SELF PORTRAIT

Kelly Fleming

■ DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: July 9, 1960, Ruston, La.

■ TO MY FANTASY DINNER PARTY, I WOULD INVITE: My husband, Shannon; my mom, and my godparents David and Joan Scogin; they would each love Shannon and he would love them. And Shannon’s mom; I wish I had known her.

■ SOMETHING I ALWAYS HAVE IN MY REFRIGERATOR: Boiled eggs and champagne.

■ A BOOK I RECENTLY READ AND LIKED: “The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper” by Phaedra Patrick.

■ MY FAVORITE PLACE ON EARTH: I’ve been on four continents, but the honest answer is home.

■ IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING IT WOULD BE: To live closer to my family.

■ I KNEW I WAS AN ADULT WHEN: Mine was the only signature on a mortgage. I was 38.

■ IF SOMEONE WROTE A PLAY ABOUT MY LIFE IT WOULD BE TITLED: Someone did. It’s called “Steel Magnolias,” and it perfectly conveys growing up in Natchitoches, La. The playwright, Bobby Harling, is from Natchitoches and it is his family’s true story. I went to high school with his little brother; the real “Shelby” was one of my babysitters; my mother got her hair done at “Truvy’s,” and our friends and neighbors were that sweet and that strong.

■ THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER GOTTEN: My dad used to preach that good parenting is equal parts love and discipline. Now he laughs and adds that my scales were a bit heavy on the “love” side with Drew, but she still turned out superb. By the way, his scales were a little tilted, too.

■ ONE WORD TO SUM ME UP: Strong(er than you think).