Greet Carnival this week with a romantic novella

Here's a Mardi Gras novella by yours truly just in time for Twelfth Night (Jan. 6), to get you in the mood for the Carnival Season. "Carnival Confessions" was a 45-minute audiobook I wrote years ago for a company that produced short audios, kind of like the podcasts of today. The company was ahead of its time and folded before my story was made, so I turned it into a short novella instead. It's only 99 cents to download at all online bookstores. You can access them all at links on my website. Click here.

Here's the description of "Carnival Confessions: A Mardi Gras Novella:"

Attorney Cameron Reed is not too pleased to be paired off in a court case with Stephanie Bertrand, a New Orleans socialite whose privileged background is vastly different from Cameron’s bayou upbringing. But when Cameron overhears Stephanie’s boyfriend asking another woman out, he feels it his duty to tell her of her financé’s betrayal. 

Wearing a mask and sneaking into a Mardi Gras ball, Cameron plans to inform Stephanie of her boyfriend’s tryst but never gets a chance. Instead, a tipsy Stephanie delivers a confession. Not only is she not dating the man in question, she is secretly enamored with Cameron. And because Cameron does not return the feelings, she plans to take a job in an Atlanta law firm.

Like the wild Mardi Gras festivities, Cameron’s world turns upside down at the news. But how can he make amends to the woman he nicknamed “Deb” for debutante, and convince her to remain in New Orleans — and hopefully in his arms.

BOOK DETAILS
• Contemporary romance
• Set in New Orleans during Carnival
• A novella of approximately 7,500 words

• PG-rated content: No steamy love scenes! 

For those of you wondering the difference between Carnival and Mardi Gras: In New Orleans, Carnival is the season that stretches between Twelfth Night, Jan. 6, and Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Carnival balls are held during the entire period of Carnival, where krewes chose royalty among themselves and debut young daughters of the city’s elite. Mardi Gras is only one day, a Tuesday, the final blowout before city residents must give up something for Lent.

Louisiana Book News is written by journalist Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and the Viola Valentine mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire. The first books in her award-winning series are FREE as ebooks! For more information and to sign up for her newsletter visit www.cherieclaire.net.

April 2019's UL Lafayette Symposium: James Lee Burke and Louisiana Politics

Anthony and Matthew Wilson will share the podium in New Iberia at the fourth annual University of Louisiana at Lafayette James Lee Burke Academic Symposium "James Lee Burke and Louisiana Politics" on April 6, 2019. The free event, sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts, is part of the Books along the Teche Literary Festival to be held April 5-7. The two scholars and brothers will speak from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Iberia Parish Library's Main Branch, 445 E Main St., New Iberia.

Anthony Wilson, associate professor of English at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Ga., has written on southern literature including two books about swamps as they influence literature and culture: "Shadow and Shelter: The Swamp in Southern Culture" (2006) and "Swamp: Nature and Culture" (2018). He has written for Oxford Companion to the Literature of the U.S. Southand the forthcoming collection "New Orleans: A Literary History" from Cambridge University Press. He has been a fan of James Lee Burke since high school and has penned articles about him for the "Dictionary of Literary Biography" and for KnowLouisiana.org.

Matthew Wilson, director of the Center for Faith and Learning and associate professor of Political Science at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, is also a senior fellow of the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies and of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. His research focuses on public opinion, elections, representation and the role of race and religion in politics, both in the United States and abroad. He is the author, co-author, or editor of three books, including "Understanding American Politics," "Politics and Religion in the United States" and "From Pews to Polling Places: Faith and Politics in the American Religious Mosaic," as well as dozens of articles and essays.

Mary Ann Wilson, literary scholar, professor emerita at UL Lafayette, and mother of Anthony and Matthew will moderate the discussion. At the college she was a fellow of the Center for Louisiana Studies and held the James D. Wilson Endowed Professorship in Southern Studies. After retiring from UL Lafayette in May 2018, she moved to LaGrange, Ga., where the town square boasts a statue of the Marquis de Lafayette. She is presently working on a personal essay titled "A Tale of Two Lafayettes," chronicling the French revolutionary hero’s role in American and southern history.

Although the event is free and open to the public, preregistration is encouraged. Visit the festival’s website BooksAlongTheTecheLiteraryFestival.com to register for the symposium.

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.

Holiday Gift Suggestions: South Louisiana

Time is ticking to get that special someone a holiday gift. Here are several fantastic books to consider, especially for those living in South Louisiana.

“Louisiana Trail Riders” by Jeremiah Ariaz (UL Press) examines the African American Trail Riding Clubs rooted in Creole culture with a collection of riveting black and white photos in a coffee table book. These trail rides enhanced by zydeco music and good eating have been part of the South Louisiana landscape since the 18^th century.

Creole means many things in and out of Louisiana but Dr. Elista Istre discusses the group consisting of African, Europeans and North American heritage living on Louisiana’s prairies in “Creoles of South Louisiana: Three Centuries Strong” (UL Press). The result was a distinct culture that resonates in South Louisiana food, music and language. Istre served as consultant and assistant director for the documentary, “First Cousins: Cajun and Creole Music in South Louisiana.”

Spanish Canary Islanders arrived in Louisiana in the mid-1700s and some settled below New Orleans where they built communities. And that included places to dance. Sara Ann Harris looks at these halls plus the Islenos language, music and food in “The Dance Halls of Spanish Louisiana” (Pelican Publishing).

While we’re on the subject of dance halls, you might want to pick up a copy of “Ghosts of Good Times: Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present” by Herman Fuselier and Philip Gould, which came out in 2016 by UL Press. You can read that review here.

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.

Registration now open for THNOC Symposium

Registration for The Historic New Orleans Collection’s 23rd Williams Research Center Symposium is now open for “The French Quarter,” which will take place Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., New Orleans. The 2019 program will feature scholars discussing the visual, social and commercial elements of the city’s original footprint.

“The symposium will offer a prelude to the series of galleries on the history of the French Quarter being dedicated and publicly opened in 2019 as part of THNOC’s expansion into the Seignouret-Brulatour building and old WDSU studio facility at 520 Royal Street,” said John H. Lawrence, director of museum programs at THNOC.

With presentations exploring both historical perspectives and current scholarship, the symposium will be moderated by Diane Mack, host of “Morning Edition” and “Inside the Arts” on the New Orleans-area’s NPR affiliate WWNO 89.9 FM. The program will also feature the following speakers and topics:  

• Author Richard Campanella of the Tulane University School of Architecture will discuss the neighborhood’s cultural geography in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Mark Cave, senior curator and oral historian at THNOC, will moderate a panel discussion with JoAnn Clevenger, Arthur Brocato and Dorothy Benge, all of whom participated in the institution’s “Vieux Carré Memoir” oral history project.
• John H. Lawrence of THNOC will explore photographs of the French Quarter.
• Alecia P. Long of Louisiana State University will examine the changing character of nightlife in the French Quarter throughout the 20th century.
• John T. Magill, retired THNOC historian and curator, will explore the French Quarter and its riverfront.
• Eric Seiferth, associate curator and historian at THNOC, will discuss rhythm and blues as it relates to the neighborhood.

Registration is required to attend the symposium, with rates ranging between $50 and $90. Registration will remain open as long as space is available. Registration fees include the full day of presentations on Saturday, Jan. 19, and an afternoon reception offering the opportunity to interact with the speakers and other attendees. For more information, including a complete schedule of talks and links to online registration, visit www.hnoc.org/programs/wrc-symposium.

Examining Cane River life

Two new books look at one of the most fascinating regions in the United States, that of the Cane River in north-central Louisiana. When a French post was established at Natchitoches in 1714, African slave Marie Therese Coincoin took up with French merchant Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer and the couple produced many children. Metoyer freed Coincoin and she later bought several of her children out of slavery. As a free woman of color, she purchased land that would become Yucca Plantation, now Melrose Plantation, a National Historic Landmark. Her descendants and many of her plantation-owning neighbors formed a unique Creoles of color society 

That was Then

Joseph Moran lived in the Cane River area for 20 years, the central Louisiana region of his ancestors, and his photography of this unique place was used in many publications. He currently lives in New Orleans but the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press has compiled his black and white photos of Isle Brevelle, the oldest settlement in Louisiana, in a collection that ranges from hog butchering to river baptisms and everything in between. Above all, “That Was Then: Memories of Cane River” showcases the people, who include young boys fishing, faith healers, retired schoolteachers and artist Clementine Hunter, among many other residents.

“Having been enamored of the place since a child, I increasingly came to recognize how unique Cane River was and how much its spirit intrigued and haunted me,” Moran writes in the preface. “I decided to move there to become more deeply entrenched in the environment and the culture. I wanted to document in some small way my view of a community that was so integral to my make up.”

Life at Melrose

By the beginning of the 20th century, Melrose Plantation was purchased and restored by Cammie and John Hampton Henry. When John Henry died, Cammie went on to run the plantation and raise her children, but she also used her residence as an artist community, inviting painters and writers to visit. Notable artists included Louisiana naturalist Caroline Dormon, author Ada Jack Carver and painter Alberta Kinsey. Some, such as writer and journalist Lyle Saxon, lived for periods of time in one of the plantation's original buildings. Folklore artist Clementine Hunter was also a longtime employee and resident of Melrose.

Patricia Austin Becker, a teacher of English and creative writing in Bossier City, details Cammie Henry's relationship with these artists, her elaborate scrapbooks (now housed at Northwestern State University's Library) and Henry's extensive library that's on display to tourists who now visit the plantation in "Cane River Bohemia: Cammie Henry and Her Circle at Melrose Plantation," (LSU Press).

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.

Lafayette Public Library Museum Pass expands to include five Lafayette museums and historic sites

The Lafayette Public Library is proud has expanded its museum pass program to provide free family admission to five museums and historic sites in Lafayette Parish. Due to the success of the library's partnership with the Hilliard University Art Museum, the museum pass program will now include the following five participating museums:

Hilliard University Art Museum
Alexandre Mouton House/Lafayette Museum
Children's Museum of Acadiana
Lafayette Science Museum
Vermilionville Living Museum and Folklife Park

The free family admission pass is currently available for anyone with a valid Lafayette Public Library card to check out from any library location. The pass is good for a one-time family admission and must be used within seven days of being checked out. Only one pass may be borrowed at a time and the library card holder must be in good standing with the library. (Note: The Library Museum Pass will be honored as a regular family admission pass but may not be applicable for certain museum special events.) Call the Lafayette Public Library to reserve a pass, or visit any library location to check one out at the circulation desk. Patrons will not be able to place an online hold on a museum pass. For more information about the library museum pass, visit LafayettePublicLibrary.org.

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.

William Joyce's boxed set released today

Releasing today is William Joyce’s boxed set, “The Guardians Collection,” which includes all five titles in the Guardians chapter book series suitable for ages 7-11:

“Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King”
“E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth’s Core!”
“Toothiana, Queen of the Fairy Army”
“The Sandman and the War of Dreams”
“Jack Frost: The End Becomes the Beginning”

“The Guardians” tells the origin stories of favorite childhood heroes, such as Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, the Easter Bunny and Jack Frost.

Joyce is the author of children’s books “The Numberlys,” “Rolie Polie Olie,” “Dinosaur Bob,” “George Shrinks” and the New York Times bestselling “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” which is also his Academy Award–winning short film. He lives in Shreveport.

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.

One Book One New Orleans announces selection

One Book One New Orleans (OBONO) announced that they have selected “Vengeance” by Zachary Lazar as the focus of their 2019 citywide reading and literacy campaign.  

"My book deals with some painful subjects, but it's also about loving New Orleans, not just falling in love with it, which are two different things," said Lazar.  "I am very honored to be embraced by this city in this way."

“Vengeance” chronicles the journey of a narrator who meets an incarcerated man, Kendrick, at Angola and becomes fascinated with Kendrick's story.  As the narrator becomes increasingly determined to get to the bottom of Kendrick's claim that he did not commit the crime, the lines between seemingly clear-cut concepts such as guilt and innocence begin to blur.  The book, a blend of fiction and nonfiction, encourages readers to see the humanity of people in prisons—a group that is often marginalized.  “Vengeance” sparks conversations about the relationships between those of us walking free and those of us behind bars, suggesting that we are not as different as it would seem.

"Working with our community partners to provide books to inmates has always been an integral part of our mission," said Dr. Megan Holt, OBONO's Executive Director. "We are looking forward to a year of discussions about our city's incarceration problem.  We also plan to focus on how literacy and the arts can serve as tools to combat incarceration."

OBONO urges everyone in New Orleans to read Vengeance with the goal of fostering a deeper sense of community through this shared reading experience. OBONO also partners with the New Orleans Public Library, the Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans, WRBH Radio for the Blind, Louisiana Books 2 Prisoners, the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings, and the Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society, who help reach those who would otherwise be excluded from a community of readers. Throughout the year, OBONO will host a series of events inspired by the book, each taking place in a different neighborhood in our city. These events are free and open to the public.

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To learn more about OBONO, visit their website.  You can keep up with them on a daily basis by following their Facebook page.  To contact them directly, email onebooknola@gmail.com. 

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.