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.
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