Terry Kay, raised a country boy, became a major writer in his lifetime

This is one of my favorite pictures. Georgia author Terry Kay is signing a book for me. I didn't know him then. I believe he was appearing at an event at Young Harris College. Many years later, I met Terry when he came to Sylva, NC, and spoke at A Day for Writers. I found him to be down-to-earth, generous, and kind. He had a wonderful sense of humor.
I read his books, saw movies based on them, and felt like I knew him before I actually met him. 

I enjoyed his stories about another of my favorite writers, Pat Conroy, who was his friend. 

Glenda sitting at Pat Conroy's desk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEPzRwH5ObY

The link above is a video of Terry Kay speaking at the Georgia Center for the Book. 

You will laugh and love his stories about high school in Royston, GA. You will hear him tell about his writing journey. He shares his experiences with New York publishers and why he turned to Mercer University to publish his last book.  

Terry Kay (1938–2020) was an acclaimed American author whose novels often explored life in the American South. His most famous book, To Dance with the White Dog, was adapted into a Hallmark Hall of Fame film and sold over two million copies in Japan. His writing appeals to me and most people because he loves his characters, and readers do, too. 

Read more about him.

https://terrykay.com/biography