Six years ago, my good friend Joyce and I had the great pleasure of listening to a talk (and sampling a little Southern cooking) by Janis Owens at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, Florida. Janis was in town to promote her latest book, The Cracker Kitchen, and though I like to eat much more than I like to cook, I knew I’d be going home that day with a copy. After all, as a proud seventh-generation Southerner, how could I resist recipes such as Easter Bunny Cake, Mama’s Cornbread, Wilted Country Salad, and Banana Split Cake, not to mention Roy’s Famous Biscuits? (Yea, Lawd!)
(Forgive me, Janis, but I’m passing on Baked Armadillo, Rattlesnake, Roast Possum and Sweet Potatoes, and Stewed Squirrel. I’m not that Southern. In other words, I’ll be joining you at that local Hardees. Or Chick-fil-A.)
I was as charmed by Janis’s open, down-to-earth manner as her recipes. My friend Joyce even discovered after the talk that they had some common ancestry (well, they say everyone in the South is related somehow). Over the past six years I’ve enjoyed her Facebook posts both amusing and moving, her family photos, stories about her mama (and Big Mama—every Southern family has a Big Mama), almost envied her friendship with the late, great Pat Conroy, and thought more than once: Gee, I wish she lived closer, because I’m pretty sure she’s a kindred spirit.
Here’s part of what I wrote to her this week:
Dear Janis,
Back in 2013 I had the great pleasure of meeting you at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, where you were speaking to promote The Cracker Kitchen. My friend Joyce and I accepted your kind invitation to “Friend” you on Facebook, and ever since we’ve both enjoyed your posts considerably. This year another Facebook friend, author/editor Andi Cumbo-Floyd, took on a project I decided to emulate—30 days of thank yous to 30 authors she admired. So this is my thanks to you—for your humor, your pride in being a Florida Cracker, your stories, your pictures, your memories, your knack with words (“Kingdom of Newberria” immediately springs to mind, but there are so many more), and your commitment to honing your craft and sharing your gift with others. While to date I’ve only delved into The Cracker Kitchen, your novels American Ghost, The Schooling of Claybird Catts, Myra Sims, and My Brother Michael are all on my “To Be Read” list. So thanks again, Janis. The literary world is a better place for having you in it.
Do yourself a favor and check out the gem of a voice that is Janis Owens. You’ll thank me for it.
Meeting Janis with you in Orlando was a great treat. Reading her Facebook posts has helped me to feel I know her well. I did not read The Cracker Kitchen, but I loved My Brother Michael and American Ghost. Hope Janis gets to read this post!