Southern Storyteller

She got serious though—serious enough to collect three Hackneys, nominations for a Pushcart and a Pulitzer, numerous other prizes for poetry and prose, and the coveted Agatha Award for her first mystery novel—which was just as funny as it was mysterious. Though finding herself a mystery writer was a bit mystifying to Anne George, who had published four volumes of poetry and whose short stories were typically found in literary magazines.

“Writing is the hardest work in the world. I’ll take the garbage out, cook, clean the house—anything to put off having to sit down at the computer. But I have to do it. I’m compelled to.”

So many are glad she was.

During her cut-short career, Anne was part of a group of major Southern writers to emerge in the 1990s, her name gracing the headlines of fairs and conferences with the likes of Katherine Tucker Windham and Rick Bragg. Both her Southern Sisters Mysteries and This One and Magic Life shared best sellers lists with J. K. Rowling and John Grisham. 

Anne’s particular strength of style lies in Place. Patricia Anne and Mary Alice in Birmingham have their fans knowing at which light you should turn to get into Samford University if you’re heading East on Lakeshore Dr. And where to see the best views of Vulcan’s rear end. In Harlow—a made up name for the area of Point Clear and Fairhope, AL—you can almost smell the almond sachets in the closets and hear the music from down the beach at the Grand Hotel. Her poetry has its reader standing at her kitchen sink looking out the bay window and watching the dogwood in the backyard.

George had another gift of authentic characters. Her books are peopled with characters with comedic mannerisms and a way of speaking that rings true. But it wasn’t all from George’s imagination. She was a trained observer. Many conversations and characters were plucked straight from eavesdropping on strangers at a table at Piccadilly—or at George family dinners. Mostly without recognition… “They don't seem to have caught on yet. Thank goodness.”

Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Anne Bell moved to Birmingham and was a member of the graduating class of 1948 from Howard College (now Samford University) majoring in Spanish. “Many friends would not be surprised I’m writing—but they would be surprised I’m still Earl’s wife,” Anne said about her college career. She claimed not to be a good student, though she completed high school at just 15 and enrolled at Judson College in Marion, AL before transferring to Howard. Anne Bell met Earl George while in school there. They were married and stayed in Birmingham to raise a family— two children, Alice George Davidson and Earl “Buster” George Jr., and a foster daughter, Tina Duffy. The couple also shared seven grandchildren—who have all now grown to have careers and families of their own.

Anne worked at the Birmingham Public Library after graduation. She then became a schoolteacher, teaching Spanish, chemistry, and English before settling as a high school English teacher and debate club sponsor. In 1984, she became associated with the Artist in Education Program and later became Writer-in-Residence for the Alabama State Council on the Arts. During the early 1990's, she attended the University of Alabama in an effort to attain her doctorate in English and Education. Prior to her doctorate, Ms. George earned a master’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she met friend Jerri Beck, and founded Druid Press in 1982, a small publishing house to publish literary works from new authors from around the state. Anne describes it in her own words:

“Jerri was working in publications at the university, I was teaching English, and we were both taking writing classes at UAB. We saw so much good writing that begged to be published that we very quietly and hesitantly founded Druid. During the next ten years we published 18 books of which we are very proud. Probably the one we treasure most is A Baker’s Dozen; Contemporary Women Poets of Alabama. It got great reviews and is still selling eight years after its publication. We sold Druid about five years ago when I became a full-time writer and Jerri an editor-writer.” (Anne George in an interview with Traci Bell, 1999)

A new Druid Press (Druid Press LLC) lives on today in Anne’s memory. Created for the management of Anne George’s Books and Legacy. It is managed by the George Family.

Anne died on the morning of March 14, 2001 due to complications from heart surgery. Several hours later, in true poetic fashion, a manuscript arrived on the Georges’ doorstep—Murder Boogies with Elvis, the final Southern Sisters Mystery.

Anne George’s Bibliography, Awards, & Honors

Anne George’s working and published papers are currently contained at Auburn University in the

AUBURN UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES