Blog
TAKIN’ THE STAGE
August 19, 2025 | by Joe Lee
TAKIN’ THE STAGE I’m delighted at the huge response to Jacktown USA, the cool slice of Mississippi musical history I co-authored…
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YOU’RE INVITED
May 30, 2025 | by Joe Lee
The wait is almost over for an especially cool book I’m proud to have co-written, Jacktown USA. Kamel King and I take…
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THANK YOU!
February 7, 2025 | by Joe Lee
THANK YOU! Lots to be thankful for as we charge into the second half of The Roaring Twenties. Sunrise Press,…
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MAN’S BEST FRIEND
November 13, 2024 | by Joe Lee
The cute cover portrait was painted by the author’s late sister, Kathy
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MISSISSIPPI CULTURE
August 28, 2024 | by Joe Lee
Taking place on September 14 this year in hopes of avoiding the blast furnace August heat, the 2024 Mississippi Book…
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HAPPY AUTHOR
July 26, 2024 | by Joe Lee
I love seeing the authors I publish get a first look at their new books, especially when it’s their first…
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THE LITTLE PUBLISHER THAT COULD
July 8, 2024 | by Joe Lee
BEACH BOOKS Got everything ready for that long-awaited beach trip, now that the kids are out of school? Up to…
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THE SAINTS AMONG US
May 24, 2024 | by Joe Lee
There are large, colorful banners inside Jackson’s beautiful Banner Hall right now that display the striking cover art of The Saints…
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LOOK AT THAT PRETTY SUNSET!
January 16, 2024 | by Joe Lee
Here’s your very first look at the cover of the soon-to-be-released Candace Cox Wheeler novel, Sunset in the Sound. Isn’t it…
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
January 16, 2024 | by Joe Lee
There’s lots to be excited about in 2024, beginning with a pair of outstanding novels coming soon from a pair…
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CHRISTMAS IS COMING!
October 3, 2023 | by Joe Lee
See if you’ve heard this one before: “Books make great gifts!” It’s true, and we have some wonderful ideas for…
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YOU’RE INVITED!
August 2, 2023 | by Joe Lee
Are you busy the morning of Saturday, August 19? Plans had already made for the Dogwood Press tent to be…
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SUNRISE PRESS
April 28, 2023 | by Joe Lee
I’ve received some very good faith-based book proposals over the years, but because Dogwood Press publishes mystery-suspense fiction, I kept…
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COVER STORY
March 31, 2023 | by Joe Lee
There’s lots of news to report as we get 2023 underway, including another new Dogwood Press author, but let’s first…
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WELCOME TO THE TEAM!
December 5, 2022 | by Joe Lee
Greetings! I’m delighted to announce that Stephen Beam of Sumrall, Mississippi, is joining the Dogwood Press family of authors. I…
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FUN IN THE SUN
August 28, 2022 | by Joe Lee
The Mississippi Book Festival made a glorious return in 2022 with 6,200 who enjoyed the wide range of author panels,…
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BOOK CLUBS
June 1, 2022 | by Joe Lee
I absolutely can’t overstate the importance of in-person book clubs. Nearly every Dogwood Press author has been invited to one…
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COMING ATTRACTIONS
March 6, 2022 | by Joe Lee
Yes, two exciting new Dogwood Press titles are coming soon! The first is Squall in the Gulf, the sequel to Candace Cox…
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ESCAPE
October 22, 2021 | by Joe Lee
I’m sure you remember the old Calgon TV ads with that unforgettable tag line: CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY! A good…
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LET’S GO!
July 22, 2021 | by Joe Lee
Like a lot of us, I suppose, I spent the spring of 2020 thinking the pandemic would last several weeks,…
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INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY
April 22, 2021 | by Joe Lee
Wanting to support Lemuria Books in March 2020 as the shutdowns began, I ordered a couple of books through their…
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ROCKIN’ THE CRADLE
February 1, 2021 | by Joe Lee
Happy February! It’s so good to leave 2020 behind, and it’s great to be just weeks away from the arrival…
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MAKING LEMONADE
November 9, 2020 | by Joe Lee
MAKING LEMONADE Nobody I know wants to go through another 2020, but I remain blessed to work with some wonderful,…
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IT’S HERE!
October 13, 2020 | by Joe Lee
IT’S HERE! I’m normally not a fan of unloading and breaking down palettes of books (it makes my back hurt)….
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WELCOME ABOARD!
August 11, 2020 | by Joe Lee
It’s great to welcome my friend Candace Cox Wheeler to the Dogwood Press team! We’ll launch her wonderful debut novel, Cradle…
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SILVER LININGS
June 3, 2020 | by Egoy Joe Lee
I hope this new month gets off to a great start for you, and I hope June is a little…
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KEEPING IT LIGHT
March 24, 2020 | by Joe Lee
There’s little I can add to the conversation everyone’s having right now about COVID-19, other than echoing those who believe…
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THE ROARING TWENTIES
January 2, 2020 | by Joe Lee
Happy new year! Happy new decade! There’s a lot for me to be happy about as we open 2020. All…
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MISSY
December 3, 2019 | by Joe Lee
Here’s a big announcement: Randy Pierce has a new novel coming next summer. It’s called Missy. I’ve had the privilege of…
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LIGHTEN UP A LITTLE
September 21, 2019 | by Joe Lee
So you’re saying, “What’s with the title of your blog post? What did I ever do to you?” Don’t misunderstand–I’m…
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST
May 17, 2019 | by Joe Lee
The Dogwood Press website includes information about our editing services, including exactly what constitutes a conflict of interest regarding what…
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BRINGER OF RAIN
April 7, 2019 | by Joe Lee
When author John Floyd had a conflict and couldn’t get to Pontotoc, Mississippi, in March as scheduled to speak to…
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DEADLY VISITS
February 14, 2019 | by Joe Lee
I’ll go way out on a limb and guess that your cell phone is within easy reach. Correct? Okay, indulge…
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BOOKS UNDER THE TREE
December 23, 2018 | by Joe Lee
Just a quick note to say thanks for your support in 2018, especially in what we think of as “book-buying…
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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
November 7, 2018 | by Joe Lee
No, I’m not directing a movie scene or television show. Just trying to illustrate, with that oft-used Hollywood stage directive,…
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HAVE BOOKS, WILL TRAVEL
October 8, 2018 | by Joe Lee
One summer day a few years ago, my son, who was probably in junior high, stuck his head in my…
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DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!
September 4, 2018 | by Joe Lee
It was fun to hang out with my mega-talented friend Valerie Winn at the Mississippi Book Festival and help hand…
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HAVIN’ A PARTY!
August 6, 2018 | by Joe Lee
Yes, you’re invited to a party–as in our state’s fourth annual Literary Lawn Party! Less than two weeks until the…
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ANOTHER FLOYD MILESTONE
July 2, 2018 | by Joe Lee
I published John Floyd for the first time back in 2006. That collection of mystery/suspense short stories, Rainbow’s End, set…
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JOHN’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
May 15, 2018 | by Joe Lee
Think of some of the people who have won Lifetime Achievement Awards. The words alone catch your attention–whatever such an…
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THE DANCE BETWEEN
April 14, 2018 | by Joe Lee
My busy year as publisher continues with the great new Valerie Winn novel, The Dance Between, which we’ll release in…
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COVER STORY
February 26, 2018 | by Joe Lee
What an honor it has been to publish half a dozen John M. Floyd short story collections since 2006, and…
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JUST DAYS AWAY
February 7, 2018 | by Joe Lee
My first novel since late 2014, 40 Days, is a month from release! I’m very excited about it. And I’m…
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CONQUERING THE BIG APPLE
November 24, 2017 | by Joe Lee
This is one of the more interesting things I’ve been able to blog about — and brag about — when…
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A NEW WORLD RECORD
September 20, 2017 | by Joe Lee
With school back in session this fall, how about a little quiz? TRUE OR FALSE: A book published by Dogwood…
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VOICES FROM HOME
August 21, 2017 | by Joe Lee
The Mississippi Book Festival, in my humble opinion, is one of the best things our state has going and a…
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JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING
July 15, 2017 | by Joe Lee
I saddled up yesterday and drove to the Memphis home of Susan Cushman, who’s the latest addition to the Dogwood…
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SHARE THE LOVE
June 9, 2017 | by Joe Lee
Yes, share the love … of reading! And share with it young people! This idea isn’t new. I’ve had so…
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CHERRY (BOMB) ON TOP
April 25, 2017 | by Joe Lee
Wow! We’re suddenly a little more than ninety days from launching the Susan Cushman debut novel, Cherry Bomb. I can’t…
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COVER STORY
March 12, 2017 | by Joe Lee
Drum roll, please … here’s your very first look at the cover of Cherry Bomb, the forthcoming novel by new…
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SHOP (AND READ) LOCAL
December 23, 2016 | by Joe Lee
You hear a lot about buying locally, and with good reason. It’s great to be able to support your friends…
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NEW AUTHOR
November 4, 2016 | by Joe Lee
I’m very excited to announce that Memphis-based author Susan Cushman joins the Dogwood Press team with her forthcoming novel, Cherry…
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AIR BRAKES
September 21, 2016 | by Joe Lee
Yes, air brakes, as in the huge delivery truck announcing its presence yesterday, and with its arrival the shipment of…
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MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL 2016
August 15, 2016 | by Joe Lee
We’re just days away from one of Mississippi’s crowning achievements: the literary lawn party known as the Mississippi Book Festival….
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SWEET DREAMS
July 6, 2016 | by Joe Lee
John M. Floyd has won three Derringer Awards for short mystery fiction, he was nominated for an Edgar Award in…
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JOB INTERVIEW
June 2, 2016 | by Joe Lee
As Editor-in-Chief of a small publishing house, I receive queries each week from aspiring authors. That initial contact is the…
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GO TELL IT ON THE (THACKER) MOUNTAIN
April 19, 2016 | by Joe Lee
One of the highlights of Randy Pierce’s tour to promote The Peter Bay was taking the stage at The Lyric Theatre…
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BACK THE TRUCK UP TO THE DOOR
March 2, 2016 | by Joe Lee
I’ve been asked before if I get nervous when popping open the first carton of books when the eighteen-wheeler rolls…
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WHERE TO CAPTURE THE CREATIVE JUICES
October 27, 2015 | by Joe Lee
Thought I’d cover some familiar territory this time, namely how to create the perfect writing environment and get every last…
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MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL
September 10, 2015 | by Joe Lee
During a conversation about six months ago with John Evans, owner of Lemuria Books, he handed me a Mississippi Book…
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MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL
July 23, 2015 | by Joe Lee
You’ve read about it in The Clarion Ledger and many other publications. The Mississippi Book Festival takes place August 20-22 at…
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WHO IS THAT MYSTERIOUS FIGURE IN THE BACKGROUND?
May 6, 2015 | by Joe Lee
No, John Floyd did not win the Edgar for Best Short Story at last month’s Mystery Writers of America awards…
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THE HUMOR OF JOHN FLOYD
April 7, 2015 | by Joe Lee
John has a great sense of humor. As his friend, as well as his publisher, I can attest to that….
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EDGAR
January 26, 2015 | by Joe Lee
Yes, that Edgar, as in Edgar Allan Poe … John Floyd has been nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery…
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THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
November 25, 2014 | by Joe Lee
John Floyd forwarded me an email he received from a Texas man who stopped at the Books A Million in…
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LIGHTS…CAMERA…ACTION!
October 10, 2014 | by Joe Lee
And just like that, the tour for my new novel, Director’s Cut, is underway! The excitement never goes away when I…
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CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH A GREAT BEACH READ
July 4, 2014 | by Joe Lee
I hope you’re having a relaxing Fourth. The phrase IT’S A GREAT BEACH READ is often used to describe a…
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THE HARDEST-WORKING MAN IN SHOW BUSINESS…
June 3, 2014 | by Joe Lee
My vote, at least for spring 2014, is Randy Pierce, the sitting Mississippi Supreme Court justice and the author of…
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I LOVE WHAT I DO!!!
April 12, 2014 | by Joe Lee
That’s the honest truth, and I know I can speak for the authors on the Dogwood Press team, too! Writing…
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WITH APOLOGIES TO ROBERT FROST…
March 11, 2014 | by Joe Lee
No, Randy Pierce won’t be stopping by woods on a snowy evening…but he’ll be stopping by bookstores, libraries, festivals, conferences…
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WATCH YOUR STEP!
January 26, 2014 | by Joe Lee
Yes, watch your step…because there’s plenty of mud straight ahead. As in Magnolia Mud, the great new novel from Randy…
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YOUR BEST FRIEND ON A COLD, WINTRY DAY
November 26, 2013 | by Joe Lee
Okay, it isn’t quite winter yet. In fact, Thanksgiving, as of this writing, is two days away. But it sure…
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NEW AUTHOR ON BOARD…
October 15, 2013 | by Joe Lee
One thing the new year will bring is a new addition to the Dogwood Press team, and that’s Randy Pierce,…
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KIDS SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS
July 21, 2013 | by Joe Lee
I was invited to speak at the Young Writer’s Conference at Northwest Rankin High School in Brandon, MS, last week….
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BACK THE TRUCK UP TO THE DOOR
May 6, 2013 | by Joe Lee
Know what’s very exciting and a little bit scary? Watching the ginormous delivery truck pull up with a shipment of…
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PREPARE TO BE DECEIVED…
December 28, 2012 | by Joe LEe
Gosh, I’m excited about the new John M. Floyd collection of stories, Deception. Talk about a cool cover… Deception, the latest from the…
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TIS THE SEASON!
November 19, 2012 | by Joe Lee
I made one of my favorite book trips yesterday: to Starkville, Mississippi, for the annual Christmas Open House at The…
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FILL ‘ER UP!
October 11, 2012 | by Joe Lee
I launched my new Oakdale suspense novel, Last Chance Texaco, at The Book Mart in Starkville, Mississippi, on September 27…
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WHAT ARE YOU READING?
August 19, 2012 | by Joe Lee
I was asked yesterday what I was reading. Well, I just finished an old Lee Child novel called Tripwire. It’s…
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THE PERFECT WRITING ENVIRONMENT
June 10, 2012 | by Joe Lee
At book talks, I’m often asked when I like to write. Well, there’s no set schedule. I typically write each…
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VALERIE’S LAUNCH AT LEMURIA
April 8, 2012 | by Joe Lee
Valerie Winn had a very successful night at Lemuria in Jackson on April 3, selling over three dozen copies of…
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WITH APOLOGIES TO CARLY SIMON…
March 2, 2012 | by Joe Lee
Remember Anticipation, the classic song from Carly Simon long ago? I remember hearing it in ketchup advertisements somewhere along the…
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COMING SOON…TO A BOOKSTORE NEAR YOU
January 13, 2012 | by Joe Lee
Now that it’s 2012, we’re in the very last days and weeks before the new Dogwood Press author, Valerie Winn…
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MEALS ON WHEELS
December 10, 2011 | by Joe Lee
I don’t text and drive, but I must admit that I’ve had more than a few meals while behind the…
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COMPETING WITH SPONGE BOB
November 13, 2011 | by Joe Lee
No, Sponge Bob isn’t an author (not as far as I know), but he remains a rock star with most…
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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
November 8, 2011 | by Joe Lee
I grew up in Starkville, Mississippi and have many old friends there. Long ago, when I was a slacker college…
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DEAR SIR OR MADAM, WILL YOU READ MY BOOK?
November 3, 2011 | by Joe Lee
As you’ve probably picked up, I’m an old radio guy and enjoy throwing in song lyrics now and then. The title…
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SEE SOME OLD FRIENDS – GOOD FOR THE SOUL
October 23, 2011 | by Joe Lee
One of the most rewarding aspects of my book trips is seeing friends I haven’t been around in ages. It…
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BEHIND THE LOG TRUCK
October 15, 2011 | by Joe Lee
I spoke Thursday evening at 5 p.m. at the Robinson Memorial Library in Raleigh, Mississippi and called librarian Sherri Harris…
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WE HAVE LIFTOFF!
October 11, 2011 | by Joe Lee
Polly Hammett, Joe Lee, Sheri Krause, Donna Biggert, Johnny Biggert at Lemuria – Jackson MS (10/4/11) Funny how the months…
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