[Coweta Arts Tidbits] Southside Arts Agenda Now Publishes Review of Books By Local Authors

Coweta Arts Tidbits   The Successor To Newnan-Coweta Arts Council News Releases Composed By: Forrest W. Schultz 770-583-3258   March 9, 2009    Southside Arts Agenda Now Publishes Reviews of Books by Local Authors        The Southside Arts Agenda is a weekly online news service covering the arts in the Southside counties which has now acquired a readership higher than any of the print media.  As such it has played an important role in the burgeoning Southside scene, especially with respect to the visual arts and the performing arts.  Recently the Editor decided that insufficient attention was being paid to the literary arts.  He therefore introduced a new policy of publishing in each weekly issue a review of a recently published book by a Southside author.  And, contrary to what most people probably think, for the past few years there has been a boom in the publication of new books by Southside authors.       The first of these reviews appeared in the February 9 issue about one of the most interesting books I have ever read -- The Melon Boys (by Mike Ottensmeyer of Palmetto, using the pen name Michael George) concerning how they used to pick and pack watermelons in the South in days of yore.  The review published in the February 16 issue was about a book (her first) written by 91 year old Mary Busser of Newnan, who is almost blind but can still recite poetry with super-passion!   The February 23 issue contains a review of a book (Precious) by Georgia's newest author, Sandra Novack, who lives in Whitesburg.  The book reviewed last week (WOOF) was written by Mary Cunningham of the Carrollton Creative Writers Club.  AND, the book reviewed in today's issue  -- Eyes Of The Calusa -- is an award winner written by a former Coweta County Teacher of the Year, Holly Moulder from Sharpsburg.        The Editor, Andre DeLorenzo, is very pleased with these reviews, which have become one of the most popular sections in his publication!  These are bona fide reviews, not just jacket blurbs, and are well written and interesting.  To qualify for inclusion, the book must have been written in either 2007 or 2008 or 2009, and it must be by a Southside author.  The books and authors are being located by means of either a writers group or library in each of the Southside counties.        If anyone has been missed, he should contact me, Forrest Schultz, at 770-583-3258 or by email at schultz_forrest@yahoo.com.         To see the reviews and/or to thank the Editor one can go to www.southsideartsagenda.com.