October book events in Louisiana

Bridge to Publication

The annual Bridge to Publication Conference, sponsored by the Bayou Writers Group, will be Saturday at the historic Central School in Lake Charles. There will be workshops such as “Researching Historical Facts for Fiction” by author Elizabeth Ludwig and “Building Believable Worlds” by fantasy romance and paranormal author Juliette Cross. A complete list of speakers and visiting agents, as well as the registration form, are at http://bayouwritersgroup.com/a-bridge-to-publication-2017/. Registration is $51 for current Bayou Writers Group members and $56 for non-members. Tickets will also be available at the door for $60. Following the conference is Pelican Tales, a multi-genre, multi-author book signing event from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Writing Contest

Acadiana-area students in grades 3-12 are invited to submit their literary work for the Festival of Words Student Creative Writing Contest. The final deadline for online submissions is Tuesday so get cracking! Students can enter their original writing pieces into three writing categories including poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction. Writings should be submitted through a supervising teacher or school facilitator online by sending them to kayla_webb@saintmartinschools.org. Parental permission must be granted by filling out the student writing contest entry form. Awards will be given for first-, second- and third-place winners and winners will receive an anthology publication of winning entries. For information, contact Kayla Webb, director of youth programming for the Acadiana Writing Project, at 332-1821, Ext. 3872.

Indie Author Day
Indie Author Day, featuring local authors signing and talking about their books, will be from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library. Authors include Emily Cogburn, author of "Ava's Place" and "Louisiana Saves the Library;" Christee Gabour Atwood, author of "In Praise of Elastic Waistbands" and "Journal of a Midlife Crisis;" and yours truly Cherie Claire (otherwise known as Cheré Coen) signing copies of “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and my new Viola Valentine paranormal mysteries series, "A Ghost of a Chance" and "Ghost Town."

Book events the week of Oct. 8-14

Leslie Leonpacher will discuss her grandfather, Dr. Lippi Leonpacher in “Dr. Lippi Leonpacher – The Flying Vet” at 2 p.m. today at the Alexandre Mouton House in Lafayette. Lippi Leonpacher was a German immigrant who settled in Lafayette and was one of the first licensed veterinarians in the area. He specialized in large animals and would fly his 1939 model Piper Cub Coupe airplane to reach remote areas in Acadiana to treat his animal patients. There is limited seating and admission is free. Refreshments will be served.

Jesmyn Ward signs “Sing, Unburied, Sing” at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Octavia Books of New Orleans. She will also be in conversation with Nathaniel Rich at 6 p.m. Thursday at Garden District Book Shop. Rich is the author of “Mayor’s Tongue,” “Odds Against Tomorrow” and his forthcoming novel “King Zeno: A Novel.”

Christopher Swann signs “Shadow of the Lions” at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Garden District Book Shop of New Orleans.

Bayou State Book Talks presents Buddy Roemer speaking about his book, “Scopena: A Memoir of Home” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Main Lafayette Library.  

Former Gov. Kathleen Blanco will speak on “Senator Edgar G. Mouton: Legislator, Humanitarian, Philanthropist, Orator” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the James Oliver Hall auditorium in Room 112 on the UL-Lafayette campus. The free lecture is sponsored by the George Rodrigue Lectureship and the Flora Plonsky Levy Endowment in the Humanities.

           

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I, the Jeanerette Museum is hosting a presentation titled “The First World War” with Paul Wilson and Kurt Stiegler at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the museum. Stiegler serves as assistant professor at Nicholls’ Department of History and Geography. For more information and to download the First World War Flyer, visit JeaneretteMuseum.com.

           

Author Brian Costello will discuss “Carnival in Louisiana,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The literary initiative is sponsored by the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival and the Jefferson Parish Library.

The Tangipahoa Parish Library will host its annual Free Book Festival with free books, free food and fun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hammond Branch Library. The festival will have an “Autumn Adventure” theme featuring a canned and non-perishable food drive benefiting the Tangi Food Pantry. There will also be a pumpkin decoration station for kids, games and crafts. In addition to receiving a free book, several organizations will be on-site to provide information and offer giveaways.

Louisiana Book News is written by journalist Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and paranormal mysteries 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.