Blue Elephant Book Shop

"Della's Diner" creator and Atlanta author Tom Edwards discusses his debut novel, Blue Jesus, a compelling story set in a fictional Georgia town and based on the Blue People of Troublesome Creek, KY.

Join us on Wednesday, June 17, at 7:15 p.m.

This is the compelling story of two boys, one white and one blue, who live in the tiny Georgia hamlet of Comfort Corners in the 1960s. Trouble starts when the boys find a dead baby whose body has been thrown onto the town garbage dump. As the narrator of the tale, the boy Buddy scrambles for help, the other boy, Early, who comes from the race of Blue People, takes the baby in his hands and conjures the infant back to life. A firestorm of controversy ensues.

The friendship between Buddy and Early is the centerpiece of this remarkable story, as they sustain abuse, ridicule, and social upheaval. Buddy’s voice is moving and urgent, and he speaks in a simple, profound way that belies his 11 years. He is a sensitive boy still reeling from the recent death of his mother from cancer. Viewed as a sissy by his classmates, he is brutally beaten by the town bully. Early, in turn, is beaten by his father for causing attention to be paid to them as a result of the resurrection of the baby.

Early obviously has some form of supernatural power, and the situation takes a remarkable turn when Early’s father realizes the economic potential of his son’s unique gift, and he markets Early far and wide as Blue Jesus. People come in droves to be healed by Early from all the surrounding counties. But it’s not as simple as that. Early cannot control when the special feeling comes to him. He also refuses to discriminate between white, black or blue people, and as a consequence there is an unheard of coming together of all races in a revival meeting atmosphere.

Colorful and honest, there is humor, heartbreak, and ultimate redemption in this novel in the tradition of the best Southern fiction. Themes of faith and miracles, the nature of true friendship, and of all races coming together are poignantly explored.

Tom Edwards is the author of the popular Della’s Diner series of musical plays that originated in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1978 and continue to this day.  He has worked as a performer, television writer, and documentary filmmaker. His most popular documentary films are “Sobbin’ Women: the Making of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers;” and “Right Here in River City:  The Making of Meredith Willson’s Music Man.” Edwards makes his home in Atlanta.