Cover To Cover features the contributions of a handful of distinctive Southern voices we have dubbed the GPB Southern Lit Cadre. These interviewers each bring a unique interest and vision to their weekly on-air discussions with writers.

Jeff Calder

Jeff Calder grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and Lakeland, Florida. At the University of Florida he studied creative writing under Harry Crews. Upon graduation from UF in 1973, he pursued a career as a Florida-based free-lance writer, covering the pop music and literary scenes for the Tampa Tribune, Lakeland Ledger, Zoo World, Atlanta Gazette and Hittin’ the Note. He was also a Random Notes stringer for Rolling Stone.

Calder moved to Atlanta in 1978 to form the legendary Swimming Pool Q's with Bob Elsey and Anne Richmond Boston. The Q’s were one of the pioneering New Wave bands in the South. The group has released many albums, their most recent being Royal Academy of Reality in 2003. The Q’s celebrate their 30th Anniversary in 2008.

Over the years, Calder has written for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, South Atlantic Quarterly, Mix Magazine, and Stomp and Stammer, among other publications. His popular long essay, "Living By Night in the Land of Opportunity: Reflections on Life in a Rock & Roll Band," was included in Duke University's South Atlantic Quarterly (Fall, 1991), edited by Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone. His appreciation of Richard & Mimi Farina aired on National Public Radio's All Things Considered in December 1999.

Stan Deaton

Dr. Stan Deaton is Vice President for Programs & Scholarship at the Georgia Historical Society, located in Savannah. A Georgia native, he holds bachelors (Journalism) and masters (History) degrees from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Florida, where he taught prior to joining GHS. In addition to his program and scholarship responsibilities at the Society, he serves as managing editor and book review editor for the organization's award-winning publication, The Georgia History Quarterly, and as editor of GHS's newsmagazine, Georgia History Today. Dr. Deaton has written articles and book reviews for such publications as The New Georgia Encyclopedia, the Journal of Southern History, and the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. He has appeared on CSPAN, and is a frequent lecturer on a wide variety of historical subjects.

Jesse Freeman

Jesse Freeman grew up in Madison, Georgia, where he wrote for the hometown weekly, The Madisonian. He received a B. A. in English from Georgia State University in 2002, where he also studied Film and Video Production. Since then, Jesse has worked as a freelance journalist and video producer in the Atlanta area. He is a GPB TV correspondent for Lawmakers and Prep Sports Plus.

Jesse focuses on under-appreciated Southern writers. Documentary work on the late author Raymond Andrews landed him a speaking appearance at the 19th Annual Southern Writers’ Symposium in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He has also been nominated for a Magazine Association of the Southeast’s GAMMA Award for an article he authored on Andrews.

Frank Reiss

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Georgia, Frank Reiss began his career in books as an antiquarian dealer in San Francisco. In 1989 he opened A Cappella Books in Atlanta, where he sells both new and out-of-print books. In 2003 Reiss created everthemore books, a publishing imprint which has re-issued titles like Party Out of Bounds by Rodger Lyle Brown of Atlanta and The Nashville Sound, by esteemed Atlanta author Paul Hemphill. A past president of the Georgia Antiquarian Booksellers Association, Reiss has written about books for the San Francisco Examiner, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Paste Magazine.

Melissa Stiers

Melissa Stiers works as a local producer for GPB on Morning Edition and Georgia Gazette and also as a free-lance reporter. She was an educator for immigrant communities, teaching English as a Second Language, before receiving her Masters in Professional Writing from Kennesaw State University. Melissa also brings a background in the literary and performing arts – she is a flamenco dancer and published poet.