Programs by Genre

Children’s Literature

Ceremonies

Louisiana Writer Award Ceremony
Honoring William Joyce
with Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu
Rebecca Hamilton, Presiding

Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Ceremony
Honoring Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude
and The Lightning Thief with Rick Kelley
Angela Germany, Presiding

Readings and Book Talks

Berthe Amoss, A Cajun Folktale and a Voodoo Mystery
Shane K. Bernard, Cajuns and Their Acadian Ancestors: A Young Reader’s History
Lesley M. M. Blume, Tennyson
Jean Cassels, And Now for Something Completely Different: Stretching the Illustrator
Jacques Couvillon, The Chicken Dance
Johnette Downing, My Aunt Came Back from Louisiane
Pam Kaster, Molly the Pony: A True Story
Whitney Stewart, Marshall: A Sea Rescue

Writing Activity

Mission Possible: Write your own secret agent story!
Elizabeth Singer Hunt
Join children's book author and Louisiana native, Elizabeth Singer Hunt, as she helps children craft the beginnings of their very own secret agent story! By the end of the session, each child will have developed their own secret agent hero, mission, setting, villain and set of hi-tech gadgets. This workshop is ideal for children ages 6 and over and will last an hour.

Cultural Studies

Readings and Book Talks

Scott Douglas, There’s No Sleeping on Bathroom Floors and Other Tales from the Library Front Lines
Laura M. Jewett, Zydeco Kings, Cajun Queens and White Delilahs: Learning to Dance in South Louisiana
Jennifer Anne Moses, Bagels and Grits: A Jew on the Bayou
Julia Reed, Ham Biscuits at the House on First Street
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On!

Discussions

Blogging is Writing, Too…Or Is It?
Scott Douglas and Alex V. Cook
Two writers discuss their blogs: “McSweeney’s Internet Tendency: Dispatches from a Public Librarian,” and "Alex V. Cook: Author, Critic, Journalist" with live, real-time blogging during their presentation.

The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture:
Law and Politics, Foodways and Literature
Charles Reagan Wilson, Series Editor
with Kenneth Holditch, Wayne Parent and Julia Reed
Panelists focus on Louisiana’s contributions to of foodways, literature and law and politics.

Louisiana Story: The Reverse Angle
Tika Laudun, Moderator
with Charles E. Richard
A panel discussion and screening of the public television documentary that explores the legacy of Robert Flaherty's Louisiana Story. The documentary brings together the surviving key participants of the original 1940's movie and allows them to comment on this controversial film, including Richard Leacock, legendary cinematographer and associate producer of Louisiana Story, and J.C. Boudreaux, once the emblematic Cajun boy who personified Flaherty’s optimistic vision. In addition, Reverse Angle features diverse commentary from native folklorists, artists, filmmakers and historians who have both studied and shared in the legacy of Louisiana Story. Produced by documentary filmmakers who are native French Louisianans themselves, Reverse Angle offers a thorough and thoughtful critical response to Flaherty’s last film, and arguably his finest. Reverse Angle combines footage from the original film and rarely seen production stills with modern videography to create a unique retrospective interpretation of this classic production.

Made possible through a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

One Generation at a Time:
Biography of a Cajun and Creole Music Festival
Barry Jean Ancelet
As Dewey Balfa so eloquently put it, “A culture is preserved one generation at a time.” He also insisted that tradition is not a product but a living process. Instead of preserving cultural artifacts, he challenged us to preserve the very life of the culture so that it would continue to produce new artifacts. The annual festival that grew out of the first Tribute to Cajun Music in 1974 represents a practical application of that philosophy. Over its three decades, this festival has been a proving ground for this evolution. Older masters have passed on, but not without handing off the baton to younger musicians. These subsequent generations continue to revitalize old songs and create new ones within the traditional context. This book tells the inside story of this experiment in cultural self-preservation, taking the reader onstage, backstage and into the crowd with schedules, commentary and photographs from each year, exposing the cultural mission of festival organizers.

Poor Man’s Provence: Finding Myself in Cajun Louisiana
Rheta Grimsley Johnson
with Greg Langley
Syndicated columnist Rheta Grimsley Johnson discusses with the Advocate’s Books Editor, Greg Langley, how her book, Poor Mans Provence, grew from her love of south Louisiana, deep in the heart of Cajun country and right on the edge of the Atchafalaya Swamp.

White Masculinity in the Recent South
Trent Watts, Editor
with Edwin T. Arnold, Susan V. Donaldson and Ted Ownby
In White Masculinity in the Recent South, scholars of history, literature, film and environmental studies examine modern white masculinity, including such stereotypes as the good old boy, the redneck and the southern gentleman.

Made possible in part through a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

Fiction and Literature

Readings and Book Talks

Howard Bahr, Pelican Road
Amanda Boyden, Babylon Rolling
Toni McGee Causey, Bobbie Faye’s (kinda, sorta, not exactly) Family Jewels
William Conescu, Being Written: A Novel
Gerald Duff, Fire Ants and Other Stories
John Dufresne, Requiem, Mass.: A Novel
Pamela Binnings Ewen, The Moon in the Mango Tree: How to Write Your Grandmother’s Story
Jeanne M. Leiby, Downriver: Short Stories
James Nolan, Telling New Orleans Stories: Perpetual Care
Lawrence N. Powell, The New Orleans of George Washington Cable
Kim Powers, Capote in Kansas: A Ghost Story
Gary Richards, One Book, One Festival: All the King’s Men
George Singleton, Excuse Me While I Shoot Myself in the Foot: A Writer’s Warning
Denzil Strickland, Swimmers in the Sea: A Novel
Christina Vella, Reader, I Didn’t Marry Him: The Brontës, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot, Mary Shelly – The Rigmarole of Matrimony

Discussions

City of Refuge: A Discussion
Tom Piazza
with Lawrence N. Powell
Author Tom Piazza discusses with historian Lawrence N. Powell the reality of Katrina as a backdrop for his panoramic novel of family and community, trial and resilience, revealing a deep understanding of life in our time.

Does Literary Theory Spoil a Good Book?
Ann B. Dobie and Gary Richards
Or does it enhance the experience of reading? What approaches are currently fashionable? What are their energizing elements and liabilities? These and other questions will be the springboards for literary critics Ann B. Dobie, author of Theory into Practice: An Introduction to Literary Criticism, and Gary Richards, author of Lovers and Beloveds: Sexual Otherness in Southern Fiction, 1936-1961, as they draw upon their recent experiences integrating literary theory and criticism into the university classroom, the community book club and readers’ daily lives.

You Based That Guy in Chapter Four on Me, Right?:
The Truth about Fiction vs. Non-
Andrei Codrescu, Jealous Witness
Olympia Vernon, A Killing in This Town
and James Wilcox, Hunk City
with M. A. Harper, Moderator
Three noted authors sit down to talk about where characters and plot really come from, exploring the border between reality and imagination, asking themselves why it can be so tempting to cross the line. But does any writer always know which is which?

Freelancing: What are Editors Looking For?
Christopher Chambers, James Fox-Smith, Jeanne M. Leiby
and Marc Smirnoff, Moderator
The answer to that question is what every writer would like to know. Join us as we eavesdrop on a few of the editorial decision makers.

Murder Creek: The “Unfortunate Incident” of Annie Jean Barnes
Joe Formichella and Suzanne Hudson
Joe Formichella and Suzanne Hudson examine all aspects of the unsolved crime that inspired Hudson’s 2004 novel In a Temple of Trees. When Annie Jean Barnes died one evening in 1966 outside an exclusive camp house near small-town Brewton, AL, it seemed all the wealthy town fathers were culpable. But at the behest of those who were likely responsible, the crime was swept under the rug and details ignored by investigators. Murder Creek is a gripping tale of how the upper class often gets its way through violence and coercion.

The Oxford American:
Writers from the “The Southern Magazine of Good Writing”
Ada Bidiuc, Alex V. Cook and Sara Roahen
with Marc Smirnoff, Moderator
Local authors discuss their contributions to the current "3 Years Later: New Orleans/Gulf Coast" special issue of “The Southern Magazine of Good Writing”

Shared Words for Writers and Book Lovers
Bev Marshall with guests
Katherine Blair, Andree Cosby, and TS Tate
Join acclaimed novelist Bev Marshall and her guests Katherine Blair, Andree Cosby, TS Tate and Kathleen Waguespack for an informative presentation on how to form and sustain a writers group or book club. She’ll offer tips to guide you on critiquing members’ works, crafts to boost writing skills and group etiquette. Book club members will discover new ideas for choosing books, discussing them and enjoying fresh, creative activities.

Yellow Shoe Fiction: The Next Pair
John Fulton, The Animal Girl: Two Novellas and Three Stories
and Margaret Luongo, If the Heart is Lean: Stories
with MaryKatherine Callaway, Moderator
LSU Press Director, MaryKatherine Callaway, will head this panel which focuses on the most recent two books published in the Yellow Shoe Fiction series.

Foodways

Demonstrations

Mike Lane, The Chefs of RodnReel.com: A Fishing and Hunting Camp Book
Susan Spicer, Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer’s New Orleans

Discussions

Food Culture: New Orleans and Beyond
Elsa Hahne, You Are Where You Eat: Stories and Recipes from the Neighborhoods of New Orleans
and Sara Roahen, Gumbo Tales

History and Biography

Discussions

Louisiana Governors: Rulers, Rascals, and Reformers
Jack B. McGuire and Walter G. Cowan
Walter Greaves Cowan and Jack B. McGuire, veteran authorities on the Louisiana political scene, trace the history of the state's leaders from the French and Spanish colonial eras to the present day. Using a variety of sources, including personal interviews with the recent governors, they describe unforgettable personalities.

Our Region’s Architecture
Jan Arrigo and Laura McElroy, Plantations and Historic Homes of New Orleans
and John H. Lawrence, Creole Houses: Traditional Homes of Old Louisiana
Two authors and a photographer discuss a variety of residential architectures found in Louisiana. Examples of plantation and Creole houses will be shown.

A Picture of Two Cities: Baton Rouge and New Orleans
Mark E. Martin, Andrew D. Lytle's Baton Rouge Photographs, 1863-1910
and Melissa Lee Smith, Historic Photos of New Orleans
Two authors give us glimpses of the past through this multimedia presentation, featuring photos from historical archives.

Mystery, Horror and Sci-Fi

Readings and Book Talks

Victor Gischler, Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse: A Novel
Bill Loehfelm, Fresh Kills: A Novel
Rob Rogers, Devil’s Cape
Laura Joh Rowland, True Lies: Writing Fiction About Real Characters
Darryl Wimberley, Kaleidoscope

Discussions

Parnormal Activity: The Dark Side of Fiction
Lesley M. M. Blume, Tennyson
M. A. Harper, The Year of Past Things
and Deborah LeBlanc, Water Witch
with Cheré Coen, Moderator
Vampires, werewolves, ghosts and other haunting apparitions are popular elements in fiction today. Authors M.A. Harper and Deborah Leblanc and young adult writer Lesley M. Blume will discuss the popularity of paranormal fiction in today's market and how their books connect with readers eager for great stories.

Why Do You Do That?: The Mystery of Mystery Writing
C. S. Graham, The Archangel Project
Deborah LeBlanc, Water Witch
and Erica Spindler, Last Known Victim
with Barbara Colley, Wash and Die, Moderator
Thrillers, espionage, cozy and supernatural are all sub-genres of the mystery novel. What it is that draws authors to a particular genre and how they approach the telling of their stories are a few of the topics to be discussed.

Nature

Readings and Book Talks

Dan Gill, Month-by-Month Gardening in Louisiana: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year
Michael K. Steinberg, Stalking the Ghost Bird: The Elusive Ivory-Billed Woodpecker in Louisiana

Made possible in part through a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

Discussions and Book Talks

The Solace of Nature: A Photographer’s Journey
Julia B. Sims and John Kemp
Photography began as a hobby for Julia Sims, but the tragic deaths of her mother, father and brother led her to search for a means of healing from her grief. Sims eventually learned that the only time she was able to feel at peace from her loss was when she was in nature, camera in hand. Sims's craft guided her through her recovery, and her beautiful pictorial artistry comes alive on every page. With amazing clarity, each image evokes in the reader a sense of Sims's inner turmoil and the peace and harmony she found in the beauty of the natural world.

A Summer of Birds: John James Audubon at Oakley House
Danny Heitman
with John R. House, III, Moderator
Journalist and essayist Danny Heitman discusses with John House, Audubon State Historic Site Manager, the facts and romance of Audubon's summer at Oakley, a season that clearly shaped the destiny of the world's most famous bird artist.

Nonfiction

Readings and Book Talks

Phyllis Montana-LeBlanc, Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story Before and After Hurricane Katrina
Ky Evan Mortensen, Horses of the Storm: The Incredible Rescue of Katrina’s Horses
Donald J. Palmisano, On Leadership: Essential Principles for Success
Danny P. Wallace, Where is the Knowledge in Knowledge Management
Ken Wells, The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayou: Fighting to Save a Way of Life in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina

Discussions

The Bayou of Pigs: The True Story of an Audacious Plot to Turn a Tropical Island into a Criminal Paradise
Stewart Bell with Lloyd Grafton, Mike Howell and John Osburg
Journalist Stewart Bell will discuss his new non-fiction book, Bayou of Pigs, about a team of mercenaries who set out from New Orleans to invade a Caribbean island and turn it into a criminal haven. He will be joined by the heroes of the story, charter boat operator Mike Howell and former ATF undercover agents Lloyd Grafton and John Osburg.

Bound to Please: A Few Rare Old Louisiana Books
James D. Wilson, Jr.
Book collector James D. Wilson, Jr. will present several rare Louisiana titles from his private collection and discuss the history of the books, as well as how he acquired them and what they are worth. Wilson is the Assistant Director of the Center for Louisiana Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His collection of rare Louisiana books has been called one of the most impressive in the state and has been profiled in several publications.

“Every Picture Song Tells Story, Don’t it?”
David Egan, Jim McCormick and Amanda Shaw
with Mark Fernandez, Moderator
Whether they are read or heard, they are written, they are words. This panel of songwriters will discuss how stories are told through song.

Same Storm, Different Views
Thomas Neff, Holding Out and Hanging On: Surviving Hurricane Katrina
and David G. Spielman, Katrinaville Chronicles: Images and Observations from a New Orleans Photographer
Two professional photographers discuss their separate approaches to capturing their Katrina experiences at this digital slideshow presentation.

The Storms: “After” Words
Ann B. Dobie, Fifty Eight Days in the Cajundome Shelter
Ian McNulty, A Season of Night: New Orleans after Katrina
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck, levees failed and soon New Orleans and many small towns were emptied of practically all their people. Where these people went -- and what some faced when they returned home -- are the subjects of these two chronicles of the aftermath. Dobie shares stories of survival, compassion and perseverance among both evacuees and volunteers at Lafayette's Cajundome, a sports arena-turned-refuge. McNulty, meanwhile, provides an intimate memoir of homecoming to a surreal New Orleans neighborhood and planting the first seeds of a city's rebirth amid the wreckage.

Voices Rising: Stories from the Katrina Narrative Project
Rebeca Antoine, Fredrick P. Barton, Missy Bowen and Sylvia Schneller
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast and nearly toppled the historic city of New Orleans. Hundreds of manuscripts, interviews and transcripts were collected from students and other residents who were willing to share their personal stories of the disaster. UNO compiled all of the submissions and created The Katrina Archive, which is currently housed at the University of New Orleans library. Voices Rising is a small sampling of this greater collection. These are true accounts of trauma and survival told by the people who endured them. Their stories translate the media’s anonymous portrayal of suffering into the personal language of individuals as they struggle to make sense of the incomprehensible scope and depth of the disaster.

Poetry

Discussions and Readings

Call and Response: A Conversation in Verse
Jack Bedell and Darrell Bourque
Two poets present a reading and commentary from a new collaborative book of poems written in the tradition of call and response which draws on practices from ancient painters and poets of Japan to railroad track builders and field workers in America.

In the Eye: A Collection of Writings
Katherine Tracy, Editor
with Jack B. Bedell, Norman German, David Middleton, and Chris Tusa
Editor Katherine Tracy heads this panel consisting of several contributors to her book, In the Eye: A Collection of Writings. Through discussion and readings they will examine the elements of nature scattered throughout the book’s pages of forty-eight poems and stories by thirty-seven writers who speak of wonder and devastation. Readers are invited to experience their own humanity in the beauty and force of Nature. All profits from the sale of this anthology go to Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Jealous Witness: A Conversation
Andrei Codrescu
with Susan Larson
Poet, author, blogger and teacher, Andrei Codrescu discusses his newest collection of poetry with The Times-Picayune Book Editor, Susan Larson.

Louisiana Poet Laureate 2007-2008 Presents
Poets from Across the State
Jack Heflin, Kevin Meaux, Alison Pelegrin and Mona Lisa Saloy
with Darrell Bourque, Moderator

Made possible in part through a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

More than “xero”: The WordPlay Youth Spoken Word Showcase
DeAndre Hill and Catina Johnson
Chancelier “xero” Skidmore, Presiding
This showcase features some of the best teenage poets in Baton Rouge. The Big Buddy Program’s WordPlay Teen Writing Project is one the most dynamic youth poetry programs in the country, and it’s located right here in Baton Rouge! These young poets will share their profound and provocative craft while familiarizing the audience with the youth spoken word movement that is igniting flames of fresh language all over the world. There will also be a performance by Spoken Word Artist and WordPlay Program Manager Chancelier "xero" Skidmore.

Romance

Discussions and Readings

Romancing the State
Jennifer Blake, Guarded Heart
Connie Cox, Taking Flight
and Robin Wells, Between the Sheets

Sports

Readings and Book Talks

Danny Brown, Shooting the Pistol: Courtside Photos of Pete Maravich at LSU
Paul Dietzel, Call Me Coach: A Life in College Football
Gary W. Moore, Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, World War II, and the Long Journey Home
Scott Rabalais, The Fighting Tigers, 1993-2008: Into a New Century of LSU Football

Discussions and Readings

The Book the NCAA Doesn’t Want You to Read –
Staying Ahead of the Posse: The Ben Jobe Story
Joe Formichella with Coach Ben Jobe
Joe Formichella, author of Murder Creek, has written a riveting "as told to" biography of Ben Jobe. Jobe's life and struggles to build and grow college basketball programs before and during America's Civil Rights struggle will inspire all dreamers and infuriate fair-minded people everywhere.