By Gerri Miller
Elmore/Autauga News Staff Writer
Millbrook author Mary Johns Wilson has found success with her first book and has a bucket list of Alabama attractions to share with you in “100 Things To Do in Alabama Before You Die.”
“Local author and history buff Mary Johns Wilson has crisscrossed Alabama, from its majestic mountains to its beautiful beaches to help craft the most interesting itineraries for visitors and Alabamans alike,” the books’ publisher describes. “The result is this thoughtful guide chock-full of tidbits sure to make your Alabama experiences special and memorable.”
Wilson, a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a degree in broadcast journalism, grew up on a small farm in Central Kentucky but has lived in Alabama for 11 years. She is the Director of News Services for Alabama Farmers Federation and produces a television show called Simply Southern. She said the four-segment show focuses on rural lifestyles and agriculture. Prattville recipe blogger Stacey Little always fills the last segment of each show.
“I love that I still get to be around farmers and capture their stories,” she said. “We have a 30-minute TV show that goes all across the state,” Wilson said. “We visit different locations and we’re basically telling the good news about Alabama.”
Her sister Audra Meighan still lives in Kentucky and the two women were shopping in Lexington when they saw a book similar to the one they would both end up writing. Meighan had connections with a publisher who could make the dream of writing an Alabama book a reality.
“I thought about it for a year or two and then decided to reach out to Reedy Press, a publisher based in St. Louis, Mo.,” she said. She started by writing down 130 places with a total of 160 sites.
“It helped that Reedy Press had categories for food and drink, sports and recreation, history and culture, and music and entertainment,” Wilson said. “I added a category: Unique attractions.”
Some of Wilson’s favorite sites listed in the book include Jesse’s, a restaurant in the Spanish Oak-lined City of Magnolia Springs and 1818 Farms in Mooresville, where visitors can take workshops on subjects such as photography and bouquet making. She said she also loves visiting the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville.
In the River Region, Wilson’s favorite spot is the imaginary town of Spectre on Jackson Lake Island in Millbrook, a set used in the movie “Big Fish.” Dozens of goats roam the property and the fishing is good from the banks of the Alabama River.
“100 Things To Do In Alabama Before You Die” covers attractions in 52 of the 67 counties. Some of the attractions listed are Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, the Alabama Museum of Natural History in Tuscaloosa, Barber Motor Sports Museum in Birmingham, The Chicken Shack in Luverne and Mardi Gras in Mobile.
Meighan wrote a similar book for Lexington, Ky., which was published about a year after Wilson’s book. The two sisters were a constant source of encouragement for each other and Wilson’s husband Matt also helped her by taking many of the photographs in the book.
Wilson said she wants Alabamians to love their state and get a better understanding of the places that are interesting where they live.
“I’m from Kentucky and I also lived in Mississippi for a while,” she said. “I think some of the state’s rankings don’t look at what matters most. Alabama has a lot to offer – maybe not Broadway shows but there are lots of treasures to be found if you take the time to look. You can have great experiences and create memories right here in Alabama.”
You can find where to watch Wilson’s television show at Simply Southern TV. You can purchase a signed copy of the book at www.100thingsalabama.com for $20. The book may also be purchased for $18 at Reedypress.com, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
You can also pick up the book at Everything Alabama in downtown Prattville, Books-A-Million and the Goat Hill Museum in downtown Montgomery.
