Butler, Williams examine former Mississippi River port town in 'Bayou Sara" Used to Be'

If you’ve ever been to St. Francisville and headed down to the river’s edge, you’ll notice the road dips down to what used to be the ferry landing. The Mississippi River bank was once home to Bayou Sara, a vibrant port town in the 19th century that served the region’s businesses and plantations. Anne Butler and Helen Williams examine the history of this town that once sported numerous cotton warehouses, businesses and the homes of hard-working immigrants who gravitated to Bayou Sara for work and to become entrepreneurs in “Bayou Sara: Used to Be,” published by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press. The book includes the town’s history, its residents, river travel to and from the region and the town’s many floods and fires, the latter documented in several photos and one of the reasons for the town’s demise.

  

Butler is the author of more than 20 books and owner of a West Feliciana plantation home. Williams is the director of the West Feliciana Historical Society.

Butler will speak about the book and the history of Bayou Sara at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lafayette downtown public library, part of the Bayou State Book Talks sponsored by the Center for Louisiana Studies. The authors will also speak at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Clinton and the Yellow Leaf Arts Festival Oct. 28 and 29 in St. Francisville.

Lafayette Library Book Sale

The Friends of the Lafayette Library will host its semi-annual book sale Wednesday through Saturday at the Heymann Convention Center Ballroom, 1373 S. College Road in Lafayette. Gently used hardcover and paperback books are sold by the inch. The sale will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. A special Friends Night for Friends of the Library members will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. But don’t feel left out. You can join Friends the night of the event and it’s only $5 for individuals, $10 for families, with all proceeds benefitting the library. For information, visit http://lafayettepubliclibrary.org.

New Orleans Storycon

New Orleans Storycon, what organizers call a “Mardi Gras for readers,” will be Sept. 15-17 and feature best-selling authors Jeaniene Frost, Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong as keynoters, plus special guests Charlaine Harris, author of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and the Midnight in Texas series and Christine Feehan, author of numerous best-sellers. There will be a Mardi Gras party, panels, book signings and more. For a list of participating authors, tickets and other information, visit http://nolastorycon.com/

Comic Con

The Terrebonne Comic Con will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Main Library in Houma. The event includes a Wonder Woman drawing demo, fandom trivia, comic book swap, games, anime artists and more. For more information, visit mytpl.org/comiccon or call Naomi at (985) 876-5861, Option 3.

Book Fest needs volunteers

The 2017 Louisiana Book Festival, to be Saturday, Oct. 28 in Baton Rouge, is seeking volunteers in a variety of capacities, including welcoming presenters, escorting authors, monitoring rooms in the State Capitol, manning festival information booths and more. Festival volunteers who register by Oct. 6 will receive a free 2017 Louisiana Book Fest t-shirt. Those interested in volunteering should visit http://www.louisianabookfestival.org/volunteer.html and can sign up at http://www.louisianabookfestival.org/volunteer_IWantToVolunteer2017.html.

Write and Publish

Book publicists, authors and literary agents will descend on the Ole Miss campus Sept. 22-23 for the “Write & Publish Your Book” conference in Oxford, Miss. The event, sponsored by the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics, will discuss writing a book with authors Susan Cushman and Karen Bryant on day one and publishing the book with book designer Wil Oakes and agent Gillian MacKenzie on day two. Workshop leader is newspaper editor and magazine publisher Neil White, author of the award-winning “In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: A Memoir,” about White’s year in Carville, La. White is owner of Nautilus Publishing. The cost is $250 for both days and $150 for one. For information, visit www.NeilWhiteWorkshop.com.

Book events

Stacey Wilson signs copies of “She Stands” from 2-4 p.m. today at The Conundrum bookstore in St. Francisville.

Ronnie Virgets signs “Saints and Lesser Souls: The New Orleans Views of Ronnie Virgets” at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Garden District Book Shop of New Orleans.

David Plater, author of “The Butlers of Iberville Parish,” will speak about his book at noon Wednesday at the Capital Park Museum in Baton Rouge. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch.

Preserve Louisiana presents its Heritage Lecture on “Mike the Tiger: The Tradition Continues” with author, professor and director of the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine David G. Baker at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Old Governor’s Mansion in Baton Rouge. Baker will discuss the Civil War origins of LSU’s mascot and “fighting tiger” tradition, as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes chronicling each of the six Mikes to the present age of social media. Refreshments from Calandro’s Fine Wines and Spirits will be served at 6 p.m. and the lecture begins at 6:30 p.m.

Four local authors who have written children’s books will discuss them and talk about the unique process of creating children’s literature at 7 p.m. Thursday at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The authors are: Dalt Wonk, “The Laughing Lady;” Bob Bruce and David Cuthbert, “Cinderella Battistella;” and Cornell Landry, “Goodnight New Orleans.”

Dixie Poché will sign her latest book, “Louisiana Sweets: King Cakes, Bread Pudding and Sweet Dough Pie,” from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Books A Million, 4419 Ambassader Caffery in Lafayette.

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Cheré Coen is the author of the “Viola Valentine” Louisiana paranormal mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Tuesday's ebook spotlight: DeSalvo's 'Second Chances'

Journalist Tina DeSalvo of New Orleans has released book three in her "Second Chance" series, a story that developed when DeSalvo was diagnosed with breast cancer.  

"In my journey to fight against the disease that was trying to take my life, I found Elli's journey," DeSalvo explains on her website. "I used everything I was going through to find Elli’s story. I also shared the fears, hopes and experiences of other cancer survivors and their caregivers, who I was honored to spend hours and hours with in the chemotherapy infusion lab. Sometimes we laughed and sometimes we cried. We always, shared…even in our silence when we couldn’t or didn’t want to find the words to do so. It was there, during those times, I developed the deep passion to tell the story about getting on with your life after the treatment ends when you try to find your new normal. I especially used the wonderful, difficult, joyful, fearful time after the treatment ends when you redefine your new life after cancer to set Elli’s story. Through this time my dear husband, two amazing sons and supportive family encouraged and helped me. I wondered, however, what I would have done if I was single with no children or family and began my life again after cancer…with that ever-present fear of recurrence. Would I ever make a long-term commitment with anyone or to anything knowing the cancer might return? Searching for that answer is where Elli’s story was born. It is where her Second Chance on life begins."

Available as an ebook on Thursday is Tina DeSalvo’s “Abby,” book three in the “Second Chance” series, available as an ebooks.

Here's the book description:

“Abby, what I’m asking isn’t something you have on that résumé...Will the LAPD be coming to arrest you when I’m depending on you to meet the deadline?”

She shook her head. How in the hell did she know? She comes from Hollywood Royalty, which makes her fall from grace all the more interesting to millions of people who have no idea what Abby McCord is going through. Instead of following in her family’s acting footsteps Abby made her own way as an attorney. She also joined her good friend, Elli, in raising money for a cause near and dear to her heart, until someone steals their famous donors’ money and personal information. And the police believe the thief is her. Now she’s run from one LA to another as she hides in Cane, Louisiana, trying to get by until she can get home.

Too bad there isn’t a statute of limitations on the public’s memory.

Jackson Bienvenu spent his adult life in the military because he wanted to get out of Cane and away from the people who know his desperate beginnings. Now all he wants is to come home and start a life and family in the one place he now knows he belongs. And, this infuriatingly secretive woman who needs work until she can move on does not fit into the future he wants.

Unfortunately, Jackson and Abby are both discovering that what your head has planned and what your heart wants doesn’t always work together…

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

Word Crawl of poets, spoken word artists this weekend

Time is ticking to sign up for Saturday’s Word Crawl, where every hour poets and spoken word artists will be performing along Jefferson Street in downtown Lafayette. There will be performances at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, Reve coffee shop, Cite Des Arts, Lafayette Science Museum, Steam Press Coffee and Café and The Wurst Biergarten. Daytime hours welcome all ages, evening hours may include adult material and there is a portion for Francophone and multi-cultural writers.   It’s all to raise money for Festival of Words, an annual literary event (Nov. 3-4 this year) that brings established authors to Acadiana to give public readings and writing workshops in community centers and public schools. Saturday’s Word Crawl helps raise funds to ensure the continued expansion and success of Festival of Words’ programs. If you would like to share your own stories, poems, etc., you can pick up a packet by contacting Marie Touchet at aziesbusiness@gmail.com; Alex Johnson at PoeticSoul337@gmail.com or (713) 933-4448; or Martha Garner at mgarner70506@gmail.com or (337) 804-2482. Participants may also download a packet and see a complete list of participating authors and venues at festivalofwords.org.

Coke Trail

Coca-Cola is an international sensation, and Larry Jorgensen of Lafayette has written a book documenting the many places in the United States showcasing Coke history or attractions unique to Coca-Cola.

“The Coca-Cola Trail: People and Places in the History of Coca-Cola” includes Louisiana sites such as Joseph A. Biedenharn’s Vicksburg company where Coke was served and grew popular, which led to Biedenharn bottling the concoction for the first time in history, and Biedenharn’s home in Monroe, now a historic landmark with the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum next door.

Other spots mentioned in the book include bottling companies in towns across the nation, such as the Coke plant in Paducah, Ky., the inventors of the unique design of the Coca-Cola bottle and collectors such as teenager Daniel Morris, who collected an impressive array of memorabilia and opened a museum in a former bottling plant in Cedartown, Ga., in 2016. There’s also the World of Coca-Cola attraction in Atlanta, due to Atlanta pharmacist John S. Pemberton serving the drink for the first time in his drugstore.

Jorgensen spent two years researching this book, which is also filled with historic photos and recent shots of places and people. He is also the author of “Hot Wells: A Louisiana Ghost,” a historic book on the hot spring that once flowed near Cotile Lake in central Louisiana. He works as a marketing and media relations professional in Lafayette. For more information, visit https://thecocacolatrail.com.

Book events Sept. 3-9, 2017

Louise Penny discusses and signs “Glass Houses” at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Octavia Bookstore of New Orleans.

Charlie Spillers will discuss “Confessions of an Undercover Agent” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Denham Springs-Walker branch library.

Kathryn K. Fontenot will sign copies of “The Louisiana Urban Gardener: A Beginners Guide to Growing Vegetables and Herbs” from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Crescent City Farmers Market, 750 Carondelet in New Orleans.

Alysson Foti Bourque will launch her latest children’s book, “Alycat and the Monday Blues,” at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at The Little Gym in Lafayette.

Stacey Wilson signs copies of “She Stands” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at The Conundrum bookstore in St. Francisville.

Cheré Coen is the author of the “Viola Valentine” Louisiana paranormal mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.