blooming, ed. Susan Cushman, Mercer University Press, 2017
“Good Measure.” Belles Letters 2, ed Jennifer Horne and Don Noble, Livingston Press, 2017
“Shut Up, Delores.” Wingspan, 2014
“Thong Panties.” Redux, 2014
An Accidental Memoir: How I Killed Someone and Other Stories, NewSouth Books, 2013
“Capo.” The Shoe Burnin’: Stories of Southern Soul, 2013
“Prologue.” PoemMemoirStory, January 2013
Circling Faith: Southern Women on Spirituality. The University of Alabama Press, 2012
All Out of Faith: Southern Women on Spirituality. The University of Alabama Press, 2006
“Aubade.” Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose, 2004;
Climbing Mt. Cheaha: Stories From Emerging Alabama Writers, Livingston Press, 2004, Winner of The Hackney Short Story Award, 2004
“Wrongful Death.” PoemMemoirStory, 2002
“Gnawing through the Mask.” Runner up for Non-fiction prize, New Letters, Winner of The Hackney Short Story Award
“Sweet, Sweet Tea.” A State of Laughter, Livingston Press, 2009; Kalliope, 2000
“Lines.” Aura, 1999
“Harold Washburn.” Belles Letters: Contemporary Alabama Women Writers,
Livingston Press, 1999
“Thong Panties.” Analecta 24,1998
277 Things Every Arthritis Sufferer Should Know. Live Oak Publications, 1998
“The Dresser.” Alternatives: An Anthology on Roads Not Taken, Outrider Press,
“Rollerblading Home.” The Flicker Magazine, 1997
“Billy’s Trunk.” The Flicker Magazine, 1997
“Shut Up, Delores.” BackPorch Magazine, 1997
Journalism, Magazine, & Nonfiction
“Lyrical Acts” Southern Writers on Writing, University of Mississippi Press, 2018
“Woman on a Half Shell” Second Blooming, Mercer Univ. Press, 2018
“Biscuit Wars.” Lee Magazine, Spring 2014
“Sticks and Stones.” accepted by Creative Nonfiction, May 2013
“Rick Bragg: Elevating Southern Dialogue and Characters To An Art Form.” Alabama
State Council on the Arts Magazine, May 2013
“Joe Rumore: Magic City’s First Media Man.” Alabama Heritage (cover article),
January, 2013
Approximately 10 articles for Auburn University College of Agriculture Magazine, 2012-2013
“To My Dad, Who Stood Up for Others.” The Birmingham News, 2011
“Raising a Son in this Virtual World.” The Birmingham News, 2008
Book Review, Michael Martone, First Draft, 2007
“ Alabama’s Political Pond.” The Birmingham News, 2006
“Mothers Don’t Have to be Perfect.” The Birmingham News, 2006
“Kinda Blue.” Private Air, 2005
“Diabetes.” Physician's Q&A Magazine.
“Get the Facts and Make Alabama Better.” The Birmingham News, 2005
“Grace Comes in Surprising Forms. The Birmingham News, 2004
“She Plays Soccer.” ALABAMA Alive, 2004
“Picking Figs.” The Birmingham News, 2004
“Snake in Paradise.” The Birmingham News, 2004
“Imperiled Children Need Help from an Involved Village.” The Birmingham News,
2003
"Women's Voices Should Also be Heard in Churches.” The Birmingham News, April
2002
“Cornerstone Schools of Alabama.” Birmingham Magazine, 1999
“Poison Ivy.” ChildTimes, 1997
“Saying Grace.” ChildTimes, 1997
“Grief.” ParentTimes, 1996
“Carpooling.” ChildTimes, 1996
POETRY
“Etiquette.” Aura, 2000
“Mr. R.W. Cooner.” Aura, 2000
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Speaking Evolution
Discovering Alabama (Emmy Awards: Best Production 2018, 2011; Best Writer, 2010)
Town Hall, 5-show series for Alabama Public Television, covering Healthcare in Alabama; The Opioid Epidemic in Alabama; Guns in Alabama; Fake News
The Pulitzer Prize Centennial, National Public Radio
Bookmark (Emmy nomination Host/Moderator category)
4 1/2 Feet Under
Eric Essix: At Home
Writing Today: A 25 Year Tribute, Writing Today at Birmingham Southern College
Mother’s Day (National Council on Family Research Media Award Runner-up, Audience Choice Award, San Diego Girl Film Fest; Director’s Choice Award, San Diego Girl Film Fest, St. John’s International Film Festival Screening, Alabama Public TV)
Voices of Slavery
Rebels in the Pulpit: Early Alabama Women Clergy
Say What?: The Poetry Project, featuring Honoree Jeffers
Cast in Iron: Days of Sloss (George Lindsay Film Festival, Professional Short, Honorable Mention)
A Closer Look: The Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (Winner, the Lincoln Unity Award)
The Story of Faunsdale Plantation
Making a Difference, One Child at a Time
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2019 EMMY—National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, southeast chapter ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, DISCOVERING ALABAMA, “THE ALABAMA ARCHIVES”
2017 Finalist, William Faulkner William Winter Prize, Novel in Progress
2017 Archer City Nonfiction Residency, Univ. North Texas, in assoc. with The Mayborn Conference
2013 Oregon State University Spring Creek Collaborative Fellowship, August residency
2013 Lillian E Smith Writer-in-Service Award
2011 Emmy—National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, southeast chapter, Production Award, Discovering Alabama, Gulf Oil Spill
2010 Emmy— National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, southeast chapter, Writer Award, Discovering Alabama: Space
2008 Escape to Create Fellowship, Seaside Institute
2007 Emmy nomination, Bookmark
2006 Graduate School Travel Award
2006 Graduate Student Assn. Travel Grant
2006 George Lindsay Film Festival Screening (Mother’s Day)
2005 St. John’s International Film Festival Screening (Mother’s Day)
2005 Accolade, Feature Documentary (Mother’s Day)
2005 Audience Choice Award, San Diego Girl Film Festival (Mother’s Day)
2005 Judges Award, San Diego Girl Film Festival (Mother’s Day)
2005 Omicron Delta Kappa Excellence in Teaching Award
2004 National Council on Family Research Media Award Runner-up (Mother’s Day)
2004 Semi Finalist William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Contest, Essay Category
2003 Hackney Award—Winner, State Short Story Category
2002 Lincoln Unity Award, Public Affairs/Social Issues Reporting Category (A Closer
Look: The Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind)
2002 George Lindsay Film Festival Screening and Honorable Mention (Cast in Iron:
Days of Sloss)
2002 Rhinehart Award Runner-up, George Mason University, National Non-fiction
category
2002 Alabama State Council on the Arts Literature Fellowship - Prose
2002 New Letters’ Creative Non-fiction Award, First Runner-up
2001 Birmingham Magazine Fiction Contest, Honorable Mention
2000 New Millennium Non-Fiction Award, Honorable Mention
1999 Hackney Short Story Award, Winner, State Short Story