(typewriter dinging) (dramatic violin music) - My name is George Dawes Green and my book is "The Kingdoms of Savannah."

"The Kingdoms of Savannah" is a mystery story about an imperious old widow, and when her husband dies he leaves her a detective agency.

- So, George, what is it about Savannah?

Why is it that it just ensnares writers?

- Well, it's a fascinating place and first of all, it's gorgeous.

I think it's the most beautiful city in the United States.

It's all those live oak trees, and the Spanish moss, and the vines, and the vine flowers, and the fragrances and the gorgeous buildings with their towers and their turrets and the mystery.

And beyond that, it's always had a big streak of evil.

- I have to tell you though, for a book about murder, I sure did laugh a lot.

- That's great.

- Is that kind of like a salve almost when you're cutting characters to a bone that you have to inject some humor?

- I don't like anything that isn't funny.

Just, all the things that I really love, all the art that I really love is also really funny.

And I know that I'm writing a thriller, but I'm just so glad that you're said that it's funny.

(jazzy music) - [Jeremy] What's the book that changed your life?

- A book by Sylvia Townsend Warner called, "Kingdoms of Elfin."

I've never read a book that had a more powerful effect on me, just in terms of her style and her nuanced view of human power politics.

So I would say to everybody, just read Sylvia Townsend Warner.

- I could interview you for all day.

- I love this interview and sure, let's do it.

Let's do it for another eight or 10 hours.

- Let's just do it for another half hour to go.

But thank you so much for doing this.

- Thank you for having me.

- And thank you for watching "A Word On Words."

I'm Jeremy Finley.

Remember, keep reading.

(typewriter dinging) - [George] Well, this is just a little town, and it has some little town politics, but then it's got all these worlds.

(jazzy music)