Susannah, You reminded me about Orson Scott Card's "Alvin Maker" books, about an alternative American history where magic was real.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/40411-tales-of-alvin-maker

I lived on top of a backwoods hill on the outskirts of Fayetteville, Arkansas, in the Ozarks, many many years ago. And I love Faulkner, too.

My grandmother, Tillie, came over from Russia when she was 9 years old, probably around 1905, and, through improbability, I guess, grew up the rest of the way in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Oh - and this is funny: In the Coen Bros great movie, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, the blind radio station operator, played by Stephen Root, who I love so much, and the Governor of whatever mythical Southern state it is, have this WEIRD way of cussing.

I laughed and laughed and laughed when I heard it. It's the way I learned to cuss while growing up, too.