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Published Monday, October 18, 2010 in Local

Four more Lewis Grizzard books now scheduled to be republished

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

Dedra Grizzard's dream of seeing her husband's work in print again is beginning to come true.

Dedra Kyle Tiramani married Lewis Grizzard, a noted humorist and writer who grew up in Moreland, shortly before his death in 1994. Since then she has been working -- and hoping -- that some of Grizzard's humorously titled tomes might be published again.

Mrs. Grizzard was in Coweta County over the weekend for Lewis Grizzard's Hometown Reunion -- an event she and other organizers hope will become a regular, annual affair. At various events in Moreland, where Grizzard grew up, and Newnan, where he went to high school, Dedra Grizzard signed copies of the new edition of "They Tore Out My Heart and Stomped That Sucker Flat."

NewSouth Books, a regional publisher with offices in Montgomery, Ala., and Louisville, Ky., re-released the book a few weeks ago. "Tore Out My Heart" is by turns funny and poignant -- recounting Lewis Grizzard's lifelong struggles of the heart -- physical and emotional, real and imagined -- including major heart surgery in his mid-thirties.

Grizzard ultimately died of a congenital heart ailment.

"Tore Out My Heart" was one of Grizzard's most popular works, selling more than 100,000 copies. The book first was published in 1996.

Mrs. Grizzard said she has signed contracts with New South to republish three other Grizzard titles -- "Elvis Is Dead and I Don't Feel So Well Myself," "If I Ever Get Back to Georgia I'm Going to Nail My Feet to the Ground" and "My Daddy Was a Pistol and I'm a Son of a Gun."

Dedra Grizzard described "Daddy Was a Pistol" as "my favorite."

A fourth Grizzard book, "I Haven't Understood Anything Since 1962" will be published again by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama.

Mrs. Grizzard, who has been working with Carol Chancey of Cloudland Canyon Entertainment to expand Grizzard's presence in enhancing Moreland's tourist draw, said she hopes more of her husband's work will be available to readers again soon. She predicted more books will be back in print "in the next four or five years."

She is also working with Debra Ford, founder of GRITS -- Girls Raised In The South, on a couple of projects. One is a calendar for newly divorced men. Each month would feature a quote from Grizzard -- like, "I'm going to find a woman I hate and give her a house." They are also considering Grizzard calendars with golf and political themes.

Ford said she and Dedra Grizzard met about eight years ago through a mutual friend and "just immediately hit it off." She said Dedra Grizzard impressed her immediately.

Ford said she was struck by "the respect and passion she had for Lewis -- for him and his work."

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