THE NEWEST BOOK The Sweet Potato Queen’s Big Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner By Jill Conner Browne Jill takes a slightly different course in this, her big-ass-best-seller-on-the-New-York-Times-list-for-the-better-part-of-a-year-and-still-counting, third book! She done found the formula for HUGE (and well deserved) success with more ways to prepare saturated fat and fewer personal moments bringing bittersweet tears to the eye. The financial planning aspects of the book are deceptively simple with advice along the lines of "Make sure you’re born into a wealthy family." Brilliant counsel but not as easy as it sounds. She’ll tell you how to make Mystery Mush and the Gooiest Cake in the World and a batch of Fatten You Right Up Rolls. Even if you never make this stuff, it’s good to know the recipies are out there in case some white trash drops by the house. Oops. Did I say that out loud? Go, Jill, Go!

First of all, you have to know all about the Sweet Potato Queens.
If you don't know all about the Sweet Potato Queens, go HERE and learn.

The truth is, I know the head of the Sweet Potato Queens. Come to think of it, I probably know a whole slew of wanna-be SPQs (but since the SPQ craze didn't start until after I left Jackson, I can't say for sure).

The Author with the Boss Sweet Potato Queen and a major Tammy.

Right now you're probably wondering, how did he get to know the Boss Sweet Potato Queen and what's she like? I'll tell you. Many years ago (more years than a typical Sweet Potato Queen would admit) when I was working at WZZQ-FM in Jackson, Jill Conner (as she was known at the time) was going out with another jock at the station. Not since about sixth grade had I been so infatuated with a girl so much taller than myself. Of course it was just an infatuation. She was a little older than me (though she isn't any more) and she was dating the guy who did the morning show. I was working a late night shift and not getting much attention from fabulous babes like Jill.

But one day the morning show guy moved on and I got his shift. And eventually I even got a date with Jill.

Now I know what it sounds like. That Jill Conner is the kind of girl who just dates morning drive-time DJs. I don't think that's strictly true. The way I understand it, Jill has dated (and even married) some other disreputible types and probably made the promise to even more. But I can't swear to it and if dragged into court I'll somehow deny having posted that on this website.

At any rate, Jill's books are a serious hoot. Following is the review I wrote for Jill's first book: The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love.

Any organization (and I use that word loosely in relation to the Sweet Potato Queens) that consists of a bunch of women all of whom are named Tammy has got to be good. There is so much to learn from the SPQ's Book of Love. Where else will you find the etymology for the curious phrase "Jay at the Desk"? Who else could examine with such insight the theological mysteries of why Baptists don't wear shorts on Sunday? And all that business about panties and parties, Good God! I need more. Baby, just give it to me. I feel like I'm the only man she ever loved and henceforth I shall be more particular about everything. Especially about the kind of margaritas I make. Read this book and you will be prepared for just about anything that comes your way, unless of course it's a pack of Sweet Potato Queens.

Jill Conner Browne just keeps getting better. God Save the SPQ's is in every respect better than her fabulous debut, The SPQ's Book of Love. Jill has a point of view, a brilliant sense of humor, and a voice I'd kill for. Or at least hurt badly for. Sure, she's funny as hell, but what makes this second book even better than the first is Jill's willingness to expose herself...so to speak. She shows us that the humor frequently comes from not-so-funny places. I think it was Phyllis Diller who said, "Comedy is tragedy revisited." With Jill as your tour guide, you'll laugh as you learn. And after all the funny, funny, funny, she heeds the advice of the late, great Willie Morris, and brings you back to the sweetness. And it makes you cry and feel like you've connected with someone. All books should do so well.

Ava and Caleb both wanna be Sweet Potato Queens

The Author with the Boss Sweet Potato Queen and a major Tammy.

With JCB in Fresno

With a batch of Fresno Sweet Potato Queens

The St. Patty's Day Parade A view up Capital St.

I left Mississippi in the fall of 1981. The very next spring, (as if they’d been waitin’ for me to get out of town), Hal & Mal’s started their St. Patrick’s Day Parade which, in effect, gave birth to the Sweet Potato Queens. I’ve been back to Jackson just about every year since I left, but was never there for the parade. Until this year (2001). Lordy, lordy, lordy. What Jill Conner Browne hath wrought. As Jill goes about the country touting her fabulous books, "The Sweet Potato Queens’ Book of Love" and "God Save The Sweet Potato Queens" she invites everybody with ears to come to the parade. Well, lo and behold, come parade time, women (and a few brave men) from something like 32 states descend upon Jackson wearing their very own Queen outfits so they can march in the parade behind the Sweet Potato Queens. I can’t tell you how much fun was had, but since a picture is worth a thousand words, the following ought to do it.

With Queen Tammy and The Boss Sweet Potato Queen	The Sweet Potato Queen's Security Detail
Kissed on by Queens Tammy & Tammy	The SPQ Party at Hal and Mal's the night before the parade
Queens with the wildest costumes! (Don't know who they are or where they're from)	More Queens (identity unknown)
With the Birmingham "Bee-Attitudes" (Me in my Spud Stud outfit)	The Fallen Azalea Queens
The Sugar Beet Queens	with the Krispy Kreme Queens
The Moo-Cow Queens (not their real name ...)	The Solar Queens from Taos, New Mexico!
with The Music City Queens from Nashville!

 

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Updated: 1/13/2004