There’s Something about Those Pineywoods Tamra Bolton

“Kathy Murphy and her Pulpwood Queens are a source of much needed inspiration and big-heartedness in the world of books and book clubs. The tales here are as wise as they are entertaining, a testament to living large and joyfully in a sisterhood of storytelling.” --Paula McLain, New York Times best-selling author of The Paris Wife and Love and Ruin

Thanks to Brother Mockingbird Publishing, I’d like to share an excerpt from one of the Pulpwood Queens featured in the collection, The Pulpwood Queens Celebrate 20 Years!

There’s Something about Those Pineywoods Tamra Bolton

Growing up in the Pineywoods of East Texas, I was surrounded by the lumber industry and its peculiar vernacular. So when I heard about a club of gals calling themselves something woodsy like “The Pulpwood Queens,” I had to know more. The idea that timber royalty lived in my neck of the woods intrigued me. I might never have known about them except a fellow writer from Georgia told me about Kathy L. Murphy, the “head queen.” She said, “You’ve got to meet this gal. She is amazing!” After a call to the editor of a local magazine to see if he would be interested in a story, I contacted Kathy to ask for an interview. The bubbly voice on the phone enthusiastically invited me for a visit. The hour and a half drive passed quickly and soon I pulled up to a small cottage tucked against a wooded hillside. An appropriate setting for one who called herself a Pulpwood Queen, I thought as I got out and walked up the stone path. Kathy met me at the door with her signature smile and swept me into her world with a flourish of her wrist. Immediately, I was surrounded by vibrant color and a myriad of whimsical toys, games, and shelves of—what else—books. While Kathy made a pot of coffee, I carried the antique tray with our cups to a low-slung table next to her overstuffed couch. Settling into our seats amidst the brightly patterned pillows, we sipped our steaming cups as Kathy told me her fascinating life story. How she went from hairdresser to book publisher representative to hairdresser again. About her marriage and divorce, the loves of her life, her two girls—Madeleine and Lainie— and how she started Beauty and the Book, a combination beauty shop and bookstore. Curious as to how the book club played into all this, I asked Kathy where the idea came from. She gave me a sideways glance and cocked an eyebrow. “Well…” she drawled, “I tried joining a local book club, but that didn’t work out too well.” She laughed. “So, I decided to start my own, and that was the beginning of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club.” Wondering why she chose that name, I didn’t have to wait long for an answer, as Kathy continued. “Living in East Texas surrounded by pine trees and the timber business, the name seemed like a perfect fit.” Kathy smiled and I agreed.

We talked like old friends for several hours and discovered we had much in common, including a fierce love of books. As we chatted, I noticed an item on her mantle that piqued my curiosity. When I asked her about it, Kathy smiled a wistful sort of grin and went over to the mantle, picking up the clear bottle. “This has dirt in it from my grandparents’ farm in Kansas. I loved that place and I like having a little part of it with me. My grandparents influenced me a great deal and I am thankful I had them in my life.” That’s when I knew Kathy and I were definitely kindred spirits. Any gal that felt that sentimental about her past and cared enough about a place that she wanted to carry a bit of it with her had to be alright. I feel the same way about my grandparents’ place and our family farm. I decided that Kathy and I are just plain ole country girls at heart…