Louisiana Authors - National Council of Teachers of English

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•Baton

Rouge and

Surrounding

Areas

Authors In Baton Rouge

Sylvia Rochester

Biography

• Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Graduated from LSU with a degree in arts and science with a concentration in Fine Arts and

English

In Alabama she worked for NASA

She has two sons and seven grandsons

She spent two years with the Peace Corps in

Ethiopia

Works

When Evil Loves – a women who lost her love might be in love with a killer

The Sweet Smell of Death – drama of the government is brought to LA’s bayous

Shadow of the Soul – cruel grips of winter in 1870 blows in an exciting novel

Come Back My Love – Civil War brings in more than division of a nation; it hails a dangerous mystery

Style

Her works come from pictures in her mind.

Writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels.

Her travels to many places including

Europe and Africa inspire her to write.

Spends hours traveling to bayous in

South Louisiana searching for future paintings and novel settings.

Elaine Grant

Biography

Born in 1951 in a small town thirty miles outside of Auburn, Alabama

Resident of Baton Rouge, LA for 30 years

Married with one son

Loves horses, gardening, baseball, eating sushi

Her first short story published in a local newspaper

Wrote her first novel at age sixteen

• Make Believe Mom

Works

“Instant mom- just add a fiancé and seven kids!”

Roses For Chloe

A 150-year-old southern plantation named

Caroline is being haunted by love, passion, and a ghost named Chloe.

Little Book of Baseball

This book is a guide to baseball for children starting t-ball. It explains the greatness of the game and why it is America’s pastime.

Style

•Elaine Grant is a talented author, she entertains you with laugh out loud moments as well as tear-wiping sighs

•She takes horror, comedy, drama, and romance and is able to wrap them up in one book

Mrs. Lawana Blackwell

Her Life

•Born Feb. 1952, Baton Rouge

•Took writing courses at LSU

•Married with three sons

•Realized at forty God called her to write Christian-based novels

Her Works

•Writes Christian and historical romance novels

•The Gresham Chronicles

• Tales of London

•The Maiden of Mayfair

•The Victorian Serenadea

Her Style

• Writes believable plots with realistic character development and spiritual insight.

• Characters in the book learn lessons about God’s love and forgiveness.

• She says about her work, “When you write a book, a little bit of you goes into every character.”

Authors In

Surrounding Areas

Cindy Foust

Biography

Was born in Lake Arthur LA, but now she lives in West Monroe, LA.

Is married and has two children.

Began publishing her books when her son,

Samuel, died.

 “I believe God laid it on my heart to do this.” – Cindy Foust

Works

Austin Alligator

I’ll See You Guys Later

Benny Bear

Having A Baby Sister

Isn’t Fair

• Glen Goose

There’s A Babysitter On The

Claude and Callie Cat Loose

When We Get In A Spat

Douglas Duck

• Harry Harry Hippo

My Doctor’s Name Is Chico

• Iguana Ike I Think My Pacifier Is Stuck

Elephant Emma Lou

I’ve Lost My Pretty Tutu

Freddy Fox

I’ve Got The Chicken Pox

The Truth Is What I Like

• Johnny Jackelope

You Must Believe in Hope

Style

 Writes children’s books for every letter of the alphabet, helping children cope with everyday life.

 She says, “Writing a new book takes six hours to six months.”

Rhyming is used throughout all of her books.

John Ed Bradley was born on August 12, 1958.

He was born in Opelousas,

Louisiana.

John Ed Bradley was an all SEC Center at LSU.

He became an author when his football playing days were over.

• “Tupelo Nights” was his first novel.

It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium.

• Autobiography of Bradley’s experiences as an

LSU Tiger

• “His book is so much more than just football once you read it.”- Mark Warren

Two other novels are Tupelo Nights and

My Juliet.

Major themes:

- Love

- Murder

- Racism

- Sports

A writer of great power and intensity

Tim Gautreaux

• Tim Gautreaux was born and raised in Morgan

City, Louisiana.

• As a kid, he was given a typewriter where he began his writing career.

• Working as a teacher helped him become a better writer.

• He is now a writer and a professor at

Southeastern Louisiana University in

Hammond.

• His earlier works have appeared in Harpers, The

Atlantic Monthly, GQ, and Zoetrope.

• He has written: The Next Step in the Dance, Same

Place, Same Things, The Clearing, and Welding With

Children.

• His writing shows big details and thoroughly explains small details

• Characters are ordinary people who experience bizarre events

Kimberly Willis Holt

Biography

Born in Pensacola, Florida on September 9, 1960.

Kimberly’s mother was a teacher; her father worked as a chef for the U.S Navy.

Her “emotional home” was Forest Hill, Louisiana.

Wrote her first book in 1998.

She says, “Louisiana gave me my roots; Texas gave me my branches.”

Favorite foods: dark chocolate, and chicken and dumplings.

Favorite hobbies: reading, movies, and going to plays.

Favorite books: To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Heart

Is a Lonely Hunter.

Works

My Louisiana Sky:

• Tiger Ann Parker lives with her grandmother and parents in Saitter, Louisiana. Tiger’s parents are mentally slow, but she is a straight ‘A’ student who finds herself being more and more embarrassed of her parents.

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town:

• This Story is about a 13 year old boy who moves to Texas. His life consists of mostly loss and friendship.

Style

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

• It is sad, happy, funny, and everything else.

My Louisiana Sky (First Book)

• “It had a great storyline and I loved the characters.”

• This book is great for tomboys.

• The author did an excellent job with bringing in death, sadness, romance, and excitement.

From Barnes & Nobles’ Reviewers

• www.elainegrant.com

• www.bookbrowse.com

• www.Atlanta.creativeloafing.com

• www.louisiana.edu

• www.sylviarochester.com

• www.bayoustudios.com

• www.christianbook.com

• www.historicalromancewriters.com

• www.randomhouse.com

• www.2theadvocate.com

• www.powells.com

• www.esquire.com

• www.gardendistrictbookshop.com

• www.Amazon.com

Bibliography

Personal Interviews: Elaine Grant, Sylvia Rochester,

Lawana Blackwell

• Phone Interviews: John Ed Bradley, Cindy Foust

Internet Interviews: Tim Gautreaux, Kimberly Willis Holt

Special Thanks To:

• All of the participating authors

• All of Mrs. Miller’s Classes, especially

Technical Support Students:

– Kelli Blount

– Dainon Miles

– Zachary Luker

– Holton Hancock

– Joshua Arnone

– Michael Bochicchio

– Kyle Haigler

– Dylan Philippe

– Ian Douglas

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