By Mickey Starling Riverbend News
Mary Wells Buchanan, a retired educator who lives in the Hickory Grove community, has published her first book. Her cookbook, “Someone” Learns How to Cook the Southern Way, is a collection of recipes for “someone,” who could be a new bride, someone who wants to learn something new, or “Old Geezers” who don’t realize they don’t know how to cook.
The author is well known for her “kitchen catastrophes” by the Hattie Dees and Kirby Wells families of Hamilton County. So, she included some of those funny stories in the cookbook. This book has something for even experienced cooks. “Most people who write cookbooks do not provide step-by-step instructions,” said Buchanan. “The writer assumes the cook knows more than she really knows. I wrote this book to help the non-cook create delicious country dishes and be proud of herself. The ‘Someone’ in the book's title is me!”
Buchanan is the author of “The Madison County Series,” a collection of sweet romance novels about fictional characters who live in Madison County. Her first sweet romance novel in the series will launch in stores in June. The Christmas novel, scheduled for a September launch, was inspired by the Hamilton County High School Class of 1990 along with her musical theater students. These students were her inspiration because she found great joy in teaching the children of her classmates from 1967. “During the pandemic, some women decided to clean closets,” said Buchanan. “Really? I decided to do something I never had time to do. I wrote three books. The closets will get cluttered again, anyway. Why bother?”
“Someone” Learns How to Cook the Southern Way is sold locally at T&T BBQ at the Crossroads near Jennings and on Amazon Books. Those cookbooks purchased locally are signed books. For more information about future publications, check out Buchanan's Facebook page, Facebook.com/MaryBuchananAuthor.