Year: 2022

Meeting Ernest J. Gaines

By Ruth Laney Ruth Laney shares how an impromptu interview inspired a love of storytelling and led to a decades-long friendship with one of Louisiana’s most celebrated writers. In late… READ MORE

Living History

By Raquel Kennon Raquel Kennon reveals how her family’s lineage intersected with her academic training and resulted in a book tracing the literary and cultural legacies of slavery in the… READ MORE

The Two Lives of Derrick Harriell

By Derrick Harriell Derrick Harriell explains how, as a poet, inspiration takes hold—especially when you’re least expecting (or even wanting) it. Before writing my recent collection of poems, Come Kingdom,… READ MORE

The World in a Bird

By Rien Fertel Rien Fertel tells the story of how he began bird-watching at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how one bird in particular caught his attention and… READ MORE

What We’ve Learned about the Tacky South

By Katharine A. Burnett and Monica Carol Miller         Burnett and Miller discuss the impact of their new edited collection of essays on tackiness in the American South, explore how grandmothers… READ MORE

The Story behind the Poem

By Adam Vines In this article, Adam Vines shares a poem from his latest book, Lures, and discusses the experiences and emotions that led to its creation. “Coursing the Joints”… READ MORE

Memories and a First Cookbook

By Elizabeth M. Williams Nana’s Creole Italian Table gathers memories and recipes from a Sicilian American family in New Orleans. Elizabeth M. Williams discusses the rich cultural exchange that occurred… READ MORE

Healing for Complicated Times

By Corinne Martin Corinne Martin’s Louisiana Herb Journal introduces readers to the wealth of healing herbs found throughout the state, with details on identification, habitat, and traditional uses. Here Martin… READ MORE

Me vs. the Speaker in My Poem

By Nancy Reddy LSU Press poet Nancy Reddy reflects on how she came to accept that, at times, the “speaker” and the “poet” are one and the same. She also… READ MORE

This Year in Mardi Gras

By Doug MacCash In his book Mardi Gras Beads, Doug MacCash delves into the history and significance of these iconic New Orleans parade throws. Here he reflects on a couple of… READ MORE