Live More, Laugh Much, and Love Often

Growing up poor in the small town of Vicksburg, Miss., Alexander Devereaux didn’t have much. But there was no lack of remarkable personalities, each of whom left an indelible imprint on his life. Gar Fish & Long Gravy collects the stories, insight, tragedies, and uproarious wit of an unforgettable cast of characters. Meet Granmama Lia’, whose hard-won wisdom on life, love—and mistresses—is dispensed to in her kitchen to her beloved grandson, sometimes over Johnny Walker Black. There’s Ms. Peaches, who raises chickens in her ramshackle hut yet might be one of the richest people in town. Big Daddy is an imposing hulk, but his massive frame hides a vulnerable past and humiliating secret. Ms. Annie Laurie is a fabulously wealthy white woman who never had children of her own. But her love rains down on young Alexander. And that’s just for starters.Based on real-life experiences, Gar Fish & Long Gravy is about the mistakes we make, the loves we share, and the stories we tell each other that make us who we are. And it is the touching story of a boy who ultimately breaks free of the poverty and abuse of his extended family, yet never forgets the important lessons he learned along the way. As Grandmama said, “If sense were common, everybody would have it.”

This book is based on my rearing as a child in Mississippi from birth to about the age of nine years old growing up in a typical “Deep South” town. When I was young all my friends were the wise sage, the loving laborer, kindly socialite, and so on… The things that make them so interesting is that they were all over the age of 40. The characters in this book are actual people in my life who taught me some wonderful lessons and their names have been changed for their anonymity. These are actual events in my life as experienced and as told to me through the oral tradition of a proud Amerindian people. The title of these stories are actual quotes from my grandmother and the information provided is told in the form of parables to help the reader relates to the wisdom provided. The events and insight enclosed in these stories are provided to help those seeking to overcome the events that hinder them in the present. As a storyteller, I took personal liberty to add some of my literary drama and southern flair to the stories. These stories are a way to impart the teachings given to me by these men and women of profound good sense and astuteness. Please enjoy.

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