“Sparkles with all the colors of our childhood, like the Florida sun setting over the Gulf. A surprising cross-section of thirty-four talented writers, poets, politicians, and entertainers transport us to a state where anything was possible, where memories take on a life of their own and have lasting consequences.”—Victor DiGenti, author of the Windrusher series “Brings back a world in which kids played outside unsupervised, when grandmothers wore pearls and smelled of talcum powder and cooked hot breakfasts, and when a mother might spend Sunday morning immersed in the Miami Herald but felt it her duty to have grace said at the dinner table.”—Joy Wallace Dickinson, author of Remembering Orlando Florida can seem like a child’s dream of paradise: endless sunny days, trips to the beach to swim and build sandcastles, bike riding without a jacket in the middle of January, and magical themeparks only a short drive away. But what was life really like for those who grew up here?             During a recent reunion, writers Bill McKeen, Tim Dorsey, and Jeff Klinkenberg found themselves lamenting that so many of their childhood memories were fading away. For them, and for many, Florida is not just a place people go to, it’s where they come from.             That can mean many things to many people, as the stellar cast of writers, journalists, and musicians eloquently reveal in Homegrown in Florida. This utterly satisfying and powerful anthology aims at the heart of the glories of childhood and the pain of growing up. Both a celebration of the exotic, untamed wilderness of a youth filled with moss-draped oaks and citrus fields, evergreen winters and palmetto fronds, and a reminder that innocence often gave way to experience as bike paths became private developments, and swimming holes were paved over by interstates, Homegrown in Florida is filled with tears and laughter alike.             Featuring contributions from Carl Hiaasen, Tom Petty, Zora Neale Hurston, Michael Connelly, and many more, this is a book for every child of old Florida, and every child at heart. Florida can seem like a child s dream of paradise: endless sunny days, trips to the beach to swim and build sandcastles, bike riding without a jacket in the middle of January, and magical theme parks only a short drive away. But what was life really like for those who grew up here? After conversations with writers Tim Dorsey and Jeff Klinkenberg, William McKeen realized that many of their childhood memories were fading away. This book was created to capture and preserve those memories, and to point out that for many, Florida is not just a place people go to, it s where they come from. This utterly satisfying and powerful anthology aims at the heart, rejoicing in the glories and comedies of youth while acknowledging the pain of growing up. Homegrown in Florida celebrates both the mundane childhoods of subdivisions and shopping malls as well as the exotic, swampy wildernesses of childhood filled with moss-draped oaks and citrus fields, evergreen winters and palmetto fronds and reminds us that innocence gives way to experience just as bike paths become private developments and swimming holes are paved over by interstates. Filled with laughter, as well as tears, the book reveals how a place known largely as paradise can also be home to memories of cruelty, heartache, and hurt. Yet even among the darkest and most tragic stories, there is beauty and splendor. Like childhood itself, these reminiscences balance joy and sorrow, as their brilliant authors capture a Florida that might already be lost to us forever. Homegrown in Florida records what growing up in this land of once-untamed wilderness, orange blossoms, beaches, alligators, and flamingos has meant to a range of authors including Carl Hiaasen, Tom Petty, Zora Neale Hurston, Michael Connelly, and many more. The variety of experiences, the diversity of contributors, and the high quality of the writing make this volume a must-read for every child of Old Florida, and for every child at heart. William McKeen is the author of nine books, including Mile Marker Zero, Outlaw Journalist, Highway 61, and Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay. He teaches at Boston University, where he chairs the Department of Journalism. Sparkles with all the colors of our childhood, like the Florida sun setting over the Gulf. A surprising cross section of thirty-four talented writers, poets, politicians, and entertainers transport us to a state where anything was possible, where memories take on a life of their own and have lasting consequences. Victor DiGenti, author of the Windrusher series Brings back a world in which kids played outside unsupervised, when grandmothers wore pearls and smelled of talcum powder and cooked hot breakfasts, and when a mother might spend Sunday morning immersed in the Miami Herald but felt it her duty to have grace said at the dinner table. Joy Wallace Dickinson, author of Remembe