Georgia Author of the Year...not

Last night, I drove up to Kennesaw State University with fellow nominee Jessica Handler (who wrote the brilliant memoir Invisible Sisters) and her husband, Mickey Dubrow, for the 2010 Georgia Author of the Year Awards ceremony. Jessica and I were fairly certain we weren't going to win and that was the case.

In my category, Amanda Gable won for The Confederate General Rides North, and in Jessica's it was a bit of a surprise – Winton Porter for Just Passin' Thru. I have no idea who he is, but since he beat Jessica and Sen. Max Cleland (the favorites to win), it must be one helluva a story.

I saw Tania Rochelle, Lynn Pederson and Travis Denton (all nominees for poetry), but that award went to Gregory Fraser for Answering the Ruins. My pals Karen Head and Megan Volpert were also nominated. There was so much good poetry to choose from, I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice for judge Meg Kearney. 

You can see the full list of winners at this link.

We wrapped up the evening drinking margaritas and eating delish food at Pure Taqueria in my 'hood. While we were talking about old boyfriends, Jessica's first BF from when she was 12 spotted her from across the room and came over to say hello. How weird is that?

Happy Father's Day to my dad and all the daddies out there.