“Fried Green Tomatoes” author Fannie Flagg is an optimist by nature, one who has spent a career as an actor, comedian and author making people laugh. The Birmingham native hopes her new book, a collection of short stories to be released Aug. 11, 2025, will spread positivity and bring smiles to any grumpy Americans who might need one.

“I think that one of the greatest traits Americans have always had is our ability to laugh at ourselves,” Flagg told AL.com. “But now with all the negativity we see in the news night and day, it worries me that we have all started taking ourselves far too seriously. Goodness, it seems some people are only happy when they’re mad.”

“Something to Look Forward To,” published by Penguin Random House, is Flagg’s first collection of short stories. It is available for pre-order here.

Flagg, now 80 and living in Santa Barbara, Calif., has also written 11 novels and one cookbook. She has tried to retire from writing but fans keep bringing her back.

“I did retire … I think I first announced that right before I wrote ‘Redbird Christmas’ four or five books ago, so I guess I wasn’t quite ready yet,” she said.

Before she kicked off her writing career in 1981 with the coming-of-age novel “Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man,” Flagg acted in such films as “Grease,” “Five Easy Pieces” and “Crazy in Alabama,” as well as numerous stage and TV productions. She was a regular on the game show circuit throughout the 1970s and ’80s, most often appearing on “Match Game” and “Password.” Flagg co-wrote the screenplay for the film version of “Fried Green Tomatoes,” for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. See her screen credits on IMDb.

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Flagg said this collection of short stories allowed her to “write something fun and positive to try and give my readers (and myself) a little cheering up.”

The author always wanted to try writing a short-story collection. Her favorite author, Mississippi writer Eudora Welty, was a “brilliant” short-story writer, she said.

“In this fast-paced world we live in, I think it has become harder and harder to find time to sit down and read an entire novel,” Flagg said. “I know it is for me. So this is a book people can pick up and read a quick story, come back when they want and read another entirely different one. Also, I love short stories.”

She stored up plenty of story ideas by people-watching. “I love to observe people,” she said. “I think my characters are based on a combination of people I have met or were related to.”

Flagg says some of her characters “just appear” in her mind, so she listens to what they have to say.

“I love all my characters, of course. They make me laugh at the silly things they do,” she said. “And just the other day a character named Juanita Pickens, who is on the lam from the law with her 26 chihuahuas, jumped in my head. I think chihuahuas are hilarious!”

Does she have a favorite character? “Maybe because she is among the most recent, I guess I would have to say that my favorite character – the one that I would hope to be most like – is Velma Vanderhoff, the Kansas farm lady from the new book.” Velma is a character who finds joy in life’s small moments – which is something she feels we all should do.

She feels Americans are so focused on reading the constantly available negative headlines, they can find it difficult to stay positive.

“The only way I see that we can ever reach common ground is to try and not focus on what we disagree about, but to focus on the one thing we do have in common,” she said. “No matter where we live or what we believe, underneath the fussing and fighting, we are all Americans.”

Readers are sure to find something in common with the fictional characters in “Something to Look Forward To.” From the greedy members of the Womble family of Pot Luck, Ark., who find out it’s always best to be sure someone is dead before clearing out her house, to sweet and hopeful Velma and her anxiety-ridden daughter Cathy – Flagg gives us portraits of ordinary people we might meet in our own lives … except for one character who’s a little otherworldy.

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She writes in her preface: “Dear Reader…I just wanted you to know that one of the great joys of my life is observing other humans as they go about living their daily lives. And as a result, I’ve become a huge fan of the human being.”

So … will Flagg finally retire after this book?

“I dare not say that this is my last book, as you know I have said it so many times before… Honestly I am afraid I’m the last to know,” she said.

Hopefully, Flagg will be able to host some book signings in Alabama for the upcoming book. “Traveling now is so hard,” she said. “But I miss Alabama and all my friends. I truly believe one of the luckiest experiences of my life has been being raised in Alabama. I have always been so proud of my home state. I love doing book signings there and meeting all the sweet people.”