A Southern Missive

After a late exit from Monroe, I began my trip to the Houston area. I spent an hour at the Leesville, Louisiana library. The director was not only interested in my book, but also wants to book me as a performer for their annual Music Odyssey and some other author/music events this next year. The library there has a wonderful facility.

I arrived at the home of the Frantom’s later than I expected, but at least shortly after dark and having experienced beautiful weather the whole trip. I had not been to Houston in over 14 years. To say the area has changed and that the bad traffic then is worse now would be an understatement, litotes.  Fortunately, they have wireless so I was able to make this short post.  I found short blurb about my book signings in the book section of Zest, the little magazine that comes with the Houston Chronicle. 

This is the weekend for the North Texas Irish Festival. I had such a good time last year. I love the Celtic festivals, and next year with the introduction of my Scottish ABC Book, I intend to make many of the festivals. More later.

Am up early, packing, printing, and preparing for my Houston trip.  It looks like I’ll have good traveling weather.  My planned route will take me into new, unexplored territory.

War Between the States Trivia:

On yesterday’s date in the War Between the States, Union prisoners first began arriving at Andersonville prison. Nearly a fourth of its inmates would die in captivity, and though Henry Wirz, commandant, was executed for war crimes, the irony of history is that the deaths were caused by the Northern leadership, who refused prisoner exchange and refused to sell medicine to the South. One little known fact is that many of the Union prisoners were victimized by other Union soldiers. To gain a true perspective, I would encourage you to read Andersonville, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by MacKinlay Kantor. There was a TV series based on the book, and Kantor presents a more Confederate-friendly than most modern, seeking-to-be-politically-correct writers. Good for him.

A Book I’d like to read:

I was recently given a Book Lover’s Daily Calendar. From time to time I’ll list some books I think I’d like to read or glance at. The ones I list in this post are books I do not have.

Jazz ABZ: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits. This book is illustrated by Paul Rogers, and full of information and references to the Jazz Greats. I’ve heard (and believe), and told my students, that listening to jazz will help one mentally, likely even raising test scores. I think it may be due to the complexity of the lines, the “gifted” creativity that I hear in the improvisation of its melodies, the subtle changes made so that each song is its own creation. All of this does something to our subconscious, unlocking a great beauty-creating power. Jazz shaped and changed much of America, and it certainly influenced so many of our great musicians. When I teach ENG 102 in college (assuming they use the Kennedy anthology) I always have “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin as one of the readings. There are some great lines in that story that give insight into jazz and insights into the mind and hearts of jazz musicians. A very touching story about a man who nearly lost his brother, but found him and restored the relationship and in that, found himself too. The story is a reminder that we are truly our brother’s keeper.

Book Signing News: 

Usual scenario in my writing world: Too much to do, not enough time or money to get all the important things done. Tomorrow, I’m traveling to Houston. I’ll work schools and libraries on my journey there, then will spend the night with my good friends, the Frantoms.  Friday, I’m presenting a Civil War program at Keefer Crossing Middle School in New Caney.   Here is the school’s site. (They have me on their calendar!) http://www.newcaneyisd.org/keefercrossing/index.htm
Friday night, beginning around 4:00 p.m. I’ll hagve a book signing at the Barnes & Noble in the Woodlands. Here are the details.
The Woodlands Mall
1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. #3008
The Woodlands, TX 77381
281-465-8744

The Houston Chapter of the Pulpwood Queens has promised to try to support that event and I hope to have some folks from the Houston SCV and UDC attend also.

Saturday, I’ll be at another Barnes and Noble. Here are the details for that event:

March 1/Saturday, 10 AM to 3 PM
Barnes & Noble #2183
7026 Hwy 6 North
Houston, TX 77095
281-861-8255

After that signing, I plan on working my way back to Louisiana by Sunday night, maybe seeing a a few friends and sites along the way. I’ve been in the car so much the past several days that I know my writing has suffered terribly.  However, the trip to West Texas after my aunt’s death was unavoidable, and to help my parents through things like that is a son’s duty.