63. Interview with author Elise Blackwell

63.  We interview Elise Blackwell, author of The Unnatural History of Cypress Parish. "Set in southern Louisiana in the weeks preceding the great flood of 1927, this novel depicts a place and way of life about to be forever changed. On the verge of manhood and a stone’s throw of the rising Mississippi River, Louis Proby is pulled between his love of the natural world and the glittering temptations of New Orleans, between the beautiful Nanette Lançon and a father who no longer seems larger-than-life, between the simplicity of childhood and the complicated decisions of adulthood." The Louisiana Anthology has posted an excerpt from her novel and one of our short stories.

1. This week in Louisiana history.  August 4, 1901 Allen Greene school opens in town of Grambling, will later become Grambling State Univ.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Natchez VIII was launched August 2, 1879 by the Cincinnati Marine Ways.
   
3. This week in Louisiana. August 4-9.  National Farmers Market Week The French Market celebrates National Farmers Market Week with cooking demonstrations, live music, and more.
   French Market
   1 French Market Place,
   New Orleans.
4. Battle of New Orleans:
   
1. August 6 Militia general orders (American) No. VIII.
   
2. August 8 Anonymous letter written from the Havanna (British) No. II.

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62. Interview with spoken word poet Gian Smith, Part II

62. Part two of our interview with spoken word poet Gian Smith. He is also the creator of the YouTube series "Open Mike,"  as well as a founding member of the Melanated Writers Collective.

1. This week in Louisiana history.  July 26, 1810 Rebellion of West Florida Parishes
2. This week in New Orleans history.   Francisco Luis Hector, barón de Carondelet, governor of Louisiana and West Florida. Born, Cambrai, France, July 29, 1747
   
3. This week in Louisiana.  July 31-August 3.  Satchmo SummerFest The 13th annual festival dedicated to the life, legacy and music of Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong features live jazz, brass bands, and more, plus seminars, a children's area, crafts, dance lessons,food vendors, a jazz Mass and second line parade.
   Admission: Free.
   Old U.S. Mint
   400 Esplanade Ave.
   New Orleans, LA
   504.522.5730. 

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61. Interview with spoken word poet Gian Smith

61. Part one of our interview with spoken word poet Gian Smith. He is also the creator of the YouTube series "Open Mike,"  as well as a founding member of the Melanated Writers Collective.

1. This week in Louisiana history.  July 21, 1920 First Airmail delivery in South, Shreveport to Homer
2. This week in New Orleans history.  July 19, 1963: Lee Harvey Oswald is fired from the Reily Coffee Company "...because his work was not satisfactory and because he spent too much time loitering in Adrian Alba's garage next door (at 618 Magazine Street), where he read rifle and hunting magazines."
3. This week in Louisiana.  July 24-26.  Grand Isle International Tarpon Rodeo The oldest fishing tournament in the United States with children's activities and music. The pavilion opens each day at 11 a.m. with food, merchandise and educational exhibits, and music in the evening. Children's crab races take place at 2:00.
   Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion
   Grand Isle 504.615.0099

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60. Interview with Dayne Sherman, Author of Welcome to Fallen Paradise.

60.  We interview Dayne Sherman, the author of Welcome to the Fallen Paradise, which is a critically-acclaimed novel. Sherman works as a librarian in Louisiana, and lives with his wife and son.  Baxter Parish, Louisiana, is a bloody place where family tradition is stronger than law, and pride is more valuable than life. Jesse Tadlock returns home to claim his inheritance, but that means he must find a way to stand up to a neighbor, even if it means losing everything to the fires of pride.
Dayne Sherman online links:
Web & Social Media: http://daynesherman.com/
Talk About the South Blog: http://daynesherman.blogspot.com/
Tweet the South - Twitter: http://twitter.com/TweettheSouth/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/daynesherman

1. This week in Louisiana history.  July 14, 1937 First piling driven for N.O. Charity Hospital
2. This week in New Orleans history. The Louisiana Superdome hosted the Rolling Stones '78 Tour on Thursday, July 13, 1978.  Tickets cost $12.50 -- General Admission.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.    July 18-19.   Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival The 35th annual festival is "Celebrating Louisiana's Folk Heritage" with Cajun music and dance lessons, a state fiddle championships, children's activities, arts and crafts, plus three stages of music including bluegrass, gospel, rock and jazz. The Louisiana State Fiddle Championship will be held on Saturday (July 19). Admission: 2014 pricing TBA. Prather Coliseum, NSU.

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59. Interview with Mark LaFlaur, Author of the novel Elysian Fields, Part 2.

59.  Part two of our interview with Mark LaFlaur, author of the novel Elysian Fields.   Mark's web page describes his novel this way: "Simpson Weems is a 36-year-old aspiring poet whose life has been on hold — to the breaking point. All he needs to fulfill his potential is to move to San Francisco, but he’s torn between his long-held dream of being a great artist and obligations to his aged, ailing mother and his emotionally volatile brother, the all-demanding Bartholomew. Will someone in his family have to die before he can get to California? And how might that be arranged?"  In addition to discussing his novel, we discuss his other writing, especially his writing on his blog Levees Not War.  Mark has generously allowed us to cross-post some of his articles on the Louisiana Anthology.

1. This week in Louisiana history.  July 9, 1706 Iberville died of Yellow Fever
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Smiley Lewis (July 5, 1913 – October 7, 1966) was an American New Orleans rhythm and blues musician.
3. This week in Louisiana.  July 10-13.  San Fermin in Nueva Orleans. The main event of the four-day fete of food, music and entertainment is El Encierro, the New Orleanian homage to the bull running in Pamplona, Spain. Big Easy Roller Girls pursue runners with plastic bats and horned helmets through the streets of downtown New Orleans. Registration and packet pickup is at the Sugar Mill; other events take place in various venues. 

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58. Interview with Mark LaFlaur, Author of the novel Elysian Fields. Part 1.

58.  Part one of our interview with Mark LaFlaur, author of the novel Elysian Fields.   Mark's web page describes his novel this way: "Simpson Weems is a 36-year-old aspiring poet whose life has been on hold — to the breaking point. All he needs to fulfill his potential is to move to San Francisco, but he’s torn between his long-held dream of being a great artist and obligations to his aged, ailing mother and his emotionally volatile brother, the all-demanding Bartholomew. Will someone in his family have to die before he can get to California? And how might that be arranged?"  In addition to discussing his novel, we discuss his other writing, especially his writing on his blog Levees Not War.  Mark has generously allowed us to cross-post some of his articles on the Louisiana Anthology. 

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 30, 1870 Robert E. Lee and the Natchez began their famous riverboat race.  
2. This week in New Orleans history.  June 28, 1896 -- First Movie in New Orleans:  The first movie in New Orleans was shown on an outdoor screen on the lakefront June 28, 1896, by Allen B. Blakemore, an electrical engineer for the New Orleans City and Lake Railroad. Blakemore reduced the five-hundred-volt current from the trolley line for his vitascope machine by way of a water rheostat.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.  July 3-6  2014 Essence Music Festival Essence Fest features empowerment seminars with nationally known speakers, entertainment, a marketplace, book fair with author signings, food, African-American art, cultural activities and discussions. The 2014 lineup for main stage concerts features Prince, Lionel Richie, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Charlie Wilson, Erykah Badu and Ledisi. Admission: Free for daytime activities. 3-day festival pass including evening concerts, $312. Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center, New Orleans. 

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57. Interview with Fran Holman about Environmentalist Caroline Dorman. Part 2.

57. We interview Fran Holman, the author of the biography of Caroline Dorman, one of Louisiana's most important naturalists and environmentalists. The biography, "The Gift of the Wild Things": The Biography of Caroline Dorman, has recently been reissued. Fran has also edited a book of articles by Dorman herself, Adventures in Wild Flowers: The Timeless Writings of Caroline Dorman. This week: part 2 of our interview.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 22, 1947 Peter "Pistol Pete" Maravich born.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  June 22, 1837 -- Paul Morphy is Born
   
3. This week in Louisiana.  June 27-28. Louisiana Peach Festival The 64th annual celebration of the summer sweet fruit includes parade, peach-eating contest, arts and crafts, a car show, a diaper derby, and performances by the Molly Ringwalds, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Dylan Scott, and Swamp Donkey. Admission: $10 for Friday and Saturday concerts, $5 for Saturday day only. Free for children age 6 and younger.
   Downtown Ruston
   401 N. Trenton St.
   Ruston, LA 71270
   318.255.2031. 

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