Kelly Kazek

The tale of the man named States Rights Gist is excerpted from my book "Forgotten Tales of Tennessee." On November 30, 1864, several Confederate generals met for breakfast at a Spring Hill, Tennessee, plantation called Rippavilla. According to legend, some of the generals etched their names in window panes at the home with a diamond… Continue reading The strange tale of the oddly named general, States Rights Gist

Loving the cover of my new book! Come see it and me at AL Book Fest

April 4, 2018April 4, 2018 Kelly Kazek

I am so excited to release the cover of “Not Quite Right: Mostly True Tales of a Weird News Reporter.” I LOVE the fun design. Come see the book and hear me speak on the humor-writing panel April 21 at the Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery. The best part about the festival, in addition to… Continue reading Loving the cover of my new book! Come see it and me at AL Book Fest

Southern Thing Columns

Someone told me saying ‘y’all’ makes me sound uneducated, y’all

April 2, 2018June 6, 2019 Kelly Kazek

Following is an excerpt from this week’s column on AL.com. The link at the bottom takes you to the full column. I do that because AL.com owns the rights to this column and I can’t blog it in its entirety. I admit it – I’m a y’all-aholic. I like to say it. I like to… Continue reading Someone told me saying ‘y’all’ makes me sound uneducated, y’all

(ODD)yssey, Blog Post

This Key West Cemetery has some of the world’s strangest epitaphs

March 28, 2018March 28, 2018 Kelly Kazek

I was lucky enough to visit Key West once, for one night and one day. A friend with a daughter Baby Girl’s age lived in Miami and we drove there to see them, then we all headed to Key West. I’ve written before about touring Hemingway’s house and seeing his polydactyl cats. Click here to… Continue reading This Key West Cemetery has some of the world’s strangest epitaphs

(ODD)yssey

‘Died: Who Cares?’ Is this the south’s most mysterious headstone?

March 26, 2018March 26, 2018 Kelly Kazek

A small stone set into the earth in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis is one of the more mysterious gravesites in the state. It says simply: Daughter Dorothy Ann Whitaker Born Who Knows Died Who Cares The reason these words were carved on her tombstone is unclear, but the wording was apparently the wish of Dorothy… Continue reading ‘Died: Who Cares?’ Is this the south’s most mysterious headstone?