Bless His Heart

From the bestselling author of The GRITS® Guide to Life—a manual for catching, loving, feeding, and living with Southern men If you’re living and breathing in this country, chances are you know a male GRITS (Gentlemen Raised In The South), and if you’re Southern yourself (or just wish you were), chances are you love him, bless his heart—but you sure don’t understand him. Does your man: * Know every single word to his school’s fight song? * Love MoonPies, RC Cola, and GooGoo Clusters? * Still think Mama can do no wrong, even though he’s got grandchildren of his own? Whether he lives in a tar-paper shack or a columned mansion, Deborah Ford celebrates and roasts the wonderful, entertaining, and downright crazy male GRITS who Southern women can’t live without.

From the wickedly hilarious pen of Southern humorist Celia Rivenbark comes a collection of essays that brings to mind Dave Barry (in high heels) or Jeff Foxworthy (in a prom dress). Step into the wacky world of "womanless wedding" fund-raisers, in which Bubbas wear boas. Meet two sisters who fight rural boredom by washing Budweiser cans and cutting them into pieces to make clothing. Learn why the word snow sends any right-thinking Southerner careening to the Food Lion for extra loaves of bread and little else. Humor columnist and slightly crazed belle-by-birth Celia Rivenbark tackles these and other lard-laden subjects in Bless Your Heart, Tramp, a hilarious look at Southern---and just plain human---foibles, up-close and personal. So pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and curl up on the pie-azza with Bless Your Heart, Tramp.

Sometimes what your life is missing is an eccentric group of older ladies to take you under their wing... When Rae Sutton's mama passes away and leaves her the house where she grew up, Rae can't imagine how the little old place might restore her broken life. Mourning the recent loss of her marriage, she takes the house and settles back into her tiny hometown with her fourteen-year-old daughter, Molly Margaret, and their overweight dog. There she’s embraced by her mother's close-knit circle of friends, the Third Thursday ladies. Though almost half their age and far less confident of positive outcomes, Rae joins their ministry-slash-book-club-slash-gossip circle and allows the women to speak wry honesty and witty humor into her tired heart. As a new career and a new romance bring their own complications, Rae relies on the unlikely family she's found and begins to wonder if her future holds more hope than she ever could have imagined. "Wise, witty, and full of Southern charm,?Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton?is as refreshing as a tall glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day!" -Denise Hunter, bestselling author of the Riverbend Romances Sweet, stand-alone Southern contemporary women's fiction Coming soon from Susannah B. Lewis: Della & Darby

Born in the midst of the Great Depression in Neenah, Wisconsin, V.W. Thomack has lived an adventurous life. In this memoir, he recalls boyhood memories, including: • Each spring, his dad would have his kids line up for his magical elixir: sulfur and molasses to purify their blood. • Knickers and knee socks were popular attire for young boys. The elastic in the knickers would wear out, as would the elastic in the knee socks, so both would fall down. The author would pull the socks and knickers up and hold them in place with a rubber band. • When the collars of his shirts wore out, his mother would take them off and reverse them, so the shirts were like new again. The author also recalls events throughout his life, including falling in love, getting married, and then the tragic loss of his wife to Alzheimer’s disease—as well as the sudden loss of great friends. Along the way, he incorporates history, humor, trivia, and, shocking punch lines. It’s all part of celebrating his home runs and lamenting the times he could not get his bat off his shoulder to deliver hits.

A young boy and his little sister awake at dawn, looking forward to a day of excitement and discovery at the beach. It's so early the lighthouse on the point is still lit. As brother and sister play on the beach, swim in the surf, and explore the tide pools, each experience is a source of wonder. In this newest collaboration by Holly Bea and Kim Howard, children are reminded to appreciate everything in life, from the early morning light to a freckle on the knee to a hug.

What would the South be without deviled eggs at the church potluck, or a family reunion where nobody remembered to make baked beans and sweet tea? Is it possible to celebrate a holiday without crunchy sweet potato casserole? Patsy Caldwell and Amy Lyles Wilson don't think so, either. Every occasion in the South comes with its own essential menu, and they're all here in this collection of time-honored favorites. Want to show your team pride with the spread at your next tailgating bash? Lifelong Southerners Patsy and Amy have got you covered with desserts that boast every color in the SEC. No matter the particular moment of life you encounter, this is your go-to encyclopedia of Southern cooking and traditions around the table. In Bless Your Heart, you’ll find dishes such as: Buttermilk Pie with Pecans Beef Stroganoff Cajun Green Beans Chili Cheese Pie Peach Pecan Muffins Bless Your Heart provides recipes that are proven to comfort and satisfy your family and the people who may as well be kin. Whether the occasion is a holiday gathering, a garden party, or one of life's unexpected events, food is the common denominator in the South. Patsy and Amy understand the craft of Southern cooking, and how few things are as nurturing as a meal lovingly prepared in the traditions of the South. There's a recipe here for every situation in which a Southerner may find themself. You'll enjoy the familiar stories of traditions in Dixie along the way and no doubt pick up a new idea or two of ways to celebrate Southern culture, nourish your loved ones, and make new memories.

Southerners have a way with words! Who needs simple and direct when you can color every conversation with Southern style. There seems to be a Southern saying for every occasion. Some are inspiring and uplifting while others have that biting tongue-in-cheek humor Southerners adore.

Prayer opens worlds of possibilities—but many people still struggle to pray. Power Prayers to Bless Your Heart will help you pray, by offering solid biblical reasons to talk to God and specific prayer starters for men and women of all ages and stages of life. Drawn from Barbour’s bestselling Power Prayers series, the book includes topics such as My Faith, My Home, My Health, My Peace, My Joy, My Dreams, My Fulfillment, My Church, and My Family. Concise and quick to read, yet packed with spiritual punch, Power Prayers to Bless Your Heart makes an ideal gift and is great for personal encouragement, too.