Monday, May 28, 2012

Two new titles from ULL Press


The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press has produced two new books, one a coffee table tome highlighting the Main Street communities of Louisiana and the other a look at lesser-known storms that recently devastated the southwest region of our state.
            Anne Butler of St. Francisville authored “Main Streets of Louisiana,” a guidebook to the cities and towns that are part of the nationwide Main Street program, with photos by Henry Cancienne of Lockport. (The two collaborated in 2010 on “Louisiana Highway One,” another UL Press book.) Communities spotlighted in this book cover the entire state, from Abbeville to Winnsboro and everything in between, with histories of the towns, their entrance into the program and the success they have received since with the resurrection of their downtowns.
            Times-Picayune reporter Ron Thibodeaux, who has written numerous stories on Cajun Country for the New Orleans newspaper, takes on hurricanes hitting Louisiana after Katrina in “Hell or High Water: How Cajun Fortitude Withstood Hurricanes Rita and Ike.” The book not only discusses the storms that devastated the southwest corner of Louisiana twice in three years, but examines the culture of a people who reside in these flood-prone areas, their resilience to nature and their stubborn perseverance and how the storms may alter where they call home and how they make their livelihoods. It’s valuable insight of a tragedy ignored by most media and a testament to the courage of southwest Louisiana’s residents, a book that needed to be written.
            The book is illustrated with photographs by Times-Picayune photographers and the foreword was written by James Carville.
            Thibodeaux’s book hits bookstores shelves June 5.

Accolades
            The UL Center for Louisiana Studies has been named this year’s recipient of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ Chair Award for Institutional Support for its contributions in research, publication, preservation and outreach projects that have expanded both an academic and popular understanding of Louisiana culture and history. Since its founding in 1973, the Center’s work has included the Archives of Cajun and Creole Folklore and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, as well as collaborations with entities such as the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail, the Atchafalaya Trace Commission, the Festivals Acadiens et Creole and the Festival International de Louisiane through its Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Among UL Press publications are the 2010 LEH Book of the Year, “Bienville’s Dilemma” by Richard Campanella and this year’s LEH award winner, “Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans,” by Freddi Williams Evans.
            “Higher Ground,” a novel by James Nolan, also published by the UL Press, has received the 2012 Independent Publishers Book Award Gold Medal in Southern Fiction (IPPY) as well as the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards winner in Regional Fiction. It was also named a 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist in the First Novel category. 
            April Grey, head of cataloging at Dupré Library on the UL-Lafayette campus, is one of two librarians being honored with the Annual Conference Professional Development Attendance Award sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) New Members Round Table. Grey will receive a ticket to the International Librarians Reception at ALA’s 2012 Annual Conference June 21-26 in Anaheim, Calif.
            Lesley Crawford Costner’s children’s book, “Goodnight Acadiana,” was chosen to represent the state of Louisiana at the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. The national event chooses a Louisiana book every year to represent the state.

Book news
            Carolyn Keith is writing a book on Charlene Richard, known as the “Little Cajun Saint,” and is looking for stories of healings or miracles through Richard’s intercessions. If you would like to share your story with Keith, write to Carolyn Keith, 1924 Charlene Hwy., Eunice, LA  70535, call (337) 684-6848 or (337) 305-0576 or email carolynthib@yahoo.com.  

Book events
            Wiley Cash signs “A Land More Kind Than Home” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, at Barnes & Noble, 5707 Johnston St. in Lafayette.
            Casa Azul Gifts in Grand Coteau will host a poetry reading by Jocelyn Young and Zayne Turner from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 31, concluding with an open mic in which writers and musicians are welcome to participate. Turner is the author of “Memory of My Mouth,” a chapbook forthcoming from Dancing Girl Press and the founding executive director of Forward Arts, Inc., a youth arts non-profit based in Louisiana, which houses the WordPlay Teen Writing Project. Young holds a degree in psychology from Southern University, is a member of the Baton Rouge Poetry Alliance and competed nationally with the 2010 Baton Rouge Slam Team. 
            The Lafayette Parish Library Summer Reading Program kickoff celebration will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 1, at the South Regional Library in Lafayette. Al Simmons’ one-man musical comedy show will headline a day of free performances, crafts, Zoo Zoom, a fun jump and more. In addition, the Northside High Drill Squad will perform their “Stepping” percussive dance routines comprised of spoken words, footsteps and hand claps. For more information, call (337) 981-1028. Registration for the Summer Reading Program is from now until July 21 for ages birth to 8th grade.
            The South St. Landry Community Library began its Summer Reading Program yesterday with registration and will offer programs throughout the summer until July 21. For information, visit www.southstlandrylibrary.com.
            James W. Miller signs “Where the Water Kept Rising” from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 31, at the Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans. Also at the store this week is Amy Elizabeth Smith signing “All Roads Lead to Austen” at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 2.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She teaches writing at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at chere@louisianabooknews.com.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

New Orleans author wins 2012 Eudora Welty Memorial Award


New Orleans author Pamela Binnings Ewen’s “The Moon in the Mango Tree” has won the 2012 Eudora Welty Memorial Award given by the National League for American Pen Women.
            Ewen’s book was also a 2009 Christy Award finalist and the author was chosen for the 2009 St. Tammany Parish President’s Arts Award as Literary Artist of the Year. Ewen serves on the board of directors of the Tennessee Williams Festival, the advisory board of the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society and is the founder and president of the Northshore Literary Society.
            Her third novel, “Dancing on Glass,” is a 2012 Christy Award Finalist and a winner of the 2012 Single Titles Reviewers Choice Award.
            Her next book, “Chasing the Wind,” a sequel to “Dancing on Glass,” will be released Aug. 1. “Chasing the Wind” is the combination of a mysterious child with a forgotten past, a young woman lawyer’s love and yearning and envy and a financial wizard building a resort hotel in 1977 New Orleans. 

Churchill Symposium
            The National World War II Museum in New Orleans presents the second annual Winston Churchill Symposium on Saturday, July 14, co-hosted by the museum and The Churchill Society of New Orleans.
            This year’s speaker’s include Douglas Russell, author of “Winston Churchill: Soldier” who will speak on “The Military Life of a Gentleman at War.” Nigel Hamilton, author of “Monty,” a three-volume biography of Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery and the upcoming “FDR at War,” will speak on “Churchill and Roosevelt: The Great Spat,” presented as the Gen. Raymond E. Mason Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series on World War II. Barbara Leaming, author of “Churchill Defiant,” will speak on “Churchill Defiant: Fighting On, 1945 – 1955,” and Barry Singer, author of “Churchill Style,” will speak on “The Art of Being Winston Churchill.”
            For more information and to register, visit http://www.nationalww2museum.org.

Ghost writer
            I am happy to report that I have sold another book to The History Press. Titled “Haunted Lafayette,” the book will highlight Acadiana’s ghost stories and legends.
            Over the years I have written about ghosts, myths and legends for the various publications I write for, but I am looking for much more for the book, to be published in September 2013. If you know of a legend, ghost story or other paranormal event in the Lafayette area, please let me know. Email chere@louisianabooknews.com.

New releases
            Portals Press of New Orleans has published “Something in the Water,” a collection of 20 short stories set in Louisiana. Authors include: Joseph Barbara, Celeste Berteau, John Bigeunet, Chris Chambers, Moira Crone, Dale Edmonds, Tim Gautreaux, Cedelas Hall, Patty Friedmann, Mary Gleason, Juyanne James, James Knudsen, Joe Landrum, James Nolan, Dean Paschal, Genevieve Rheams, Elizabeth Sanders, Aneela Shuja, Tom Whalen. For information, visit http://www.portalspress.com.
            Louisiana publisher Margaret Media has published Mary H. Manhein’s first murder mystery, “Floating Souls: The Canal Murders.” Manhein heads up FACES, the forensic anthropology lab at LSU and is the author of “The Bone Lady: Life as a Forensic Anthropologist.” In “Floating Souls,” bodies of young women are found floating in New Orleans drainage canals. Maggie Andrepont, local forensic anthropologist, is called in to help find a pattern to the homicides and to profile a perpetrator. The book will be available for download at www.shelfwise.com, Amazon.com and is distributed by Louisiana’s Forest Sales. For more information, visit www.margaretmedia.com.
            LSU Press has published two award-winning poetry collections by Elana Bell and Bruce Snider. Bell’s debut collection “Eyes, Stones,” was the winner of the 2011 Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets. Snider’s “Paradise, Indiana” is the winner of the Lena-Miles Wever Tood Poetry Prize. For more information, visit http://lsupress.org/.
            J.D. Davis is the author of the new biography, “Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley.” For more information, visit www.unconqueredthebook.com.
            Beth Bares of Baton Rouge has published book one in a paranormal romance series by Create Space. The book is titled “Dreams of Reality” and can be purchased through www.bethbares.com and Amazon.com, in paperback or kindle.
            Former Lafayette resident Sujata Rayer has published a debut novel titled “The Absurd Adventures of Mira” through Black Rose Writing. The story concerns Mira, an overweight Asian Indian who is caught between the antiquated values of her culture and the more modern values of America. The book is available from www.blackrosewritingbooks.com and other online bookstores.
            Laura Burks of Baton Rouge has also published her debut novel, “Altered,” through Wings ePress, a young adult paranormal romance set in New Roads. The book is available at online bookstores, fictionwise, Wings ePress and The Book Rack in Baton Rouge. Burks works for the Boys & Girls Club of Baton Rouge teaching an anti-bullying course to local elementary school children and occasionally a Youth Legislature Program with middle school kids.

Book events
            There will be an open mic in French from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Casa Azul in Grand Coteau. Also, Casa Azul will host a poetry reading by Jocelyn Young and Zayne Turner from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 31, concluding with an open mic in which writers and musicians are welcome to participate. Turner is the author of “Memory of My Mouth,” a chapbook forthcoming from Dancing Girl Press and the founding director of Forward Arts Inc., a youth arts non-profit based in Louisiana which houses the WordPlay Teen Writing Project. Young holds a degree in psychology from Southern University, is a member of the Baton Rouge Poetry Alliance and competed nationally with the 2010 Baton Rouge Slam Team. 
           
Cheré Coen is the author of “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She teaches writing at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at chere@louisianabooknews.com.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Rev. Collier writes about rescued pet, new Louisiana releases


            Marion Collier was driving along a sad stretch of highway, one where concrete barriers protected travelers from a gaping hole near a thicket. It was there the north Louisiana teacher and minister found two abandoned dogs, looking forlorn and hoping for their family’s return.
            At first, Collier travels home to retrieve his gun, thinking to put the hungry and diseased dogs out of their misery. But he’s touched by memory and the divine, and what he does next changes his life.
            “My heart told me that any disrespect for life is disrespect for the Creator,” Collier writes in his new book, “A Matter of Grace.” “A miracle of mercy is always a Matter of Grace.”
            The book follows Collier’s rescue of the mangy creatures, and the adoption of “Mattie” and her introduction into his life and his many other animals. As readers continue through the book and meet a few of his rescue animals — including several cats, mules and a loving rooster named Little Man — we doubt Collier would have ever used the gun.
            Throughout Mattie’s story, and the duo’s travels through north Louisiana and abroad evangelist Collier recounts appropriate Bible lessons that relate. It’s all a lovely book that will warm the hearts of animal lovers — and others!
           
Casa Azul
            Casa Azul Gifts in Grand Coteau will host a poetry workshop and a performance Saturday as a fundraiser for the Baton Rouge Slam Team.
            The Poetry Writing Workshop will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with the evening performance from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both events welcome all ages and both take place at Casa Azul, 232 Martin Luther King Drive in Grand Coteau.
            The 2012 Baton Rouge Slam Team is composed of seasoned poets Jonathan Brown, Chancellor Skidmore, Desireé V. Dallagiacomo, Donney Rose and Roderick Minor. They are raising money to compete in the Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam June 6-9 in Tampa and the National Poetry Slam Aug. 7-11 in Charlotte, NC.
            While both events are free, donations are requested.
            Also at Casa Azul this week, New Orleans author Ben Sandmel will read from his new book, “Ernie K-Doe: The R&B Emperor of New Orleans,” from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday. The evening includes a book signing, a musical performance by Yvette Landry and an open mic in which writers and musicians are welcome to participate. 
            Ben Sandmel is a New Orleans–based journalist and author of “Zydeco!,” a collaborative book with photographer Rick Olivier. Sandmel is currently enrolled in the masters program in musicology at Tulane University.
            For more information, visit http://festivalofwords.org/weeklyevents.html.

New releases
            Toni Morrison, winner of the Pulitzer and Nobel Peace prizes, has published a novel titled “Home,” the story of a Korean soldier returning to the South.
            Charlaine Harris has published the twelfth book in her Sookie Stackhouse vampire series, titled “Deadlocked.”
            Times-Picayune restaurant critic Brett Anderson edits “Cornbread Nation 6: The Best of Southern Food Writing,” with John T. Edge.
            Patty Friedmann of New Orleans has published a young adult novel titled “No Takebacks.”
            Betty Guerin of Baton Rouge has published a Christian book with AuthorHouse titled “Deeper Life Series: A Deeper Life in Christ.” She is the wife of Pastor Fred Guerin Jr.
            Former LSU-Alexandria professor Cam Caldwell has published "Ethical Leadership: A Transformative Model for Tomorrow's Leaders."
            Houston resident Judy (Loyd) McDonough has a new in her “Deadline Saga” series titled “Deadline,” a romantic mystery with a paranormal twist on a Louisiana bayou.  

Book contests
            The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival’s Poetry Contest is now accepting submissions until Aug. 15, with a grand prize of $1,000, a VIP All-Access Pass ($500 value) to the 2013 festival and publication in Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine. Louisiana poet Ava Leavell Hayman will serve as the contest’s judge. For details and guidelines, visit http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests.

Book news
            “Evangeline: Paradise Stolen: Volume 1, The True Story of the Cajuns” won a National Independent Publishers Award – Bronze in the Best Regional Fiction category.  The book is written by M.M. LeBlanc, writer/producer of the award-winning documentary, “Cajun Renaissance Man: Dudley J. LeBlanc.” For information, visit http://www.caeruleumpublishing.com/.
           
Book events
            Louisiana author, music teacher and church musician Danny R. Von Kanel will lead a “Get Published” seminar from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the Rapides Parish Library Westside Regional Branch in Alexandria. The seminar will cover knowing market opportunities, writing a query letter, e-books, how to get a book published and writing an effective book proposal. Von Kanel has two books published by CSS Publishing and his third, “Building Your Life by the Owner’s Design (The Positive Approach to Building Your Life God’s Way),” will be published by 4RV Publishing in 2013. The seminar is free; register at the Rapides Parish Library.
            Eli Jones, dean of LSU’s E. J. Ourso College of Business and the E.J. Ourso Distinguished Professor of Business, signs “Selling ASAP: Art, Science, Agility, Performance,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Hudson News of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
            Alex V. Cook signs “Louisiana Saturday Night” from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at 
Deux Bayous Gallery, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy. in Arnadville. Also, Sam Irwin’s “Art in Agriculture: 15 Photos from 10 Years of Ag Journalism” will open Friday in the Duex Bayous exhibition hall. Irwin, a native of Breaux Bridge, is the press secretary for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and editor of the Louisiana Market Bulletin farm journal.
           
Cheré Coen is the author of “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She teaches writing at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at chere@louisianabooknews.com.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

TV personality Chip Coffey shares views on 'Growing Up Psychic'


Being an avid reader, I’m not a big fan of TV. I do tend to fall hard for those mini-series adapted from books, such as “Game of Thrones” and just about everything on “Masterpiece Theatre.”
            One non-adapted series I watch regularly is A&E’s “Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal,” in which children having trouble understanding their gifts are brought together and guided by adult psychics and counselors. One of those psychics is Chip Coffey, who appears genuinely interested in helping children understand and live with speaking or hearing unseen entities.
            Coffey grew up psychic, although he didn’t fully understand and embrace what he calls a “gift from God” until later in life. His current book, “Growing Up Psychic: My Story of Not Just Surviving but Thriving — and How Others Like Me Can, Too,” aims to go beyond the TV series, helping children and parents cope with being intuitive.
            The book is filled with Coffey’s life story, psychic experiences he’s had growing up in a haunted house, tales from children of the TV series and intuitive people Coffey has met. A handy dictionary in the back explains the different types of psychic abilities.
            Whether you have children with gifts, experience your own intuitive abilities or are like me, fascinated by those who do, this book is a great, personal guide to the paranormal. 

Acadian Museum looking for photos
            The Acadian Museum and authors Patrick Morrow, Philip Andrepont and Warren A. Perrin have been selected by Arcadia Publishing to write a book on the history of St. Landry Parish. Photographs are being sought from the public for inclusion in the book. 
            “We have one year to gather the materials for the book,” said Andy Perrin, member of the museum’s board. “We would like to locate, scan and include in the book about 250 interesting photographs of St. Landry Parish.”
            All proceeds from the sale of the book will be used to support local museums. To submit photos, make an appointment to bring them to Andrepont Printing, 5043 Interstate 49,  South Service Road, Opelousas, LA, 70570, (337) 942-6385 or send to Philip Andrepont at philip@andrepontprinting.com. Include basic background information about each photograph such as date, place and the names of people and places shown.  All persons or groups who contribute materials will be acknowledged in the book.
            The Acadian Museum has previously published “Acadian Redemption,” “Une Saga Acadien,” “Vermilion Parish” and “Iberia Parish.”

            The current Louisiana Poet Laureate Julie Kane has been commissioned to compose an original series of five to seven poems with the history of Lake Charles and the Louisiana Bicentennial as inspiration. The series will be revealed during a special poetry reading by Kane at 4 p.m. Saturday beneath the 375 year-old Sallier Oak by the Imperial Calcasieu Museum in Lake Charles.
            Kane’s series will celebrate the intersection between landscape and identity while uniting both the raw and the rapturous images and symbols of Southwest Louisiana. Kane is also a non-fiction writer, editor and translator and is the author of several books of poetry. She was appointed to the position of Louisiana Poet Laureate by Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2011, and is a professor of English at Northwestern State University.
            World War II Associated Press reporter Ed Kennedy was one of several journalists allowed to witness Gen. Alfred Jodl signing the official documents as the Germans surrendered to the Allies. He was ordered to hold the story but defied the military embargo and broke the news of the Allied victory. His scoop generated controversy, rival news organizations protested and the AP fired Kennedy several months after the war ended. This month, LSU Press has published “Ed Kennedy’s War: V-E Day, Censorship, and the Associated Press,” edited by Julia Kennedy Cochran with an introduction by Tom Curley and John Maxwell Hamilton. Events honoring this publication will be held this week in New York and Washington, D.C., hosted by the AP.
            Cochran worked as a journalist in New York for AP, Reuters and Business Week magazine. Curley, who recently announced his retirement, has led the AP since June 2003. Hamilton is founding dean of the Manship School of Mass Communication at LSU and currently serves as LSU executive vice chancellor and provost. He is the author or coauthor of six books, most recently “Journalism’s Roving Eye.”
            For more information, visit http://lsupress.org/.
            “Trust in Me,” a humorous small town romance by West Monroe author Beth Cornelison, will be offered free through the Kindle Select program today and Monday. Cornelison is a multi-published author and her romantic suspense novels have won national awards including the Daphne DuMaurier Award of Excellence.
           
Book events
           Alex V. Cook signs “Louisiana Saturday Night” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 5707 Johnston St. in Lafayette. At noon, local artists will perform in support of the book.
            Danny R. Von Kanel, Louisiana author, music teacher and church musician, will lead a “Get Published” seminar from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, May 14, at the Rapides Parish Library Westside Regional Branch in Alexandria. The seminar will cover knowing market opportunities, writing a query letter, e-books, how to get a book published and keys to writing an effective book proposal. Von Kanel has published articles in 45-plus magazines and has had two books published by CSS Publishing. His third book, “Building Your Life by the Owner’s Design (The Positive Approach to Building Your Life God’s Way),” will be published by 4RV Publishing in 2013. The seminar is free; register at the Rapides Parish Library.
           
Cheré Coen is the author of “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She teaches writing at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at chere@louisianabooknews.com.