born june american novelist short story writer written novels short story collections non fiction books primary literary accomplishments novels included best sellers finalists national book award books realistic fiction novels follow character psychological intellectual development based themes taken life born birmingham alabama raised north_carolina mother grandmother adopted mother interest writing early age obtained bachelor degree journalism graduating worked briefly reporter traveled europe worked run london returned years taught english earning phd english literature novel successful writer author books particular books written 1980s mother daughters southern family resulted acclaim expanded readership books following readership books dramatically declined queen underworld published flora commercially successful novels early life family born june birmingham alabama parents north_carolina visiting cousins alabama born parents divorced years later breakup mother moved grandparents durham north_carolina moved grandfather died raised mother grandmother lived grandmother filled traditional role mother cleaning cooking mother mother bachelor master degree taught college level english worked reporter local paper evenings weekends wrote love stories magazines new_york according growing female guardians influence writing decision writer age started identifying mother occupation writer grandmother work years old wrote story titled married world war veteran moved family virginia inspired mother determination continue writing having second child according time growing spent mother worked witnessed mother plays novels rejected autobiography creates impression writing intended accomplish things mother cole salary increased able support family mother focused wife eventually writing late teens stepfather working salesman family moved attended different high schools including girls catholic school favorite teacher persuaded start keeping personal diary according church upbringing convent school training attended church mary souls wrote short novel teenager relationship father connected high school graduation father offered pay college education junior year college moved father committed suicide later year uncle half brother later committed suicide mother died car accident attended north_carolina transferred attended graduating bachelor degree journalism college worked novel mother written unable find publisher sent agent scout young writers submitted portion novel consideration story staff guests resort hotel mountains manuscript rejected worked north_carolina sophomore junior years early work job college miami herald worked journalist year met briefly married photographer worker married divorced months later according worked hard stories flamboyant publication fired according contemporary literary criticism incorporating human interest paper stories supposed factual briefly living mother moved london distance failed marriage job worked run american embassy said able read books secret work cousin mayor north_carolina helped job employed embassy completed novel entitled key like early works book focuses female character marriage parent life wants publishers rejected novel manuscript lost sent copy publisher went business returning england took course creative writing met second husband psychiatrist married months later marriage brief divorced breakup returned united_states age took job fact new_york_city said job embarrassing wanted writer opposed fact checking work point distant uncle died leaving inheritance money apply accepted new_york met teacher future mentor iowa worked instructor earning university respectively began teaching earning position teaching literature age written novels unable published author early published work according successful work short story cosmopolitan published novel written graduate work published called story based loosely second marriage accepted december completing graduate work earned living work writer augmented income means intermittent teaching positions completing graduate work spent months artist colony upstate new york wrote pages novel called villain published work scrapped ended basis according author working transitioned linear narratives complex structures plot past present events met composer began life partnership lasted death moved new_york later built house new_york continued work home addition books short stories wrote musical compositions height career successful writer novelist published books longest widely recognized short stories published prominent magazines like featured cover awarded grants john simon memorial foundation career worked consistently agent worked different publishing houses early books published editor died suddenly heart attack editor books credits success early works later recent books widely read usa today commented longer working contracted viking offered larger advances publicity books years produced collection short fiction novels according mother daughters southern family substantially expanded readership novels remained bestseller lists extended period time earlier works sold average copies mother daughters sold million popular early works time written narrative point view multiple characters awarded work southern family early 2000s books finalists national book award recent works published novels partner died began writing fictional story based life called evenings published years later november signed contract publisher books according achieved huge degree success devoted readers longer draw major commercially successful book followed drop readership according authors caught publishing industry search new business model los_angeles_times said characters progressive working women 1970s 1980s considered modern context said couple efforts publishing queen underworld flora better selling books authored autobiography publishing appeared los_angeles_times said auto biography strike approached independent biographer published works included novels collections short stories non fiction works work according intellectual twentieth century southern literature unusual popular novelist working taught time author lecturer columbia_university acted chair fiction panel founded small publishing house called published religious texts printed publishers later distinguished themes works based themes events taken life characters settings narratives vary novel novel common topics included family position women society relationships woman artistic career pursuits role religious faith according intellectual twentieth century southern literature characters struggle navigate race class gender family faith religion according contemporary literary criticism writes issues pertaining women male female roles marriage family personal freedom self concept self author said books existing authorities role decision making life careers artist consequences thwarted ambition emphasis concept self struggles society academic analysis work focuses challenges characters women according typical protagonist novels young woman search confronts obstacles caused family lovers husband struggles establish independence secure identity work main character personally flawed achieve self reflection personal growth thanks support community mentor main characters poor choices better person learn better decisions build stronger bonds result intellectual pursuits according critic protagonist searching happiness academic artistic achievement love respect generally meaning life according works seen having primary themes gender roles southern settings french said categorized feels creates externally imposed limitations themes covers scholars continue attempt work distinctive literary category early works seen woman writer books appealed female audience woman publishing southern family began identified southern writer according resistance changes themes commercially successful academic said identified literary tradition focuses moral psychological development character critics quest meaning self identification primary themes themes work included escaping cultural expectations southern lady childhood abandonment depression suicide racial discrimination social class succeeding male companion work spanned different literary categories realism fantasy early works books written fictional stories based themes taken life early works focus women hoping relationship male companion time wanting independence freedom main protagonist restricted family tradition early works include prominent mother daughter relationship books glass people protagonists find relationship male companion personal professional development books female character feels trapped unhappy marriage according unlike fairy tale novels present realistic depiction feminist concerns struggles comments protagonists southern women caught ideal southern contemporary feminism struggle form personal identity violet clay mother daughters unmarried protagonist career creative profession mother daughters main character married chooses instead focus work mother daughters southern family depend heavily southern setting employ themes traditionally associated social problems south themes include racial discrimination social economic class cultural differences generations characters struggle reduce gap rich poor try break free dominant cultural tradition mixed success early books female protagonists tend fearful passive repeat mistakes protagonist depicted victim failed achieve independence struggling form personal identity exist relationship male companion books begins introduce stronger independent central characters example features character prior novels according later characters come value inclusion connection exclusion isolation lives seek ways combine private public open extend family structures political action fulfill social responsibilities struggle southern codes family structures retain powerful hold late twentieth century daughters south grow state arrested development begin embark mature adult lives later works earlier novels work 1970s 80s centers difficulties female characters experienced women departs theme women different generations student mentor relationship relationship men according work period continues female self woman intimate relationships husbands fathers god books begin incorporate religious themes starting father melancholy daughter novel told perspective multiple characters different perspective religion father melancholy daughter followed books centered episcopal church christian practices novels female male characters equal influence events plot prior novels books mock practices treat routine aspect life subject intellectual interest years books continued father figures died absent books fathers died depicted mother daughter relationship according transitions female protagonists looking ways traps interesting dangerous life choices later works depict successful unconventional marriages good husband partners accept wife career having priority husband good husband return theme marriage typical earlier works according good husband explores dying experience published non fiction works based life period short story collections focus themes similar novels incorporate dreams myth tend auto biographical novels according philosopher approach dream worlds radical dream incorporated characters real world experiences characters compare real dream worlds order negotiate sense destiny said challenges distinction reality dream experiences dream violate theory reality usa_today said subjects covered include mean girls lesbian kisses learning disabilities domestic violence alcoholism roman catholic according times london flora encompasses themes preoccupied career takes place south mountains widowed raises year old daughter interview says work angry said early works showed frustration heard later books focuses enemies working understand villains villains reception writing subject essays book chapters literary analysis academic critics according washington_post accused able decide popular literary writer certainly literary honors claim identities scholarly attention works comes critics interest southern feminist authors according books widely favorably reviewed states reviews work mixed books accomplished works fiction contemporary literary criticism said books characterized written executed witty having vivid believable characters typically praised having convincing plots witty intelligent characters strong narrative skill criticized particular response good husband excessive symbolism according dictionary thoughtful philosophical fiction closely representative life received overall positive reviews good husband received negative reviews according boston_globe flora best books list works list works taken entry dictionary personal life lives large house mountains new_york writing study home swimming day southern accent
Gail Godwin