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Celebrated author takes over editorship of historic literary publication
Don't ever question the power of Oprah Winfrey. Ever. It would be difficult to say that the day Winfrey called Bret Lott, was the defining moment of his career, or even his life. But really... it's Oprah. Ask Dr. Phil how much cache his acquaintance with the queen of daytime talk is worth. It doesn't stop there, though. Lott has rubbed elbows with people like author Tom Wolfe, First Lady Laura Bush, and he even saw Farrah Fawcett play the lead role in a television movie based on his novel Jewel —a work based loosely on his grandmother. If you're thinking Lott is a shameless name-dropper, don't. He is, however, a genial fellow with a personality big enough to match his large frame. In fact, he looks more like a retired football player than the new editor of The Southern Review. So what if he knows a few members of the upper crust. Big names just seem to find him. Names like Robert Penn Warren, Cleanth Brooks, Eudora Welty, and Walker Percy —names that his is now listed next to as editors of one of the most prestigious and storied literary journals in the country. "How Oprah Changed My Life"
Seven years later, in January of 1999, Winfrey called Lott to tell him she would like to feature his book in her book club. The day she called, his book was ranked No. 1,069,713 on Amazon.com's sales ranks. By that evening, it was No. 1. “"It was a weird thing. It was the exact same book,” Lott said. “"My publisher called and said, ‘"you don't understand, you've written a classic."” “"I went on the show, and got to eat a meal with Oprah and these other women who had read the book. (Winfrey) is incredibly brilliant. She's so well-read. It's really cool that this person who has all this power (to reach people) actually reads books (that aren't just commercially popular).” Today, the book that faded into virtual obscurity can be read in German, Spanish, Greek, and Korean, and the Hebrew translation is on the way. Don't ever question the power of Oprah. If at first you don't succeed ... For the first few years after graduate school, Lott sent stories around to different literary publications, always excluding The Southern Review for the simple reason that he thought his pieces would never be accepted. Years later, while working at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where he served as writer-in-residence and professor of English and creative writing, he learned of the editorship opening at The Southern Review. Lott had spent nearly 18 years at the College of Charleston, but felt if he were going to leave, this would be the best opportunity he would have. He applied and never made the short list. Later, the ad appeared again and Lott ignored it, figuring he hadn't made the short list before, why would he make it now? Only this time, before Christmas no less, he received a call from the chair of the selection committee. “"I was stunned, surprised, and honored,” Lott said. “"There is absolute trepidation. I'm kind of in awe about the whole thing. I can't believe I'm sitting in James Olney's office. This is Louis Simpson's desk. The legacy (the Review) has here is beyond comprehension. I hope I can build on that. “"I'm reading submissions by writers now that I would have died to get as editor of Crazyhorse (the College of Charleston's literary journal). It's just a treat, a real treat.” The best laid plans of mice and men ...
Once he learned it was easier to publish a novel than a collection of short stories—his first love—his mind had been drastically changed. He took three stories, that were all relatively the same and combined them into his first novel, The Man Who Owned Vermont. Several years later, when his third collection of short stories hit the shelves, one reviewer addressed him in the first line as “"Novelist Bret Lott." Epilogue A new set of challenges face Lott as he prepares to publish his first edition of The Southern Review in the winter of 2005. He'd like to see its audience grow, and he hopes to do that by introducing some of the old to the new —namely the Internet. Having writers read their works online through streaming audio and making online subscriptions available are a couple of the ways Lott hopes to get the word out about the publication. He also has two new works coming out in 2005—one a book on writing, Before We Get Started, which comes out in January, and a collection of short stories titled An Evening on the Cusp of the Apocalypse that will be available in the spring of 2005. In the meantime, he continues to settle into his office in the basement of Allen Hall. Among the curiosities that adorn his bookshelves are a vial of dirt from under Flannery O'Connor's porch and a bottle of volcanic ash a daring student brought back for him. There's still some space though. Perhaps for a framed 8" x 10" of you know who. Contact Josh Duplechain | LSU
University Relations Related Links The Southern Review |
So
let's get the Oprah story out of the way, for those who may be unfamiliar
with it. Lott's fourth novel, Jewel, had been out
of print by the time Winfrey came across it in 1991. The following
year, a friend of Lott's called to ask him if he had seen the latest
issue of Redbook. Inside was a two-page, photo spread of
Winfrey standing in front of a bookcase containing several books.
One of the books was Jewel.
Just like the assumption that his name would never find its way into The Southern Review, Lott was wrong about becoming a novelist. He never thought he would become one and, he recalls now, he told his wife as much. Never say never.
