Welcome to the hilarious world of Catfish Corner where church secretaries spike their bottles of Diet Coke and fine Southern ladies gossip at the beauty shop and finger their pearls.

This light-hearted look at Southern living uses funerals, baptisms, romance and marriages to create a place where humor kisses sarcasm and likes it so much that it does it again and again.

So, head south, y'all and find out why Lily Mae had that funny hump on her back and learn how Althea finally got rid of Floyd.

And for goodness sake, steer clear of Reverend Handy's tent revival. You'll lose your beer and maybe your religion if you get too close to that particular Big Top!

Just sayin'.

---

"Catfish Corner's cast of riotous, flawed characters keep getting into trouble, but you'll love them, warts and all. Their laugh-out-loud antics are relatable, especially if you're a church-going Southerner or have ever lived in a small town where everyone knows, or thinks they know the intimate details of their neighbors. The author lovingly pokes fun at many aspects of church life and also paints a heartwarming picture of a small town where the characters cheer for the good guys and scorn the bad guys. I plan to get copies of this gem of short stories for my friends and sisters, so we can enjoy these funny folks together."

• Christine Simolke, Children of Italy