John M. Williams
Human At Large
Welcome to my website and blog
Join me with Dawn Major and Ray Adkins on March 16 from 2-4 at the Reading Attic in Marietta. Ray will be moderating a discussion with Dawn and me. Dawn will be talking about her novel "The Bystanders," and I'll be talking about "End Times," and whatever Ray's talking about will be interesting and funny.
http://dawnmajor.com/2024/03/02/the-reading-attic-welcomes-three-georgia-authors-march-16th-2-4-pm/
Please join me Thursday, November 16 at 6:00 pm at LaGrange Memorial Library.
SOUTHERN WRITERS READING REUNION & ANTHOLOGY RELEASE
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Centennial Hall on the campus of Coastal Community College
I will be presenting Friday night at Jubilee Suites, and Sunday morning at the Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship
Rheta and I will be talking about life and writing at Auburn Oil Booksellers in Auburn on Friday, October 27 at 5:30 pm. Drop by if you're around. If you’re not around, you’re square.
Coming September 15
from Sartoris Literary Group
End Times, a novel
After the death of their mother, Maryrell, brother and sister Jon Karl and Summer Odom are orphaned at an early age in the town of Douvale, where they are raised by their grandmother, Mildra. Mildra’s boss, Spruill Dawes, steps into the role of surrogate father, and Jon Karl befriends his son Millard.
Jon Karl, sexually precocious, finds himself increasingly humiliated by the ravenousness of Douvale women and yearns for a hermit life while mythologizing the few women he likes to think actually loved him. Summer attracts oddball boys which sends her through a series of ill-suited males and strange jobs.
Complications arise when Balch, a local sociopathic barber, becomes obsessed with Jon Karl, and even more arise when Jon Karl catches the eye of Vance, a young strip club owner and porn filmmaker. Then, when Jon Karl gets into an ill-advised cannabis-growing scheme, he leaves himself vulnerable to blackmail by Vance. Things get worse when Jon Karl is sentenced to the for-profit Baptist correction center run by Spruill’s hated rival, Pruet Echols, only to find Balch working there. One day, Summer’s intuition of something wrong sends her, Spruill, and the sheriff into a ghastly scene and a dangerous rescue of Jon Karl. Jon Karl is released to pursue at last the life he longs for, but becomes increasingly seduced by the strange energy of an abandoned roadside house and the oddly familiar portal it seems to offer. Summer has uneasy premonitions about the house, and with the legacy of a young son from one of her earlier boyfriends, and at last a promising relationship with the latest, survives.
Now Available
Monroeville and the Stage Production of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’
Author John M. Williams traces the history of the Monroeville stage production of Harper Lee’s famous 1960 novel, focusing on the inception and first sixteen years (1991-2006) under the direction of Kathy McCoy. Along with a volunteer staff and amateur performers, McCoy took the show from its modest beginning to a successful production both at the historic old courthouse in Monroeville and around the world. In addition to sharing behind the scenes stories of the production, the eclectic book explores interesting historical lore and personalities of Monroeville and Monroe County. Readers will also find fair-minded discussions of some of the controversies surrounding the play, the novel, its characters and enigmatic author. The book features a wealth of photographs, many never before published.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, March 1—Talk and Signing—Old Federal Road Chapter, DAR—Noon—Vanity Fair Golf and Tennis Club, Monroeville, AL
Friday, March 3-Saturday, March 4—Signing—Monroeville Literary Festival—Courthouse lawn, both days—Monroeville, AL
Thursday, March 9—Talk and Signing—Dadeville Performing Arts Center—3 pm—Dadeville, AL
Thursday, March 16—Talk and Signing—Reinhardt University—7:30 pm—Waleska, GA
Saturday, March 18—Talk and Signing—Pretty Good Books-1:00 pm—LaGrange, GA
Wednesday, March 29—Talk and Signing—Auburn University OLLI—11:30—Auburn, AL
Sunday, April 2—Talk and Signing—Richards DAR House—3-5 pm—Mobile, AL
Thursday, April 20—Talk and Signing—Selma Public Library—11:30—Selma, AL
Saturday, April 22—Signing—Page and Palette Bookstore—2-4 pm—Fairhope, AL
Monday, April 24—Private Book Club—Bay St. Louis, MS
Thursday, September 7—Private presentation, Monroeville DAR
Friday, September 8—Black Belt Treasures Cultural Center—11-2 pm—Camden, AL