Flash forward to spring 2017, Writing for Publication Class, same college, same professor. After surviving a few near tragedies of my own, including one that nearly ended one of the only reasons I am even alive this long. This was my second attempt at this class. It was time to seduce an interview from a published author for the journal we were publishing. I had now fantasized of meeting Dorothy so that I could wrap myself in her words of wisdom and chuckle at her occasional outbursts of profanity as fuel for my own writing. I attempted once more; it was a long shot. This wasn’t my first time writing to Dorothy; I had been made aware that she was ill before, though I didn’t know how ill until I interviewed her, after she graciously agreed to speak with me, by telephone, on March 30, 2017.
When I caught up with Dorothy, she had just returned from New Orleans, Louisiana for the Annual Tennessee Williams Festival, where at, 67 years of age, she had spoken once again, on women in literature and in life. I was glad to hear her sounding healthy and well and full of spark and laughs as we spoke.
JGH: Now, you just got back from the Tennessee Williams festival right? Tell me about that.
DA: Yes, yes, The point of Tennesee is it is relaxed. It’s amazing they put on the plays and there are actors that you meet and you never get a chance to get embarrassed about.
JGH: Was there anyone in particular there that you were excited to see?
DA: Two of my dearest and closest women friends live in New Orleans and I get a chance to see them when I go, and this time Rick Riordan was there. I love Rick and my old friend Thomas Keith, who is a great editor was there. Patricia Bosworth, who did the Biography for Montgomery Clift and all those people and then you know just the trouble makers of the best and the first order.
JGH: your participation was a panel on women in literature is that right?
DA: Yes, but the trick of the Tennessee is that they, at the same time, put on another concept called Saints and Sinners. Sinners is particularly, you
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