I had so many questions for Kaye Wilkinson Barley. In the future, I cut the questions down to just four, but I don’t know others as well as I know Kaye. I’m so glad she was willing to be the first subject. Thank you, Kaye.

When I asked Kaye the first question, I asked her to talk to us about being a dog lover. I think you’ll enjoy her answer.

Starting with me as a dog lover. 

I’ve been a pet lover since I was teeny.  And the pets I’ve had have run the gamut beginning with turtles and chickens. 

We didn’t have a dog until i was deemed appropriately grown-up enough to properly care for one.  I think I was 15 before that finally happened and we got a dachshund. 

When I left for college he took over my bed and one weekend when I was home for a visit he growled at me when I tried to get into my/his bed.  When I went into my mom and dad’s room to tell them, they laughed and laughed about how cute that was.  I slept on the sofa.

I also remember having baby chicks that everyone assumed would die while still babies, but didn’t.  They were in a pen, but (long story short) escaped the pen, found their way to my mom and dad’s room and were hopping around in their bed until my dad wad able to round them all up.  They ended up at my grandmother’s and at some point later on were Sunday dinner at her house and I’m told I caused a real scene.

The little turtles came from the Woolworth’s store to be replaced whenever one of them would disappear, i.e. die.

There were always goldfish, one big fat one I remember naming Arthur Godfrey.

I remember a parakeet named Sweetie Pie who would sit on my dad’s glasses and pluck at my dad’s eyebrows. 

Cats.  I love cats.  I have been lucky enough to have some pretty awesome cats live with me over the years.  Sweetie Pie (not to be confused with the parakeet), Smokey, Conway Kitty, Abner, Pyewacket, George and Martha.  George and Martha moved from Atlanta to Boone with us and screamed the entire drive.

Dogs include a Scottie named Sam, a Westie named Pax, a Westie named Murphy that George and Martha did NOT like, Harley and Annabelle.

Each memorable and each with stories of their own. 

Kaye said these are three of the sweetest dogs that ever lived, her two Corgis, Annabelle and Harley, and a Westie named Pax.

Thanks to Kaye, I went to Paris. She invited me to accompany two other friends. I asked her to tell us about her love affair with Paris, and then to tell about her connection to the American Library in Paris.

Wasn’t that just the best trip, Lesa?
I had wanted to visit France – Paris in particular, for many years.
There was always a reason why it didn’t happen, including one scheduled trip that was cancelled.
Little did I know that I would fall so in love that I’d be homesick for that beautiful city over and over again and have to return.
Paris, like most of Europe, embraces its history, its architecture, its culture. 
Sharing a fascination of architecture with my husband, having an opportunity to photograph such beautiful examples was, for both of us, a dream come true. 
Of course I love all the things everyone loves about Paris, but I think what charms me the most is the unexpected whimsy the city possesses.  Little secrets waiting to be discovered.  Like The Angel of 57 rue de Turbigo (photo attached).  The small out of the way gardens and parks that aren’t famous and are, therefore, sometimes surprisingly empty. Finding a small shop that sells nothing but walking sticks, some of which hold their own secrets – like concealed stilettos, or a hidden bottle. 
Discovering secrets Paris wants to share with those seeking them is the magic of Paris that keeps me wanting to return.
That dream continues, there is still much to discover.

Here are a few pictures of Kaye with her husband, Donald, on their most recent trip to Paris.

Here’s the picture of the Angel of 57 rue de Turbigo.

Here was Kaye’s response about the American Library in Paris.

The American Library of Paris has our CAROUSELS OF PARIS in its permanent collection – a real honor, and we couldn’t be more proud.  This was a project of our hearts.  A permanent link to the city we love.

You’ve written three books, and had stories in several anthologies. Do you have plans for more writing?

If I break this question down to the bottom line of will I publish another novel the answer is “probably not.”

I am, however, writing.   Scribbles that may or may not find the light of day.

My writing preference is narrative non-fiction and my blog is my main outlet.  I love writing narrative non-fiction, fiction not as much.

Writing WHIMSEY was a personal challenge prompted by a quote by Toni Morrison; “if there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

WHIMSEY lived in my head for years before I finally tackled the actual writing.

I knew I wanted certain elements:

Southern, but without the stereotypes of exaggerated accents, air headed women, and ignorant tough guys.
The beach.
Strong ride or die family and friendship bonds.
Creativity.
Pretty.  I’m a bit of a magpie, attracted to pretty things, so i wanted pretty clothes, jewelry, etc.
Art.
Good food.
Beautiful homes and decor that I could write descriptive passages about.
At least one fierce old woman.
Humor but not over the top.
Magic.

I captured, I think, what I wanted.

And I am proud of how it became exactly what I hoped for.

*****

And to turn my answer into even more of a cliche, there’s this quote attributed to Dorothy Parker (but now disputed); “I Hate to Write, but I Love Having Written.”

Rather than take up a lot of space here at Lesa’s about me and my writing and a man behind it named Earl Staggs, I intend to expound on it all at my Meanderings and Muses.  It’s a lot.

In the meantime though, here are two short stories that are two of my favorite pieces of writing.

 “Picnics with Aunt Kathryn” was a finalist in a past Southern Writers Magazine short story contest.  https://kayewilkinsonbarley.com/books/short-stories/voodoo-at-the-jitterbug/

And my “Voodoo at the Jitterbug” was included in the 2016 Bouchercon Anthology edited by Greg Herren. Blood on the Bayou was awarded an Anthony in 2017.
https://kayewilkinsonbarley.com/books/short-stories/voodoo-at-the-jitterbug/

Enjoy!

Tell us about your recent Writer’s Residency, please.

Being selected was a huge surprise.  Being in Beaufort, SC for the week during the Pat Conroy Literary Festival as a guest was, honestly, a bit of a surreal experience with me thinking, “what on earth am I doing here?”.  I’m still wrapping my head around it, but it was a wonderful week, a wonderful experience, and a validation of my writing.

I’m flipping my last two questions for Kaye because I think the last one deserves to be the final answer. What books are you looking forward to reading in 2024?

Books I’m looking forward to reading this year –

Random in Death by J. D. Robb
The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
The Mirror (Book 2 in The Lost Bride trilogy) by Nora Roberts
Man on Fire by Catherine Seltzer (This biography about Pat Conroy has been in the works for several years – I hope this is the year we finally see it.  https://rusoffagency.com/non_fiction/man-on-fire/ )

What one author, not one book, what author is your favorite, and why?

Favorite author – Pat Conroy.

He writes with passion and unflinching honesty, managing to share uncomfortable truths with a rich, lush, poetic narrative that sweeps us up in beauty while recognizing the ugly.  His gift of language is unsurpassed. 

This passage from Beach Music, where Jack McCall tells an ignorant air-headed young woman a thing or two about the women of his generation grabbed me when I read it the first time, and continues to give me a punch each and every time I re-read it.  I think of Pat Conroy himself saying this and hear it in my head in Mr. Conroy’s voice because I believe he believed this as much as his Jack McCall did.   “I’m a lot cuter than the women of your generation,” Betsy said, playing up to Capers and Mike. “Wrong, junior Leaguer.” I could feel myself turning mean. The cognac was doing its work and I felt the thrilling disquiet that had come into the room. I took Betsy’s measure, and went for her throat. “The women of my generation were the smartest, sexiest, most fascinating women ever to grow up in America. They started the women’s liberation movement, took to the streets in the sixties to stop the unbearably stupid Vietnam War. They fought their asses off for equal rights in the workplace, went to law school, became doctors, fought the corporate fight, and managed to raise children in a much nicer way than our mothers did.” “Chill out, Jack,” Mike said. “Betsy’s a kid.” “She’s a dimwit,” I said. I turned to Betsy. “The women of my generation make men like me and Mike and your chicken-hearted husband look puny and uninteresting by comparison. Don’t talk about those women, Betsy, unless you’re on your fucking knees genuflecting out of admiration.”

Thank you, Kaye. I know this wasn’t easy. I asked you way more questions than I’m going to ask of others. Thank you for taking the time to answer them. And, thank you for sharing your photos with us.

If you haven’t yet been to Kaye’s website, check it out at http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/