This blog was created to share a passion for all things Southern. For generations, those of us native to the South have taken great pride in our heritage, our traditions, and in the telling of our stories. We also sometimes have to cringe and learn from past times that did everything but make us proud. Our mission is to be informative, educational, and, hopefully, share with you some Southern knowledge you may have known but forgotten from years ago, or something you’re learning about for the first time. Either way, we hope you find it interesting and enjoyable.
Meet our Team
Henry Ball
Henry is an executive, author, person of interests, the Daddy-O as he’s known at home. He has been a successful entrepreneur and executive in the construction industry for thirty years. He has also been a sports journalist and featured columnist for the Bleacher Report, an independent writer published in various trade magazines, and the author of two award-winning books. Sister of Sorrows (2020), Michael Chapel (2021). Henry is also the Creative Producer for Imperative Entertainment’s new hit podcast, In the Land of Lies, which is based, in part, on his book, Michael Chapel.
Jim Harris
Jim is the founder of The Southern Voice. Retired from a business career, he began writing in 2020 and has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines across the Southeast. Jim’s work in fitness and injury recovery has been covered in media from all over, including the United State Congressional Record. His cemetery restoration efforts have also received major media attention. Jim’s wife, Marian, is also a writer and the author of two books. They live in Townville, SC.
Christy Martin
Christy is a retired educator and social service provider for youth aging out of foster care. She has a passion for helping at-risk kids succeed and her family and region’s history. She is an avid reader, likes to work in her yard, and spends time reading, writing, researching, and taking care of her family; including her cats. She has been published in several online education blogs, “The Old Schoolhouse”, “The War Horse”, and several newspapers. She also does book reviews for a free local publication and on her own online social media blog. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with her husband in Maryville, Tennessee.
Delane Melton
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in the South, I’m a cupcake baking Granny. In my 74 years, I’m most
thankful for having been a wife to my husband, Ernest for 55 Years, a mother for 53 Years, and a
grandmother for 24 Years.
I was in the field of computer technology for almost 50 years. I served as the Director of Information
Systems for the Gwinnett County Public School System in GA and retired as the CIO for Hall County
Schools, also in Georgia.
I love people; the more unique they are, the better. At this time in my life, it’s wonderful to have the
opportunity to share my thoughts and memories.
Niles Reddick
Niles Reddick is the author of the Pulitzer-nominated novel “Drifting too Far from the Shore”, two collections “Road Kill Art and Other Oddities” and “Reading the Coffee Grounds”, and a novella Lead Me Home. His work has been featured in over 450 publications including The Saturday Evening Post, PIF, New Reader Magazine, Forth Magazine, Citron Review, Right Hand Pointing, and Vestal Review. He is a three-time Pushcart, two-time Best Micro, and two-time Best of the Net nominee and works for the University of Memphis. His newest flash collection “If Not for You” is forthcoming by Big Table Publishing.
Jim Tate
Jim Tate was born in 1950 and raised in the red hills of Northwest Georgia. He comes from a long chain of storytellers hailing from the backwoods and hollers of Alabama and Georgia. Jim is the author of three books: Bruce Hampton – the Early Years, The Buckhead Chronicles, and The Magnolia Chronicles. When time allows, he works on a new collection of tales titled The Lost Chronicles of the Southern Dusk.
His favorite food is a vegetable plate, and his fondest wish is to go back in time and fish with his grandfather. 80% of what he writes 100% true.
