{Guest Post} The Thing About Southern Women by Beth Albright

 

Hey lovelies! Today Beth Albright, my most favorite Southern Belle, is here to talk to us about Southern women. So buckle up and let’s get you all up to speed on the ways of a Southern girl!

Beth’s latest book, DAYDREAMS IN DIXIE, is in stores so be sure and check it out! And because Southern ladies know hospitality- Beth has a prize to give away today- a signed copy of DAYDREAMS IN DIXIE and other goodies! Be sure and check it out (AFTER you read the guest post!)

The Thing About Southern Women

 

A southern lady is unique—and you know it from the moment you meet one. No, it’s not the lilt of the melodic accent in her voice, it may not even be the way she dresses, matched like a princess from handbag to pumps that will give her away—it’s her grace, her elegance, her graciousness when shaking your hand. But mostly it’s her sassy attitude, the one that says, “mess with me or my family and I will kill you without even breaking a nail!” as she smiles sweetly. Family is everything to us, and not just those born with the same blood. Our close friends all become family, too.

And no one can argue with the fact that southern women are some of the most beautiful ladies on earth. It’s our scrupulous attention to the fine details of beauty…from our lipstick to our string of pearls. But like a strand of pearls, we are tough, resilient, smooth and represent nature’s purest gifts.

There are many good and bad stereotypes surrounding the South.

If you’ve never befriended a southerner, or your only experience with one was an interaction with a closed-minded, redneck type, I apologize. We are certainly not all the same down south!

Here are eight  things every good southern woman knows for sure:

 

We love our college football! We may not have even attended the school we love but believe you me, we are passionate people and when we love our team, you’ll know it. We will wear it, shout it and decorate cakes in the team colors for every single game. And honey, tail-gaitin’ is just another word for church held on Saturdays down south. I’m a huge Crimson Tide fan, and I’ve got so much Crimson and Houndstooth hanging in my closet—and even Houndstooth pumps I just got the other day! We don’t even have to like sports at all to love our SEC teams.

Sweet tea. I thought this was a normal thing until I lived outside the South and was served tea that wasn’t sweet. All tea in the South is sweet, unless you specifically ask for it unsweetened. In other parts of the country, you have to specify that you want sugar and lemon with your tea. Can you even imagine? It’s totally ridiculous! And sometimes, if you order sweet tea out here in California where I wound up—they look at you like you just popped in from Mars, and say, I’ll bring you some sugar and you can add it yourself. Huh?

BBQ.  There are major differences between BBQ sauces down south. On this front we are NOT all united. In fact we, are slightly competitive. From the sweet tangy heat of the Carolinas to the hot spicy flavors from Memphis, honey we know our sauces and we know what we like!

 

FRY everything! Food is very important to us! We like to fry everything: fried chicken, fried pork chops, fried green tomatoes, my absolute favorite food on earth!! This is the perfect way for the southern cook to get in all the vegetables we need—usually straight from our garden—or our neighbors garden. With our cooking, comes quantity. Southern women do not know how to cook small portions. Even if you didn’t grow up in a large family, you always cooked enough to share—it’s just the southern way. So to be an authentic southerner, grab yourself a cast iron skillet, and some corn meal—yes, cornmeal. NEVER fry only in flour—it is not southern without the crunchy flavor of cornmeal, from fish to hushpuppies to okra and everything in between—if we can grow it—we can fry it!

 

Beauty Pageants The majority of southern women have participated in beauty pageants growing up — some by choice and some by force. When you’re born down south, as soon as you can walk you are pointed toward the nearest runway. We grow up learning that although “pretty is as pretty does,” the proper amount of lipstick and hairspray can’t hurt. This is why we all have such a love affair with tiaras!

 

 

Dressing Up. “Honey, I don’t even go to the mailbox without my make-up on.” We never ever leave the house looking a mess. You must always look presentable. You never know if you’re fixin’ to meet the love of your life! So be ready. One day recently my son said to me, you only have two gears; nothing and ready for the run-way—you need to find a happy medium.” I can’t,” I responded—I’m southern.”

 

Bless Your Heart. “Bless her heart” is not a sweet sentiment; it’s our nice way of insulting someone. Because, you know, we have southern hospitality and all. And we do it like we do everything—with style and class and a smile. What we are really trying to say is “I’m so sorry you’re such an idiot.”

 

Religions. Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Football. That is all.

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Now that we have all been educated about Southern women by Beth- here’s a bit about the latest book!

Photo Credit: Provided by Author

    Daydreams In Dixie Blurb

 

Southern talk show host and former pageant queen Annabelle Harper certainly knows a thing or two about romance. She is, in fact the local authority on love in Tuscaloosa Alabama as the host of her own radio talk show for the lovelorn: Saved By The Belle. With nearly 50 happy couples to her credit, no one could argue with her success. Annie has never been wrong about the heart of a person. Strange thing is, she can’t seem to get past five dates before the dreaded break-up in her own lovelife.

That is until a new guy pops into town—and a Yankee at that! Sparks fly between Annie and Matt Brubaker – the mysterious stranger who has more than love on his mind.    His interests are focused on developing a new company in Tuscaloosa.   But his new business will put Annie’s best friend out of business, and place Annie smack dab in the middle of a hot southern mess!

Now Annie must choose — the passion she feels for Matt and the love she has for her long-time friend.  The conflict reaches a boiling point and puts her in the middle of a major city-wide protest, with Annie at the microphone. Will she betray her BFF and fall in love with the wrong man? Or like the true southern belle that she is, will she keep guarding her best friends back till the bitter end—even if it means losing what could finally be the love of her life.

Beth Albright is at her sassy best with this new Southern page-turner, filled with the Beth Albright brand we have come to love—Sexy romance, comedy and a shot of mystery. Think Steel Magnolias meets Sex In The City—this ride is passionate, sexy and full of love – both the romantic kind and the kind for the women who always have each other’s backside covered in a crisis. Grab your best girlfriends and hang on for this sassy southern beach read!

 

Photo Credit: Provided by Author

 

About Beth:

Beth Albright is a Tuscaloosa native, former Days Of Our Lives actress, and former radio and TV talk show host. She is a graduate of the University Of Alabama School of Journalism. She is also a screenwriter, voice-over artist, wife of her college sweetheart, Ted and mother of her favorite person on earth, her brilliant handsome son, Brooks. A perpetually homesick Southern Belle and a major Alabama Crimson Tide fan, she splits her time between Los Angeles and, of course, Tuscaloosa.

 

Connect with Beth: Facebook, Twitter, Website.

Buy DAYDREAMS IN DIXIE: Amazon, Barnes & Noble.

 

Giveaway:

Beth has generously offered a signed copy of DAYDREAMS IN DIXIE and other Southern goodies for 1 lucky person at Traveling With T. Giveaway is open to US only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T