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when I think of Alabama…

April 20, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner

When I think of Alabama

When I think of Alabama, I think of Carlene, my mom’s college roommate, and her son Gary, and how we visited them a long, long time ago, and while I want to say it was summer it couldn’t have been because of the clothes we wore. Those memories are preserved forever by faded polaroid pictures. I thought their house was amazing mainly because it was two-story.  We took turns riding up and down the street in their neighborhood in Gary’s go-cart which was a new experience for my sister and me. Big wheels keep on turning…

When I think of Alabama, I think of Roll Tide and Bear Bryant and his houndstooth fedora that classed up the sidelines every Saturday and college football for years. He was born in Arkansas, you know.

I think of Harper Lee and Monroeville and Scout and Atticus and Boo and Dill and the tree that held gifts.

I think of Hank Williams.

And Alabama Shakes, my new fav.

gulf coast

I think of the trip we made that summer, Continue Reading

my Little Free Library runneth over with books!

April 15, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner

Little Free Library Books!

What timing. A couple of weeks ago, I returned from Austin to find my Little Free Library almost completely empty. Sometimes the “take a book, leave a book” idea leaves my library out of balance, and that’s okay because—think about it—if you go for a walk and happen upon a Little Free Library that contains a book you want to read, you may not have another book with you to leave in its place. Understandable. It’s all good in the end because there are other times my book supply runneth over from donations from friends and neighbors.

Here’s where the good timing came into play… I also returned to find an entire box of books in my mail—a donation to my Little Free Library from my publisher. (So yes, I’m required to tell you I received free books but all opinions are my own.) The books were those published by SYP Publishing over the last few years. The variety is great, from fishing tales to suspense and thriller and every genre in between. Many are award-winning books from the Florida Authors and Publisher’s Association. (SYP is located in Tallahassee so that ‘splains the Florida connection.)

Of course now I have a dilemma because I want to read each book even though I already have a stack of books waiting for me.Continue Reading

Dear Gracie Lee Fan Club Members,

April 14, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner

Dear Gracie Lee Fan Club Members,

I like the way this is going so far.

Gracie Lee's Fan Club

I am so blown away by the way friends and family and people I’ve never met have embraced The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee. I don’t know what I expected, but I certainly didn’t expect such excitement. The fact that anyone takes time out of a beautiful spring day to attend a book signing makes me happy. But the number of people who have been to two and three books signings is astounding!

That’s a fan club, I think.

A wonderful surprise waited for me when I returned home to Fayetteville yesterdayContinue Reading

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book
  • Sunday Letter: November 9, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 26, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 5, 2025

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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