JUST A SMALL TOWN GIRL (Don't Stop Believin')

Oh Mama! That man over there just wadded up his napkin and ate it!!! .......and there goes another!!! Sweetie, you must be seein' things 'cause that simply doesn't happen. We'll feed me nails and call me rusty, 'cause this Ozark Farm Chick later witnessed that oddity time and time again at the cafe on Main Street durin' our weekly shoppin' trips. His name was J. Tate and he gobbled up napkins like they were hot fresh glazed doughnuts.

El Dorado (Eldo-RAAAH-do) Springs, Missouri is a land where onced and twiced are words yet was a metropolis compared to my teeny hometown, Stockton. Our farm was nestled between these two towns. We shopped at Eldo 'cause of it's greater variety. A little drive-in hosted the best Hickory Burgers in the world. They were mad dog doolin' delicious I tell ya! People traveled miles with glass jugs and odd containers in tow to bottle up the mineral rich water flowin' from the depths of the beautiful city park spring. It was the most horrifically putrid water that carried the stench of rotten eggs and tasted even worse, yet was known far and wide for it's magical medicinal healin' powers.

Yep, I have fond memories of this picturesque town and it's breathtaking city park surrounded by the quaint storefronts down Main Street. Memories sippin' Chocolate Ice Cream Sodas from the fountain at the Drug Store. I filled my inner teen diva buyin' Bobby Brook Fashions at Brownsburger's Department Store. Like everyone else 'round those parts I had to attend the biggest event of the year, The El Dorado Springs Annual Picnic but I never had the pleasure of meetin' my hillbilly neighbor, Kathie Truitt. It was in Blogland that our paths crossed. It truly is a small world after all!

Kathie's so sweet she could charm a 'coon right outta a tree. This big hearted beauty is a former Mrs. Missouri America. She's been a celebrated radio personality and motivational speaker 'round the Midwest. Ya'll can find her over at her place " The Hillbilly Debutante ." Oops...my bad! Did I mention that Kathie's also an author? She published 'False Victim' in 2010, a novel based on her own true story.

I have to tell ya, ya'll are in for a treat 'cause Kathie just released her newest book just this week. 'The Hillbilly Debutante Cafe' is filled with small town politics, adventure, mystery, just a wee drop of paranormal with heaps of good clean small town humor where everybody knows everybody's business and ain't ashamed to talk 'bout it! I sure pray my small town friend will be ridin' high on the gravy train with biscuit wheels 'cause this books gonna be hotter than a summer revival!!!

'The Hillbilly Debutante Cafe' is filled with colorful small town folks like Wilhelmina and Bobby Joe. There's the WWII veteran who chose to move into his 1969 T-Bird with his cat Mo-Ped. He was known to take baths in El Dorado City Park. Gettin' him to live anywhere else was kinda like teachin' a pig to dance. It only wastes your time and irritates the pig besides this fella was as content as a pig in a wallow right where his residence was parked.

With more guts than ya can hang on a fence, you'll meet the mechanic who donned himself in woman's clothin' accessorized with pearls, lipstick and all the glam he could conjure up. You might even bump into a Rain Man type character whose got a thing for numbers. One might think his phone's plumb off the hook but he'll know ya by your phone number, not by name. I had such fun readin' Kathie's ' The Hillbilly Debutante Cafe' and I know ya'll will too!!!!



Known by it's more popular name, 'Don't Stop Believin', was sung by the rock band Journey back in 1981 which has also sported a second name durin' it's life. Kathie was from my neck of the woods and I know ya'll are goin' to have as much fun readin' 'The Hillbilly Debutante Cafe' as I did. Yep, Kathie and I can both belt out that wonderful Journey oldie 'cause we're both "Just a Small Town Girl!!!

Please won't ya check out Kathie's Book at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. If ya pop over to her blog 'The Hillbilly Debutante' and purchase a book and leave Kathie a comment you'll be in the runnin' for some really cool bright red cowgirl boots. I promise you that ya'll are in for some amusin' Ozark entertainment!