Meet Reviewer Keetha DePriest

Oct 15, 2011 by Larramie

Larramie here, continuing with the introductions to our fresh, unboxed reviewers.

Keetha DePriest unabashedly “loves the small southern town that nourishes her and her family, and is grateful that through books, she can visit Paris or New York or Brakebills Academy, exploring other worlds, lives and ideas. Keetha is the author of two books about cooking and is working on her second novel. She rarely watches TV as that would take time away from reading books.”

As for Keetha’s type of books, this Q&A will provide the answers:

What was your favorite book as a child?

I loved ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and Madeline L’Engle’s MEET THE AUSTINS. My mother introduced me to Trixie Belden books and from there I graduated to Nancy Drew. I read GONE WITH THE WIND when I was twelve and wept a lot as I read it.

Name a few all-time favorite books.

THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tart, BEL CANTO by Ann Pachett, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD by Richard Yates, A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY by John Irving.

What book(s) made you sigh with recognition/pleasure?

The descriptions of home life in MEET THE AUSTINS made me sigh with pleasure and the warmness of that family was familiar.

I don’t have my copy anymore but years ago I read SUCH DEVOTED SISTERS by Eileen Goudge. I remember little about it except that Annie, one of the sisters, moves to Paris to learn how to become a chocolatier. The descriptions of the basement kitchen, the student chefs bleary-eyed early in the morning, the feel of warm chocolate against the back of the fingers (the back of the fingers more sensitive to heat) was so vivid. I wanted to fall right in its pages. Later, Annie opens a shop in New York. It sounded so charming and inviting that I wanted to visit it, too. Ever since, I’ve had a thing for books where the main character is an entrepreneur.

Confess: Is there a book you considered throwing against a wall?

I’ve wanted to throw one book against the wall, believe you me, but I don’t want to tell tales out of school so I won’t say which books.

But in a different way, that happened with LONESOME DOVE. That scene where they’re crossing the river and the snakes? The scene was so realistic I jumped as though a snake had slithered out of the pages of the very book I was holding. I put the book down and vowed not to read any more that night. Then I was afraid I’d dream about snakes if I went on to bed so I had to read a few more pages. When I picked the book back up, I squinted and skimmed with one eye closed (kind of like watching a horror movie through your hands in front of your face) until I was safely past that part.

Share one book that has kept you up way past midnight.

Most every book I love dearly I’ve stayed up late to keep reading. I had a hard time putting down THE POET OF TOLSTOY PARK by Sonny Brewer, THEFT by Peter Carey, and GARDEN SPELLS by Sarah Addison Allen, to name a few.

Now, please list your favorite genres.

I tend toward books with a small town setting. Except for books set in New York City or Paris; I also love those. If done right, I enjoy books set in the south. I want a satisfying – not neat and pat – ending. I like for books to end “right,” which for me means different things depending on the characters. Hard to explain but I know it when I see it!

In more common sense terms, I enjoy contemporary women’s fiction, literary fiction, some mystery. I just want a good story.

Keetha is delightful as well as a natural storyteller. To read more of her true tales frequent her blog, Write Kudzu and follow her on Twitter.

Larramie founded The Divining Wand in 2009 with the purpose of introducing authors beyond their pages. Now this Fairy Godmother looks forward to the magic of showcasing books that will Unbox readers beyond their imagination!

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