My name is Patricia Neely-Dorsey.  I am a 1982 graduate of Tupelo High School in Tupelo, Mississippi... located in the beautiful red clay "Hills" of Mississippi..and yes, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. (smile) I received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. After living for almost 20 years in Memphis, Tennessee, working in the mental health field, I returned to my hometown in August  2007. This, my first book of poetry was published in February, 2008 (Grant House Publishers). I currently live in Tupelo with my  husband James,son Henry,and Miniature Schnauzer, Happy. I am a proud, active  member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,an avid reader and  passionate writer. 

I have always considered myself a "Goodwill Ambassador" for Mississippi and the south. In college my nickname was Tupelo. Whenever my friends saw me coming, they knew that there would be some type of discourse about Mississippi and the south soon to follow...hoping to clear up their many misconceptions and preconceived notions. (smile)...Yes, we DO wear shoes in Mississippi! Not all of the time, mind you, but we do wear them..or at least have them! (LOL)

I believe that we can bridge many gaps of misunderstanding across regional, racial, cutural, generational and economic lines by simply telling/sharing our stories.  Miguel Algarin said, "When I see what you see, the distance between us disappers."

With Reflections, you are sure to chuckle and laugh outloud ,at times, and maybe  even shed a crocodile tear or two. But, you are most certain to relive, if only in your mind, some of your own most  beautiful childhood memories.

Whether from North, East, South or West you will be able to relate to some of the simple joys of times past.

Reader Comment: 

 Ms Neely,
Thank you so much for bringing your wit, charm and personality to the world. I was raised in rural NY and am so drawn to country living, farms, etc. Your poems take me back to that place of comfort. The south is definitely different than the north but the emotions and feelings of a sweet childhood are all there. Thank you so much!

Jessica Parker

5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Patricia Neely-Dorsey, author of Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia?

Patricia Neely-Dorsey: I didn’t really intentionally try to come up with an idea for a book or intentionally try to write a book. It all sort of just fell/landed in my lap. I woke up on Valentine’s Day February 2007 with a poem dancing around in my head. I quickly got up and scribbled it down. The rest, as they say, is history. After that day, poems just started pouring out. They just keep coming and coming day after day. In about two months, I had well over 200 poems. A friend of mine was very instrumental, and I guess you would say inspirational in encouraging me to publish them in book form.

JP: What sets Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia apart from other collections of poetry?

PND: I think that all poetry is very unique and individual like a fingerprint because of where it comes from. Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia is a collection that essentially chronicles my whole life up until this present time. The book includes poems about things that happened to my parents before I was born, my early childhood growing up in Mississippi, my college years in Boston, meeting my husband on a blind date, love, marriage, my son, and thoughts about mid-life…where I am now ( the Fabulous Forties). Specifically, it is my life in poems. Generally, it is a true celebration of the south and things southern. One reader called it a “love letter to the South”

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia getting out to the public?

PND: I always rely on what I call Patricia’s P-Attitudes: Positivity - staying positive, believing in the dream, believing in myself and the book. Perseverance - never giving up. Persistence - being relentless and never taking no as a final answer. The forth one which was something I have had to really work on and learn is Patience, but it pays off in the end. The answer or outcome that you seek may take a minute! You just have to hold on. These P-Attitudes translate, of course, to every area of life.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia?

PND: That’s funny. I don’t really have a process. I just write the poems down as they come. That can be at any time and any place (very often in my car). The entire process from writing my first poem (Feb 2007) to the actual publication of the book (Feb 2008) took exactly one year. The actual publication process which included the submission of the poems, editing, proofing, cover design, and all that took less than two months. The poems was submitted the first week of January 2008 , all of the appropriate changes and additions were done and the book arrived at my door February 22, 2008

JP: What’s next for Patricia Neely-Dorsey?

PND: To infinity and beyond! (LOL) Well, I’m hoping that this book will have widespread, mass appeal and be wonderfully successful. I have enough poems for several books, so those are certainly down the line. My publisher would like for me to do an illustrated children’s book with age-appropriate selections from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia. That is definitely a possibility in the near future.

http://www.joeypinkney.com/

P.S. Join the Joey Reviews Newsletter at http://joeypinkney.com/joey-reviews-newsletter.html

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Mississippi Magnolia

Here's a rising literary star from Tupelo! Meet Patricia Neely-Dorsey. Her first book, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems, is already brightening up the Magnolia State with many positive reviews. Her uplifting poems promise to bloom in the rest of the South as well. Here is an excerpt she provided for SELTI:


SOUTHERN LIFE
If you want a glimpse of Southern life,
Come close and walk with me;
I'll tell you all the simple things,
That you are sure to see.
You'll see mockingbirds and bumblebees,
Magnolia blossoms and dogwood trees,
Caterpillars on the step,
Wooden porches cleanly swept;
Watermelons on the vine,
Strong majestic Georgia pines;
Rocking chairs and front yard swings,
Junebugs flying on a string;
Turnip greens and hot cornbread,
Coleslaw and barbecue;
Fried okra, fried corn, fried green tomatoes,
Fried pies and pickles too.
There's ice cold tea that's syrupy sweet,
And cool, green grass beneath your feet;
Catfish nipping in the lake,
And fresh young boys on the make.
You'll see all these things
And much, much more,
In a way of life that I adore.

if you're in the mood for a fun getaway, check out all that Tupelo has to offer at the city's tourism web site. You'll find all the right information on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. After reading the poem above, I'm ready to "step into" the work and try out some of Tupelo's finest southern cuisine!


Tupleo Convention and Visitors Bureau
http://www.tupelo.net/

Mississippi Division of Tourism

http://www.visitmississippi.org/

 

Posted by Patrick Brian Miller

http://southeasternliterarytourisminitiative.blogspot.com/

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 In February 2008, I published my first book of poetry entitled Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems. The main characters in my book , I would say,are myself and Mississippi. It is basically as the title suggests, my life growing up in Mississippi.It emphasizes family values, family ties,friendship love and self esteem.
There are so many negative connotations associated with Mississippi and the south in general, in my book , I attempt to give a positve glimpse into the southern way of life. In speaking at schools, I especially try to emphasize to the children to be proud of who they are..proud of where they come and proud of the lives they live.

I think the reader would be drawn to my book because of the sentimental, light-hearted, uplifting, and positive and sometimes humorous poems which make the reader remember their own wonderful childhood memories, family stories and common human life experiences..Plus, I think the book has a very attractive cover that is quite appealing .


The thing I have found most suprising in writing publishing and promoting this book is just how many people out there write poetry. I call them the closet poets.  It has never failed at every speaking engagement some person or several people come up to me and tell me that they write poems and have just been afraid to show them to anyone or didn't know if they were good enough to publish or just had them for themselves.It goes across all lines of age, color, gender and occupations. ...students, principals, janitors, teachers, doctors nurses, you name it. They tell me they have their poems in boxes, in closets, under the bed ect...so many 'stories' waiting to be heard..waiting to be told.

 Poet-" A person who has the gift of artistic sensitivity". Webster

"Patricia is wonderful ambassador for Mississippi . This book is  truly a work of love!

Tupelo author visits Northwest
By LaJuan Tallo| 5/6/09

Mississippi author Patricia Neely-Dorsey of Tupelo came to the R.C. Pugh Library on the Senatobia campus of Northwest Mississippi Community College to sign her new book, “Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia: A Life in Poetry,” on May 5.

Neely-Dorsey read from her poetry and answered questions at the gathering. The book is a celebration of the South and all things Southern.

 "Patricia is a wonderful ambassador for Mississippi and her book is truly a labor of love."

 

AKA members honor Mississippi author

 February 7. 2009

Poetry Reading/Booksigning Clarksdale Carnegie Library

Savvy Bookclub- Author Meet and Greet/Booksigning-April 2009

Willie Morris Library   Jackson,MS 

Mississippi poet, Patricia Neely-Dorsey, is a wonderful ambassador for Mississippi and this book is truly a  labor of love!

 Lunching with Books-Pontotoc, MS  August 11, 2009

PATRICIA NEELY-DORSEY        SUN IN MY EYES!!(LOL)     MISSISSIPPI WRITER/MISSISSIPPI AUTHOR/MISSISSIPPI POET PATRICIA NEELY-DORSEY

                 Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia: A Life in Poems

 Corinth,MS Civitan Club -August 2009