Young Southern Belle Makes News

starlarich · 2017-03-25T08:03:14.135Z

If there's one thing I know about southern belles, it's that we have a feisty strength and tenacity instilled in us from early on. The famous scene from "Gone With The Wind" after Tara has been destroyed and Scarlett stands in the dirt is a rather apt description of the strength, independence and determination of southern belles... "As God is my witness, as God is my witness they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again." This fabulous characteristic of feminine strength is why I love the story of this 8 year old Alabama girl. As both a writer and blogger of life in the South, I couldn't be more proud of this southern belle. You go daahlin'! By Michelle Matthews of AL.com It's not every day that a producer from "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" calls to talk to your daughter about possibly being a guest. But that's just what happened to Cherinita Reese on Friday morning after 8-year-old Nia Mya appeared on "CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley" on Thursday night. Such is the life of a second-grade celebrity. Nia Mya Reese is a young author whose book, "How to Deal With and Care for Your Annoying Little Brother," is on Amazon's Best Seller list, is No. 7 on Amazon's Bestsellers in Parenting and Relationships and is listed among Amazon's Movers and Shakers. Last year, Nia Mya's first-grade teacher, Beth Hankins, asked her class to write about something they were experts on. Like many aspiring writers, Nia Mya wrote about what she knew: her (annoying) little brother, 5-year-old Ronald Michael. With illustrations inspired by her cousin, Faith Martin, an 11th-grader at Minor High School, "How to Deal with and Care for Your Annoying Little Brother" was published by Yorkshire Publishing on Nov. 30, 2016. After the book came out, Nia Mya captured the attention of CBS News. A crew visited the Reese family in mid-February, spending two days taping Nia Mya at school and at home. "The little Reeses really enjoyed it," said their mom. Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato congratulated Nia Mya on her national news appearance. "It's kind of surreal," Cherinita Reese said of her daughter's newfound fame. "I think the best way to explain it is, you know you're supposed to be walking on this path, and then it happens." Nia Mya is taking it in stride, though. "I just feel normal," she told her mother. "I think we're doing a good job of protecting her from everything going on around her," her mom said. The book retails for $9.99 on Amazon. Original story post: http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/03/8-year-old_alabama_girls_book.html

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Starla Rich