Memphis-based author Phyllis R. Dixon is no stranger to telling stories that resonate. With four novels already under her belt, including Forty Acres, Down Home Blues, and Intermission, her latest work, Something in the Water (Dafina | Penguin Random House), may be her most timely yet.
The novel, released this fall, dives headfirst into issues of family, community, and environmental justice, all through the lens of a Memphis-rooted narrative.
A Story That Feels Familiar and Urgent
Something in the Water follows Billie and Cole Jordan, a couple who move in hopes of finding relief but instead encounter a water contamination crisis, corruption, and life-altering decisions. Alongside environmental challenges, the novel weaves in themes of opioid addiction, marital struggles, and systemic neglect.
It’s fiction, but as State Representative Justin J. Pearson said at the book’s launch:
“A powerful and timely novel — one that beautifully weaves storytelling with truth-telling about the urgent environmental justice issues facing our communities.”
Dixon drew on real-life experiences to inspire this novel: Memphis’ own environmental fights, the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, and even her personal experience of being without water for nine days after the 2022 ice storm.
“Even all of this that we’re hearing about pollution and the legacy of environmental neglect, particularly in South Memphis — it can be reversed. It can be done.”
Rooted in Memphis, Written for the World
Dixon has been inspired by local organizations like Memphis Community Against Pollution, whose grassroots advocacy defeated the Byhalia Pipeline. In many ways, Something in the Water is a fictionalized extension of that fight, bringing awareness to the intersection of environment, health, and community.
Meet the Author
Want to connect with Phyllis R. Dixon in person? She’ll be signing and discussing Something in the Water on Friday, September 12, from noon to 3 p.m. at Barnes & Noble (2130 Exeter Rd., Germantown).
Why It Matters
Memphis has always been a city of storytellers, and Dixon’s work underscores how fiction can reflect and impact real life. Something in the Water calls us to pay attention to the systems around us, to fight for clean water and safe communities, and to believe that change is possible.
📚 Pick up your copy of Something in the Water now.
