A native of Heflin, Alabama, Mary Alayne B. Long has deep roots in the Deep South and thrives on all that small town life has to offer. Always one to care for others, she revels in the pleasures of motherhood and enjoys being an "Alabama Housewife" to the fullest. Mary Alayne is a freelance writer who loves to share stories about the Southern lifestyle, beautiful interior design and the importance of etiquette in everyday life. She is a devoted supporter of several non-profit organizations and often uses her voice to share their stories. She writes The Un-Solicited Opinions Of The Alabama Housewife, a recurring column at Good Grit Magazine and is a regular contributor for the Laurel Mercantile Journal. Her first book: A Mother's Prayers For Her High School Son is available at Amazon and where ever books are sold. Look for her next book: Stirring Up Trouble! Good Food, Good Friends and Good Times with The Alabama Housewife coming soon to a book shop near you. 

Mary Alayne and her husband Rick have two children, Jake and Sadie Sue, and they all reside in The Heart of Dixie.

​I am Mary Alayne B. Long and yes—it's a double name. You may call me Mary Alayne unless we are blood related--or you have known me since childhood--in which case I will always be "Layne." I keep my maiden "B" because I am an only child and my daddy is an only son (with three sisters) and I feel strongly about carrying on his family name. I am a life long Methodist and I love the "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors" philosophy of The United Methodist Church because I truly believe that "Y'all" means "ALL!" I’m an overprotective mother, a habitual furniture re-arranger, an etiquette enthusiast, a loyal admirer of beautiful interior design and a hopeless dog lover. When I'm not cleaning, cooking or hanging drapes somewhere in my house, I spend most of my time writing. I love to make people laugh—and think—so I use my voice in print and in person to share funny, familiar stories of Southern life with an occasional opinionated tirade or helpful household hint sprinkled in here and there. I do all of this with the goal of uplifting and entertaining others as I seek to raise awareness and support for worthwhile non-profit groups along the way.​​

I have two children, Jake and Sadie Sue, and I spend a great deal of time trying not to embarrass them. My husband is retired and he spends a great deal of his time exercising, fishing, golfing and following me around the house. Our family is likely the craziest bunch of folks you could ever meet and we love to have a really good time. We also really love each other. 


I'm not sure you can ask for more than that. ​

Mary Alayne B. Long

Mother ~ Housewife ~ Writer 

I have loved to write for longer than I can remember but after holding down the fort as a stay at home mother for over twenty years, the writing career I wanted to build for so long took more than a back seat. It wasn’t even in the back of the bus— it had jumped out of the emergency exit. A few years ago my son gave me a little kick in the rear end when he pushed me to publish a book. Not long after, a friend asked me to contribute a piece for the magazine she runs. That one little story turned into a regular column and three years later I am still writing, still loving every minute of it and still working my way up as I continue learning how to branch out.


I love beautiful home design and I have studied it in my spare time for years. When I was in high school, I used to re-arrange the den or the living room or the dining room every time my parents went out for supper. Last year, I started blogging about our “fixer-upper-fish-camp-cottage” on the bay near Grayton Beach, Florida….and then it burned. Now, I am writing about rebuilding and redecorating our little Linger Long-er Cottage and while I surely wouldn’t ever try to be a pretend decorator for anyone else I adore the time I spend choosing wallpaper and paint and fabric--oh my!