Three children's book author to discuss work Aug. 30

Three local authors – Gary Alipio, Vicki Branton and Stacey Miller – will talk about their new children’s books at 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 30, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

Gary Alipio, The Craziest Fishing Tale on the Bayou

The Craziest Fishing Tale on the Bayou is an adventurous middle-grade novel about family, fishing and overcoming adversity against the odds. Eleven-year-old Hatcher Hampton is competing in his first fishing rodeo with hopes to win $500 and bragging rights over his older brother forever. But getting stuck in a horse-fly-infested swamp with Grampa Grump and no extra underwear isn't what he has in mind. In the end, Hatcher must face a two-footed bayou beast and a one-armed pesky neighbor to win the greatest award of all.

A New Orleans native, Gary Alipio is an award-winning advertising writer, marketer and an amateur fisherman still searching for the elusive white whale. He graduated from Louisiana State University with a BA in Journalism. He's also an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Readers can find his creepy middle-grade short stories in Bayou Bogeyman Presents Hoodoo and Voodoo.

Vicki Branton, Donkey Otie’s Forever Birthday Story

Donkey Otie's Forever Birthday Story is a tale of a special donkey who became a witness to history. It tells in poetic verse of his great adventure to carry Mary, the mother of Jesus, into Bethlehem before she gave birth. Since that night, Donkey Otie has been telling all who would listen about the miracle he experienced so long ago. Donkey Otie also brought Mary into Egypt, guided by Joseph, safely away from the clutches of King Herod. Donkey Otie’s life was never the same.

Vicki Branton is the Teche Life Editor at The Daily Iberian. Her features appear on Sunday, a Wednesday food page and Friday religious story and column, "Coffee Talk With God." They can be found at Iberianet.com. Prior to her return to Louisiana, Branton spent 20 years in the Nashville entertainment industry. 

Stacey Miller, Sweetie Petey

Sweetie Petey is a story about a young boy who is struggling to be true to himself or to succumb to the pressures of others to change. She says she wrote the book to aide in the development of a young reader’s social awareness skills, and it can be used to build a young reader’s foundational reading skills. The use of rhyme and rhythm will foster engagement and learning at the same time. The pictures will help promote inspiration and imagination as they were created and illustrated by the author’s daughter when she was 10 years old. This sweet story was created to provide parents and teachers an opportunity to speak to children about being genuine. 

Stacey Miller has taught children with special needs in the Jefferson Parish Public School System for more than 20 years. In 2011, Stacey obtained her National Board Certification with a concentration in the area of exceptional needs specialist. She received the distinct honor of being twice recognized as Teacher of the Year by her colleagues.  

Daisy Harrison, "My Grandmother Lives in a Shotgun House"

Through rhymes and images, the story paints a picture of New Orleans’ families and architecture. A young boy recounts his adventures at his grandmother’s house and the enchanting things in her home—from the old portraits on the wall to the tall ceilings. He leads readers through the old shotgun house and relishes everything he sees, coloring every aspect of his surroundings with love and curiosity.

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English language arts teacher Daisy Harrison has taught for nearly a decade and holds an MA in teaching from Xavier University. She teaches at Albert Cammon Middle School, where she motivates students to use their creative thinking skills while falling in love with reading and writing.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.

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.

Three writers to discuss their latest books Aug. 28

Three local authors – Ingrid Green Adams, John Frady and Philip Pisciotta – will talk about their latest books at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie. This event is free  and is open to the public.

Ingrid Green Adams, Speak Lord, I’m Listening

Ingrid Green Adams will read from and discuss her new book titled Speak Lord, I’m Listening. Adams is the author of four books of inspirational poetry: Of Spirit and Truth, As I Ponder of Days Gone By, From the Mouths of Babes, and Get Right or Get Left.

She is a 1983 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Southern University at New Orleans. She retired from the Department of Homeland Security as an Intelligence Research Specialist in 2003. She is the owner of Green’s Consulting Company specializing in motivational speaking. She has appeared as a guest speaker at Southern University, Baton Rouge, Southern University, New Orleans, Loyola University of New Orleans, the New Orleans section of the National Council of Negro Women, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, University of New Orleans-International Trade Center in New Orleans, and Destrehan, Hahnville, and Bonnabel high schools.

John Frady, Bad Preacher

When Brad Johnson finds a $100 bill on the floor of his office, he never intends to steal from his own struggling church, but only a few hours later he finds himself needing to spend the money in an emergency at a gas station—a move that will set off Earl and the town’s gossip mill. By the end of a single day, the whole town believes that Brad has been driving through New Orleans with women passed out in the back of his car, doing drugs in his front yard, gambling with church money, and cheating on his wife with gas station clerk Sally Mae Watson—only some of which is true.

John Frady is Executive Pastor of Spiritual Development/Metairie Campus Pastor at Celebration Church, a multi-site church with six campuses in the New Orleans Region. He is also co-author of Staccato: A devotional for worship leaders, worship artists, and worshipers."

Philip Pisciotta, The Calling

The Calling is the story of a young man who enters a Catholic seminary to study to become a Catholic priest. From his early youth, he is influenced by situations that steer him through various stages of his life. His seminary experiences and Catholic faith mold him into the man he is today. He matures into a man with good Christian family values and takes many directions throughout his life. He leads an interesting, full and productive life. 

As a young man, Pisciotta attended a Catholic seminary run by Benedictine monks. He studied for the priesthood. He was a successful executive in the retail business for a large corporation for 12 years and then owned his own profitable retail stores for 13 years. He returned to school to become a certified residential real estate appraiser for 20 years. Each Christmas, he is a Santa Claus.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.

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.

New Orleans in print: two books showcase its diversity

The 47th annual Southern Decadence events will take over the French Quarter over Labor Day Weekend, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, 2018. We’re talking four days of LGBT parties, concerts, parades and revelry. The annual festival began in 1972 as a small gathering of friends and has become a major celebration of diversity and fun, attracting more than 200,000 people each year, making it the second most profitable festival in New Orleans behind Mardi Gras.

  

Howard Philips Smith and Frank Perez outline the festival’s five–decade history in “Southern Decadence in New Orleans,” published by LSU Press. The book includes photographs and film stills, newspaper and magazine articles, profiles of founders and leaders, an examination of the French Quarter’s gay community and much more. Smith is the art director at the University of Southern California Libraries and the author of “Unveiling the Muse: The Lost History of Gay Carnival in New Orleans.” Perez is president of LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana.

On a side note, Perez will present "From Exile to Decadence: An LGBT+ History of the French Quarter" at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, at the Beauregard-Keyes House in New Orleans. The event starts with a reception at 5:30 pm.

If you’re heading to the Crescent City, be sure to bring along “New Orleans: Life and Death in the Big Easy” by photographer Cheryl Gerber, published by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press. Gerber juxtaposes photographs taken over the course of her career, proving that New Orleans is a city of ironies and contradictions, from food and religion to the tragedies of hurricanes and crime.

Photos include the crownings of the Tomato Fest queen next to the Wild Tchoupitoulas Spy Girl; Buffalo Soldiers on horseback at a funeral next to the NOPD mounted police; before and after photos of the Superdome, the Joy Theatre and the St. Roch Market; and two people wearing the American flag T-shirts, one inside the Common Ground Health Care Center and another protesting the Affordable Care Act at a town hall meeting for former Louisiana Sen. David Vitter.

The book includes a foreword by Lolis Eric Elie, an American writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker and food historian who’s best known for his work as story editor of the HBO drama “Treme.” There’s also a brilliant essay by Chris Rose, former Times-Picayune columnist, whose heartfelt stories after Katrina became the voice of the city. He is the author of "1 Dead in Attic: After Katrina."

To claim New Orleans is like no other city in the world is an understatement. Kudos to those writers who show us just how much.

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.

Nora Navra Library to reopen with celebration

Good new library lovers. The new Nora Navra Library in New Orleans will open Friday, Aug. 24 with a celebration featuring New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and city officials from 2pm - 5pm. The celebration will continue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug, 25, fun activities for everyone.

The Nora Navra Library, originally called Branch 9 of the New Orleans Public Library, opened in two temporary locations in 1946. The original permanent 2,500-square-foot building, located at 1902 St. Bernard Ave., was dedicated as the Nora Navra Library on May 2, 1954. The building was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina and remained closed until it was demolished in 2017. With construction on the new 7,800-square-foot building completed, all six libraries that were damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Katrina have been rebuilt.

Nora Navra Library's hours are as follows:

Mondays from 10am - 8pm

Tuesdays from 10am - 8pm

Wednesdays from 10am - 8pm

Thursdays from 10am - 8pm

Fridays from 10am - 5pm

Saturdays from 10am - 5pm

Read more about the library 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.