This year, the biennial award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the literary life of Georgia, went to Terry Kay, author of some of the finest Georgia novels ever written such as To Dance With The White Dog, The Valley of Light and The Book of Marie.
Making the presentation to Kay in front of a crowd of over 100 fans and literati was his longtime friend and fellow novelist Anne Rivers Siddons.
I was the M.C. for the event which was followed by a buffet reception.
Here are some photos from the evening as proof that we all had a good time!
Anne Rivers Siddons (center) and Terry Kay (right) talk to one of the guests after the award ceremony
Terry Kay poses with some of his fans after the ceremony. (The man on the right in the background is one of Terry's brothers).
William Starr (Executive Director of the Georgia Center for the Book) and I discuss who has the nicer red tie. (I do!) 
At the reception, Dr. Pearl McHaney (English professor at Georgia State University and a Eudora Welty specialist) and I discuss the symbolism of animals in the works of Terry Kay! (In the background, wearing the tuxedo and bowtie, is Tom Bell, co-founder of the Decatur Book Festival).
Judy Long (center), Editor-in-Chief at Hill Street Press in Athens, swoons after I pay her a particularly nice compliment. Terry Kay (right) looks at me thinking "I don't believe he just said that!"
Myself with Judy Long (left) and Pearl McHaney (center), the co-chairs of my international fan club!
I have no idea what I've just said here. I obviously thought it was very funny, but neither Judy Long nor Terry Kay thought so. Oh well!
(All photos: JB Belonio)
