gods in Alabama

 

There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus. I left one back there myself, back in Possett. I kicked it under the kudzu and left it to the roaches.

I made a deal with God two years before I left there. At the time, I thought He made out pretty well. I offered Him a three-for-one deal: All He had to do was perform a miracle. He fulfilled His end of the bargain, so I kept my three promises faithfully, no matter what the cost. I held our deal as sacred for twelve solid years. But that was before God let Rose Mae Lolley show up on my doorstep, dragging my ghosts and her own considerable baggage with her.
gods in Alabama
Joshilyn Jackson

Stumbled on this one last week, and then yesterday I didn't put it down. Clever, witty, quirky characters and writing. Takes the stereotypical Southern genre to a whole new level. Don't see how I missed its debut in 2005, but obviously the reviews at that time were very favorable...


“Joshilyn Jackson’s stellar debut has all the elements of great southern fiction, a plucky heroine with a sense of humor,a gripping tale and a mysterious dead body that needs explanation. Arlene Fleet, with a crystal clear voice and purpose takes the reader on a wild ride of despair, hope and redemption that no reader is likely to ever forget. What a storyteller! What a new, original voice!”
- Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of Big Stone Gap and Lucia, Lucia.

“gods in Alabama has everything a first (or any) novel should possess but seldom does: an engaging plot, a protagonist whose original voice has you alternately laughing out loud and misting up, and a vividly etched sense of place… What really elevates gods, though, is Joshilyn Jackson’s fresh, unpredictable way with words. She writes so creatively that you slow down, because every sentence is a delight of some sort… gods in Alabama leaves readers grateful for the journey and smiling at the redemptive powers of love. Fresh…unpredictable…satisfying…the kind of book you hate to finish but can’t wait to pass on to friends.”
- Cleveland Plain Dealer

 

“A winning blend of Steel Magnolias and Sweet Home Alabama with a whodunit twist.”
- Glamour

 

“Wild, salacious, and hard to put down… Reading the book is like sitting on your neighbor’s porch, drinking lemonade, and listening to all the good gossip… a great new voice for Southern literature. Joshilyn Jackson’s sweet, sassy, smart Southern voice is one that will resonate for those born and raised below the Mason-Dixon and Yankees alike.”
- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

 

“This novel has deep shadows and sharp edges. And if you’re not careful, it will break your heart.”
- Creative Loafing (GA)


Good news! Ms. Jackson has a backlist and a brand new book scheduled for release September 25th.