Grammy-winning producer and musician Delfeayo Marsalis tackles cell phone use

             New Orleans musician and Grammy award-winning producer Delfeayo Marsalis has written a book on putting down technology and enjoying life without it in the children’s picture book “No Cell Phone Day.” The book is illustrated by award-winning Harlem artist Reginald W. Butler and playfully addresses the idea of imposing cell phone technology and how it affects our relationships with loved ones. In the book, Delfeayo and his daughter decide to ignore cell phones for a day to explore their hometown of New Orleans, enjoying both the city’s sites and each other. To view a video made in connection with the book, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV4Vw4S8ndw&feature=youtu.be

New children’s releases

            Connie Collins Morgan of Lafayette (now of West Virginia) has penned a Louisiana take on the classic “Gingerbread Man” titled “The Runaway Beignet,” published by Pelican Publishing of New Orleans. Illustrated by Herb Leonhard, who has done several Pelican children’s books, Morgan’s tale follows a trouble-making beignet who pops off the pastry table and takes to the New Orleans streets. The book offers an exploration of New Orleans, as well as a handy glossary in the back defining typical New Orleans words and sayings.

            Also following in the revising of nursery tales is prolific Dianne de Las Casas of New Orleans, who uses an elephant character in the role of Cinderella in “Cinderellaphant.” All the other characters are animals as well, including the fairy godmouse. “Cinderellaphant” is illustrated by Stefan Jolet of New Iberia.

            I used to have a T-shirt that exclaimed, “A Woman’s Place is in the House –and the Senate.” I was pleased to discover a book for young readers showcasing women in Congress in “A Woman in the House (and Senate): How Women Came to the United States Congress, Broke Down Barriers, and Changed the Country” by Ilene Cooper, with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley. Mary Landrieu, Lindy Boggs, Rose Long and Elaine Edwards are among those represented in this informative book on women in Congress, starting with the right to vote in 1920 and continuing until today.

            New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray is a pseudonym for Amy Vincent, a young adult paranormal romance author who lives in New Orleans. She is best known for her Evernight series, which takes place in the Gothic Evernight Academy, and the Spellcaster series, the latest of which, “Steadfast,” came out last month. “Steadfast” is set in Captive’s Sound in Rhode Island and revolves around Nadia, descended from witches. Booklist said of “Steadfast,” “Just as smoothly written and appealing as the first entry. The ending will provide terrific fodder for book discussions, so make sure you have enough copies to go around.”

            I somehow missed the latest book from Kimberly Griffiths Little, author of “The Healing Spell” and other books set in South Louisiana. Last year she set another young chapter novel in the bayou region. “When the Butterflies Came” involves Tara Doucet who finds butterflies following her around after the death of her grandmother. Doucet discovers a mystery concerning her Grammy Claire, one that could change her life. And this July she will release “The Time of the Fireflies,” centered around young Larissa Renaud who starts receiving eerie phone calls on a disconnected old phone in her family's antique shop and soon realizes she’s in for a strange summer. Both books are appropriate for ages 8-12.

            Cokie Roberts details the lives of the women behind the American Revolution in “FoundingMothers: Remembering the Ladies,” discussing the accomplishments of heroic, patriotic women such as Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Phillis Wheatley, Mercy Otis Warren, Sarah Livingston Jay, and others. Details are gleaned from their letters, private journals, lists, and ledgers. The book supports the Common Core State Standards with a timeline, biographies and web resources. 

            A dog with a nose for trouble, a cat under attack, two wild burros, a determined bear and a talking bird are a few of the animals that live on the pages of “What’s Watching Me? And Other Animal Stories” by Nancy Rust and Carol Stubbs of Lafayette. The middle grade reader combines fictional stories with bits of trivia and facts, the first in the Twixt and Tween series published by Copper Iris Books of Lafayette. Each story begins with a quote from literature that sets the tone for the story. There are fun facts about the featured character in the story (in the first book of the series it’s all about animals), a “Discover and Discuss” section in the back of the book and a curriculum guide available for teachers that includes reading, writing and art activities. For information, visit www.copperirisbooks.com.

            Whitney Stewart of New Orleans, the author of many books for children including “Marshall: A Nantucket Sea Rescue,” “Who Was Walt Disney?,” “Becoming Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha” and “Jammin’ on the Avenue,” has published a new book closer to home, “A Catfish Tale: A Bayou Story of the Fisherman and His Wife.” A Cajun fisherman named Jack catches a magic fish that offers to grant wishes in exchange for being set free. Jack doesn’t have a lot of wishes, but his wife Jolie sure does. When Jolie wants to be crowned Mardi Gras queen, have things gone too far?

            Mo Willems of New Orleans continues his popular pigeon series with “The PigeonNeeds a Bath,” a picture book for ages 3-6. Per the usual routine, the bus driver (clad in shower cap and bathrobe) opens the story by asking readers to help convince the pigeon to take a bath. Though he’s covered in grime, the stubborn bird predictably resists. 

            Rick Atkinson, author of “An Army at Dawn” (winner of the Pulitzer Prize for history), “The Day of Battle” and “The Guns at Last Light,” has adapted “Guns” as a book for young readers. “D-DAY: The Invasion of Normandy,1944” examines the liberation of the French coastline that led to the end of World War II.

Book events

            Two films by independent local filmmakers Pat Mire and Connie Castille will be shown for the final session of the film series, “Images of South Louisiana on Film,” at 3 p.m. today in Room 112 of Oliver Hall on the UL-Lafayette campus. The series is sponsored by the Friends of the Humanities and the College of Liberal Arts. Mire’s 1990 film “Anything I Catch: The Handfishing Story” explores the tradition of handfishing and Castille explores a disappearing practice in “I Always Do My Collars First,” her 2007 documentary about ironing. Both artists will be present along with discussion leader Dr. Barry Ancelet. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 278-7166.

            Bestselling author and star of  “Chelsea Lately,” Chelsea Handler, will sign copies of her book, “Uganda Be Kidding Me,” at 2 p.m. Friday at Garden District Book in New Orleans. Tickets are $29.43 and will include admittance for two adults as well as one book. For information, visit http://www.gardendistrictbookshop.com/.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana,” both from The History Press, 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 cherecoen@gmail.com.

Charlaine Harris moves to Texas in latest mystery, 'Midnight Crossroad'

             In 2013 Charlaine Harris concluded her widely successful Sookie Stackhouse novels, a paranormal mystery series set in the fictional north Louisiana town of Bon Temps. Switching back to a new point of view — that of the residents of small-town Midnight, Texas, and their unusual backstories — she begins a new series. The first book out, “Midnight Crossroad,” doesn’t tell the story first person from a main character, like that of Sookie Stackhouse. Instead, the book begins with the arrival to Midnight of Manfred Bernardo, a psuedo telephone psychic, as he empties his U-haul and a few neighbors lend a helping hand.

            That first chapter sums up the book — and probably those to come. It’s not about Bernardo; he’s the least interesting character in town. “Midnight, Crossing” is an ensemble piece, as if a camera floats above the town, looking in on residents and their strange personalities and careers.

            The story begins with Bernardo becoming acclimated to town and its residents. There’s Bobo his landlord and his two supernatural tenants; Fiji Cavanaugh who operates “The Inquiring Mind” that offers “classes for the curious;” the reserved Rev. Emilio Sheehan who runs the Wedding Chapel and Pet Cemetery; plus several other important characters. All of the residents — Bernardo included — have their secrets and everyone respects that. One is the sudden disappearance of Bobo’s girlfriend, Aubrey, a few weeks back. When Aubrey’s body is discovered by the river, buried truths start rising to the surface.

            Like Harris’s other mysteries, there’s plenty of character set-up, then the mystery begins and concludes at the book’s end. And like her other series, this inaugural “Midnight, Texas” series has lots of loose ends that tease readers to continue on. I know I will. I thought of these colorful characters, particularly Fiji, long after closing the book.

            The murderer and the mystery’s conclusion was a bit startling, totally unexpected and I’m still grimacing. I enjoyed the book, despite that unfortunate plot twist I could have lived without. I also kept wishing for Bernardo’s talents to be utilized (not to mention I wished he had a better name and a personality!), instead of hearing how he sort-of helps people online; he served no more than being a moderate voice of reason. Some threads, such as Fiji’s short flirtation with a bar bouncer, went absolutely nowhere. Overall, I left puzzled at the concept and yet, I will likely read more.

            “Midnight Crossroad” is both a departure from Bon Temps and more of the same, and here’s hoping that plot threads hinted at will develop and Bernardo will come into his own.

            Harris will sign copies of “Midnight Crossroad at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention May 14-17 in New Orleans.

Book events

            Poet Laureate Ava Leavell Haymon
will read and discuss her works following the Writes of Spring High School Awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at the South Regional Library Meeting Room. This program is funded under a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

            New Orleans author Bill Loehfelm discusses and signs “The Devil in Her Way” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans.

            Two films by independent local filmmakers Pat Mire and Connie Castille will be shown for the final session of the film series, “Images of South Louisiana on Film,” at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 11, in Room 112 of Oliver Hall on the UL campus. The series is sponsored by the Friends of the Humanities and the College of Liberal Arts. Mire’s 1990 film “Anything I Catch: The Handfishing Story” explores the tradition of handfishing and Castille explores a disappearing practice in “I Always Do My Collars First,” her 2007 documentary about ironing. Both artists will be present along with discussion leader Dr. Barry Ancelet. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 278-7166.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana,” both from The History Press, 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 cherecoen@gmail.com.