Award-winning author's 'devotion to her craft were evident to those who knew her'

Fiction author Julie L. Cannon died unexpectedly in her sleep Oct. 9. A resident of Watkinsville, Ga., Cannon turned 50 the previous week.

Earlier this year, Abingdon Press published her most recent novel, Twang, the story of a young woman who moves to Nashville aiming to become a country music star.

“I am devastated by Julie’s death, and I’m honored that a book she loved so much is in my care,” said Abingdon Press Fiction Editor Ramona Richards. “I had a blast squiring her around Nashville as she did research for Twang, and I will miss her more than I can say.”

Abingdon Press recently signed Cannon for “the book of her heart,” titled Scarlett Says, to be published October 2013. The book's main character, Joan, is a young woman who writes a popular blog, offering advice based on the words of Gone With the Wind’s Scarlett O’Hara.

“We are stunned and saddened to learn of Julie’s death,” said Pamela Clements, associate publisher of Abingdon Fiction. “We are proud that she trusted Abingdon Fiction with her work. She will be missed.”

On Cannon's Facebook page, she said her personal mission was “to entertain telling stories about that universal theme—redemption.”

A native of Tennessee who was raised in Athens, Ga., Cannon earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. She broke into fiction writing in 1998 when she won a contest sponsored by Hill Street Press, which published her first book, True Love & Homegrown Tomatoes, in 2001. Part of her award-winning “Homegrown Series,” described as “Southern Fried Soul Food,” the book was named by Good Housekeeping as one of “20 Books to Tote on Vacation.”

Simon & Schuster then purchased the paperback rights to her debut book prior to publishing her next two novels, Those Pearly Gates (Touchstone) and Mater Biscuit (Center Point). Summerside Press published her novel I'll Be Home for Christmas in 2010.

Literary agent Chip MacGregor noted on his blog that “our industry lost a really good storyteller.”

“Julie was a fine writer who had become close friends with her agent, Sandra Bishop—they shared a birthday,” he said. “Julie’s gentle wisdom, her great sense of humor and her devotion to her craft were evident to those who knew her.

“She and her writing friends, the 'Dixie Divas,' made several appearances together, and they were always fun,” MacGregor added. “We were all expecting her to bust out with Twang.”

When she was a senior at the University of Georgia in 1984, Cannon had a brush with death when she suffered a brain injury from a bike accident. Cannon is survived by her husband, Tom, and their three children.

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