Richard Russo, in his commentary about the selections in the 2005 O. Henry anthology, called Stuckey-French's "Mudlavia", "the one that burrowed deepest under my skin". He praised the "simplicity of its storytelling; the way its private and public stories play off each other; its fond, gentle humor; the heartbreaking, hard-won wisdom of its narrator."[4]
Personal life
Stuckey-French lived in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband Ned Stuckey-French and her two daughters. Ned died of cancer in June 2019.[5]