First, I ask you to understand that I am notoriously bad at Instagram. (That sound you hear is Amanda laughing because it’s true.)
Partially I’m bad at it because I don’t think it makes any sense. WHY make it hard for people to share content they like on their own feed?! WHY is reposting still a wonky process? Why have reels and stories and posts and oh, my gosh, JUST PICK TWO. Don’t add more. (I am not a crackpot!)
Anyway.
I’ve been inspired and lifted in every way by videos of people standing up to politicians, of people protesting and gathering and speaking out. I’ve seen TikToks and reels and YouTube collections and shared clips on Bluesky like these, and they make my insides feel a little better.
So here’s one a friend sent me, and that I am sharing with you. On my blog. Because it’s easier than sharing on Instagram. Ha! You can’t stop me!
Anyway.
Bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews is not only better at Instagram AND TikTok than me, she’s getting a standing ovation from me and my desk chair (which is one of those cross legged ones so standing up is a whole dance routine).
Let’s see if Instagram embeds work? I BET THEY DON’T but I’m going to try!
View this post on Instagram
If that isn’t accessible to you, here’s a summary:
Mary Kay Andrews turned down an offer of an honor from a Georgia state representative because she looked up his voting history and said, “No thanks,” and then told him and the lobbyist who contacted her exactly why.
She said she could not live with herself if she went down to the capital for a “grip and grin” with no opportunity to speak.
She learned that this representative is a physician, and voted for open carry in the state of Georgia. Ms. Andrews supports sensible gun laws.
He voted for book bans. And to quote Ms. Andrews, “I’m a writer. I can’t with the book banning.”
And then, during COVID, he voted against mask mandates and mandatory vaccinations.
In 2022, Ms. Andrews’ daughter Katie died at 39 of COVID-induced liver failure.
“And for those of you who say, ‘why does everything have to be about politics?”
“Politics is not an abstract for me. My child is dead because my politicians decided not to take a global pandemic seriously.”
She adds, people might have said, ‘Go up there and collect your flowers.’
And to those people Mary Kay Andrews replies in the words of that “great American poet Miley Cyrus, ‘I can buy my own flowers.’”
I didn’t know “WalkTok” was a thing, either – I’m learning all sorts of things today.
There is a lot going wrong every day, all day, in many places, and it hurts and it is scary. I’m calling my representatives several times a week now, and trying to balance being informed with being terrified.
Video diaries like this one soothe my heart a little, and I’m hoping this dose of inspiration will help you, too.
What about you? What have you seen lately that inspired you or made you want to cheer?
NB: sometimes the spam filter gets twitchy about too many links, but I’ll be watching the comments and the spam filter to send your comments through.
Gonna go buy some Mary Kay Andrews books. She’s a badass. 🙂
I LOVE HER! I’ve read every book she has written, but to see this? They say don’t meet your heroes, but it is so affirming to see someone speak out so powerfully about their truth.
I haven’t read anything by Mary Kay Andrews, but it is imperative that I start right this minute. Y’all who’ve read her stuff, give me some recs to get started on please!!
I have not read any of her books – is there one that people would recommend? I want to support her.
To all asking for recs her Savannah Blues is a funny romance & mystery.
Her other books I’ve read skew fiction with a side of romance, and I hate the term but many would say “women’s fiction”. But just about every single one has a summery southern vibe so it’s always my first pic for summer beach reads.
I’d rec Summer Rental, Beach Town, and Fixer Upper. Summer Rental was particularly fun if you’ve ever vacationed in the Northern OBX near Kitty Hawk. I even recognized the Walmart we do our big grocery shopping trip at. Fixer Upper skewed a bit more romance-y to me. There’s so many more that are probably great that I haven’t gotten to yet.
Thank you for sharing!! Echoing everyone else who hasn’t read her but is about to!
First off, definitely going to fill my kindle with Mary Kay Andrews. What a badass. Second off, things that made me want to cheer:
-seeing my local litter pickers doing a recent clean-up in the woods (and inspiring my partner and I to sign up for litter picking!)
-my local library’s displays lately (I’ve picked up and read three total bangers I never would have otherwise found)
-a crowd of people at the blood test line at the hospital where I go for treatments refusing the (very tired, very kind) nurse’s offer of complaint forms because the wait-time had gotten to over an hour long; everyone went “it’s not your fault, or the NHS’!”, then someone asked “Can I use the form to complain about the government instead? Because it is their fault.” We all had a right laugh.
Her books just moved to the top of my TBR pile.
I watched this last night gave it many loud cheers.
MKA didn’t need to explain herself, but I love that she did so brilliantly.
Thank you for posting this. I need bright lights to inspire me at the moment. My birth family is so bloody hateful to those not like them, including me. Ms. Mary Kay Andrews you are moving to the top of my TBR list! Thank you all for reading suggestions.
I loved her post. Love her books. Met her in person. I’m a fan.
WalkTok is popular on TT and IG.
I love this, going to look for her books now!
And @Julie Armstrong, sorry about your family.
@denise: I am entirely tickled by the idea of my doing walktok. I’d become famous for walking into things, falling off the curb, cursing loudly at drivers who are on their phones while behind the wheel. Also a good part of where I live doesn’t have sidewalks? This would be so funny. A total disaster on legs.
Wow! Thanks for sharing. I’m about to check out her books.
FYI, Spring Fever and The Fixer Upper are currently in KU. I’ve never read her books but I’m looking forward to diving in.
@Marie, Thanks for the recommendation of Savannah Blues. I’m going there for a girls trip in April and was looking for a book to read with some local color.
My favorites are the Weezie and Bebe mysteries (starting with Savannah Blues), mostly because I love vintage things and I love their friendship. I’m a northerner through and through, so Andrew’s depictions of southern life are a great escape for me.
I feel a re-read coming on!