It’s been a surprisingly busy week. All of a sudden there’s all kinds of new shit I need to do [this is the part where I refrain from listing all those things], but all I really want to do is keep writing The Asian Cajun, just so I can see if Horace ends up with the awesome rock and roll Chinese girl I made up for me . . . I mean him, and to keep listening to this new Atlas Underground record I just got turned on to.
Was that a long sentence or what? Fuck it. There’s nobody reading anyway.
One of the more interesting things that happened this past week is I hooked up, by my preferred medium of email, with my new friend Chere’, the Louisiana writer behind Weird, Wacky & Wild South. You really need to check out this site. She’s a travel writer, novelist, and photographer. A total badass. She even has a pen name! Cherie Claire.
Chere’ turned me onto a whole bunch of Louisiana writers I wasn’t hip to, many of whom are doing some pretty interesting stuff. I started New Bayou Books because it wasn’t obvious to me that there was any kind of existing community of South Louisiana writers. Talking with Chere’, I realized there’s actually a lot more there than I thought. This is great news, of course. Though it’s just as clear there’s much more to be done. So my work continues.
Anyway, one of the authors on the list Chere’ sent me is Norman German. I just ordered his 2019 novel called CRIPPLE BAYOU TWO-STEP: a Shreve West romantic-comedy murder mystery. It involves his character Shreve West, a “one-handed, politically incorrect private eye.” Full stop. Whatever comes next, I already want to read. So while I wait for my paperback copy to make its slow way to my Army Post Office address and then sit there for two weeks before the people at the post office put it in my box, do me a favor and check it out. Buy the Kindle version, so Norman actually makes money from it.
Next week I’m gonna hit you with my “year in review,” which explores some of the lessons I’ve learned since January last year. Until then, do a favor and follow me on Goodreads.com. You can read my latest blogs there, see book reviews (mine and ones I’ve read recently), and connect with other followers.
At some point, this community of readers and writers interested in the edgy, modern side of South-Louisiana will reach critical mass . . . and when it does, you will want to proudly proclaim that you were there from the get go.
New Bayou Books 