Writers name books based on emotion

Today we finish up our all-Florida read with the novels, "Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands," by Susan McCarthy, "The Schooling of Claybird Catts," By Janis Owens and "The Barefoot Mailman," by Theodore Pratt. Next, share the experience of coming to America through "Th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOcala star-banner
Main Author SHELLEY FRASER MICHLE
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ocala, Fla Halifax Media Group 01.05.2005
Subjects
McCarthy, Susan
Owens, Janis
Pratt, Theodore
Veciana-Suarez, Ana
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Summary:Today we finish up our all-Florida read with the novels, "Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands," by Susan McCarthy, "The Schooling of Claybird Catts," By Janis Owens and "The Barefoot Mailman," by Theodore Pratt. Next, share the experience of coming to America through "The Namesake," by Jhumpa Lahiri and "Flight to Freedom," by Ana Veciana-Suarez. Join our book club by sending your comments to Shelleyfm@aol.com or Box 1408, Alachua, FL 32616. "Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands" has a wonderful mysterious title, and I'm glad the publisher left it just as author Susan McCarthy named her story. On page 211 of the paperback version, the source of the title is revealed when Luther, the father of the slain boy whose murder opens the story, prays aloud prior to confronting the Ku Klux Klan. "We feel, Lawd, like old Joshua, when you took him to the great walls of Jericho and told him to let your trumpets blow . . . We ask you tonight: Lay that trumpet in our hands." As for the title of "The Schooling of Claybird Catts," Janis Owens tells us, "My working title was 'The Choices of Claybird Catts,' then the marketing department of my publisher changed it to "The Southern Schooling of Claybird Catts." Connie May Fowler, my friend and Florida novelist, happened to be in New York when the galleys arrived. She saw them and suggested that the adjective 'Southern' was too limiting. Everyone involved agreed. So the title came out as it is."
ISSN:0163-3201