Inside the Family Circle

Fiction from Mississippi’s Michael Farris Smith, verses from Ohio’s poet laureate, and a Christmas memory from Deb Bowen prove why we need your support in this membership drive.

By Chuck Reece

Dec 2, 2023

As we find ourselves midway through our second-anniversary membership drive, my heart brims with gratitude for your generous support. The readers of Salvation South…y’all really do form an extraordinary community.

Your support resonates through the pages of Salvation South, and we extend heartfelt thanks to each member who has joined us on this incredible journey. If you haven't yet, seize the chance to become a part of our community by visiting our membership page. This week, we were happy to, at last, come up with the right name for the members who support our mission—the Salvation South Family Circle. If you haven't stepped inside the Circle yet, we wholeheartedly invite you to join us. Your support is essential in sustaining this haven for Southern storytelling, a refuge for readers seeking narratives that rise above conflict. Together, we can make a lasting impact, fostering unity and hope for years to come.

Here’s what we have for you this this week:

Firstly, we are thrilled to welcome acclaimed Mississippi novelist and screenwriter Michael Farris Smith into our merry band of contributors. We express gratitude for his enduring support, especially during this landmark year with the release of his stunning seventh novel, Salvage This World. And while novelists are rarely allowed to write the screenplays for films based on their books, Michael penned the scripts for two major motion pictures released earlier this year. They’re based on his books The Fighter (retitled Rumble Through the Dark for the screen) and Desperation Road.

Delve into his first short fiction in seven years, "I Am Not a Rock Star," as he takes us along with Nelly Clement on her first trip to get her hair done in three years. Why she waited so long—and what happened to her in the meantime—will take your breath away.

We are also honored to feature the words of Kari Gunter-Seymour, Ohio's poet laureate, and a ninth-generation native of Appalachia. Her three poems for Salvation South feel like familiar threads pulled from the rich tapestry of her mountain heritage.

(NOTE: You can buy books by Michael and Kari and all our contributors in the Salvation South Bookshop, where you can simultaneously feed your reading habit and help us keep telling stories.)

Next, we head to the Carolina coast for a heartwarming Christmas story from one of our reader favorites, writer Deb Bowen. In “Takin' Up a Poundin’,” Deb shares a touching tale of a unique giving tradition that embodies the true essence of community and giving. Let her words envelop you in the spirit of the season.

These stories encapsulate the diversity and depth that define Salvation South. We invite you to immerse yourself in these narratives, each offering a unique perspective and a touch of inspiration.

Thank you for being an integral part of our community. Your support is the heartbeat that makes these stories possible. Please join the Salvation South Family Circle because we can't wait to continue this journey with you.

With gratitude,

Chuck and Stacy Reece

Chuck Reece

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Chuck Reece is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Salvation South, the weekly web magazine you're reading right now. He was the founding editor of The Bitter Southerner. He grew up in the north Georgia mountains in a little town called Ellijay.