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As the Southern Festival of Books Celebrates 25 Years This Month, We LIT CITY As the Southern Festival of Books celebrates 25 years this month, we take a closer look at some of Nashville’s greatest writing talent—and highlight a few rising stars. 120 | NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM 10.14 NL 113-128new.indd 120 9/15/14 8:37 PM rying off her rescue dog, Sparky, to Maggie AN OPEN BOOK down the street. Among causes with which Celebrated novelist Ann Patchett Patchett is involved, the Nashville Humane shares her thoughts on the state of the Association is at the top of the list, and publishing industry, Googling herself, Sparky’s August ceremony drew donations and press coverage alike. (Read more about and her dog’s recent wedding. Patchett’s passion for canines in her essay “This Dog’s Life” in Happy Marriage.) BY KRISTIN LUNA And, of course, there’s Parnassus Books, which Patchett and business partner Karen Ann Patchett will never see this interview. Hayes opened in 2011. Never did 2,500 While she’s often the subject of news square feet of space in a strip of shops across stories—whether promoting a new novel or from the Mall at Green Hills debut to such inadvertently acting as the spokesperson for national acclaim, particularly at a time when independent bookstores everywhere—the bookstores were closing left and right. Patch- acclaimed author opts not to read a thing ett, now 50, moved from written about her. Los Angeles to Nashville “Is it like hearing your with her family at the age voice played back to you of six and says the 2010 after it’s been recorded?” shuttering of beloved I ask her. local bookstore Davis- “Yes!” she says. “[It] Kidd was the catalyst for makes me crazy. Hearing her jumping into such a myself say stupid things tumultuous industry. or seeing myself in direct “Do I think that quotes saying things that bookstores are dead, I never said.” Simi- it’s all over, we’re going larly, you’ll never find to be taken over by e- Patchett Googling her readers? No,” she says name or reading Amazon firmly. “People are very reviews. “Never, never, into [what we’re doing]. I never look up anything don’t think that we could [about yourself] on the have a 30,000-square- Internet,” she advises. foot bookstore. I think “That’s the number one those days are gone. But rule in life. It’s not that I I think a really smart, well-curated, well- am opposed to criticism, but it’s that freaky, staffed bookstore [will survive].” cruel pack mentality of ‘They should live; Although Kindles are banned from they should die.’ I can’t be a better writer— her household, Patchett isn’t opposed to in fact, I’ll be a worse writer because I’ll get e-readers altogether. “What I find as a book- scared.” seller, but really as a writer, is that people For Patchett, it’s easy to avoid stumbling will come up to me all the time and say, ‘I upon such commentary; she doesn’t own read your book on my e-reader and I really a smartphone, nor is she on social media. liked it, so now I want to buy the book,’” When I stopped by her West Nashville she says. “You’ll get people who are buying house, the multitasking wordsmith was busy in a few different formats. It’s really, really in her home office, knee-deep in a few dif- interesting.” ferent projects: tinkering with the manu- Parnassus, which is tucked discreetly off script of a half-finished novel, reviewing the the street in a bustling commercial area, also paperback release of her latest book, This Is benefits from having a recognizable figure the Story of a Happy Marriage (HarperCol- like Patchett as its promotional face, a walk- lins), drafting a commissioned political piece ing billboard for its products, her books the for the November issue of Vogue—and mar- best possible advertisements. Today, people 10.14 NL 111-128new.indd 121 9/17/14 3:21 PM pilgrimage to Nashville from all over the country than usual, at which point she takes a step back. “I THE SOUTH, UNPLUGGED just to visit the store, poke around its shelves, and have to remind myself that the kindest thing I can This quartet of books will be your hopefully catch Patchett in person. do for the health and well-being of the bookstore guide to the happenings in Music A unique way the writer has remained a com- is to write another book,” she says. “That’s what City and beyond. petitor in the literary game during the meteoric we sell a lot of: my books.” rise of e-book sales is by offering to autograph ev- Those who admire Patchett for the suspenseful ery one of her own books sold through the shop’s story lines of Bel Canto (HarperCollins) and State website, parnassusbooks.net. In fact, when she of Wonder might have found last year’s collection went on The Colbert Report in 2012 to promote of nonfiction pieces—some humorous, others raw, State of Wonder (HarperCollins), host Stephen all laced with her token fluent and intoxicating Colbert directed viewers to go purchase the book prose—a refreshing change of pace. But before from Amazon; Patchett chimed in: “I want this to she became known as a novelist, nonfiction domi- register on the Parnassus website. If you buy it nated Patchett’s career: After graduating from there, you can get it signed [by me]!” The result Sarah Lawrence College, she obtained a master’s “Do I think that bookstores are dead, it’s all over, we’re going to be taken over by e-readers? No. People are very into [what we’re doing]." The Southern Slow Cooker Bible was a huge influx in online sales for the store. of fine arts in creative writing from Iowa Writer’s Tammy Allgood As she tells it, sitting at the helm of a bookstore Workshop and freelanced for Seventeen magazine (Thomas Nelson) is incredibly rewarding, especially since she gets for the better part of a decade. She then dove Discover new takes on classic regional to do what she calls “the fun stuff” while co-owner into the world of long-form writing and has since dishes—like a bacon and chive creamed and store manager Hayes handles the day-to-day. published six novels and three works of nonfic- corn or bourbon candied sweet pota- “I always say I am to Parnassus what Julia Roberts tion. Happy Marriage is essentially Patchett’s toes—via this tasty tour of the region’s is to Lancôme mascara: I don’t formulate it, I don’t curated portfolio, a compilation of her best pub- best cuisine from local food personality package it, I don’t distribute it, I just wear it,” says lished clips with a few new essays woven into the Tammy Allgood. Patchett, a celebrity in her own right. “And yet, it’s mix. It’s also an excellent guidebook of sorts for a really helpful role. The Tennessean will do a piece those looking to get into a writing profession of on my dog getting married, and that’s great because any kind, as Patchett entwines nuggets of advice that brings people into the bookstore. gleaned from her own experiences. “The best part [of being an owner of Parnassus] is And while she might be too busy to read—or how much fun it is for me,” she adds. “I’m sure it’s simply not interested in reading—what I or not the same for Karen, who is the one who does all anyone else has to say about her, she’s probably the work. She’s there day in, day out, and I’m flitting the only one. After all, Nashville stands to benefit in and out saying, ‘This is so much fun!’ I kind of from every work Patchett publishes, from the have all the upside and none of the downside.” traveling talent Parnassus brings to the commu- There are times, though, when the “fun” side of nity, and from having such an accomplished writer owning a bookstore keeps Patchett more tied up serving as the face of the local literary scene. The Southern Foodie’s Guide to the Pig FAMILY TIES Dr. Michael E. Glasscock III—Ann Patchett’s mother’s former Chris Chamberlain husband of 20 years, with whom the author is close and whom she (Thomas Nelson) still considers a father figure—released the third book in his Round Vegetarians, beware: Nashville Lifestyles Rock series, The Life and Times of Jamie Lee Coleman, last month. contributor Chris Chamberlain scoured While Glasscock currently resides in Austin, the internationally the South for everything hog-related known surgeon and adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University he could find. The result is this culinary Medical Center draws from his own Southern upbringing to build journey through pig anatomy, recipes out the fictional town in which the book is based. (bacon-infused bourbon? Yum!), and the South’s best restaurants that feature pork prominently on their menus. 122 | NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM 10.14 NL 111-128new.indd 122 9/17/14 3:22 PM Staff Spotlight Nashville Lifestyles’ own managing editor, Erin Byers Murray, has a new cookbook, The New England Kitchen: Fresh Takes on Seasonal Recipes (Rizzoli New York), out this month. A collaboration with Boston chef and restaurateur Jeremy Sewall (Lineage, Creek Oyster Bar, and Row 34), this tome of recipes highlights some of Murray’s favorite dishes from her years living in Massachusetts, like dayboat cod, maple-brined pork rack, and crab chowder, divvied up by season.
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