http://www.tampabay.com/features/book...

Colette Bancroft has an interesting article in today's Tampa Bay Times that reveals the trove of excellent writing (my book excepted) that is coming from this Tampa Bay region--Jack Davis might win the Pulitzer Prize, Lisa Unger is consistently outstanding--and it begs the question of how. How did this happen? And I don't know if there is a reasonable explanation beyond randomness, but there is a spirit of innovation alive and well here, fueled by a fertile mix of ages, lifestyles, ethnic groups, and environment--both natural and built. St. Petersburg especially is profiting from a tight-knit group of artistic leaders in every media, from crafts to opera--and we all live within a few blocks of each other. Our farmer's market is one of the biggest in the Southeast. Our breweries all flourish. Our theaters produce thought-provoking work. Our film festivals have carved out important niches. We're building new museums. New art galleries open each week. Maybe this isn't 1500 Florence, but it is enriching to live here.