Tag: saints and sinners

New Orleans Notes, No. 4

There’s a reason why cameras were made: for touchingly funny moments like this one.

We’d finished dinner at Margaritaville and were getting ready to leave when Lindsey and Mike suddenly shared an impromptu dance.

Before the long Saints and Sinners weekend, of those who would be present, only Greg, Marika, and Lisa had ever met The Brides in person. Marika, Tim, and I knew that was about to change, but we kept the secret, so Lindsey and Rhonda’s arrival in New Orleans on Thursday night took the others by surprise. Less than twenty-four hours later, it was as if ‘Nathan, Dan, David, Michael, Jeffrey, Mike, and Rob had known them always.

Here’s my version of the now infamous “Last Supper” shot.


Mike, Rhonda, Jeff, Lindsey, Lisa, Marika, Tim, Michael, ‘Nathan, David, Dan, Rob

New Orleans Notes, No. 2

When I realized that Mark G. Harris wasn’t going to be able to attend the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival this year, I wanted to find a way to include him in the goings-on. Besides the fact that he wouldn’t be able to read his beautiful short story “Love Taps” from Fool For Love or enjoy the many informative panels, master classes, and readings, he’d be missing out on the social aspect of the festival. There’s something electrifying about getting so many creative people together in one place. Not only can you reconnect with old friends and fellow writers, but you never know who you’ll meet and how that will inspire you. In fact, it was Timothy’s and my chance meeting with Mark at the festival in 2006 that led to his writing “Love Taps.” And led to his creating his LiveJournal account. And led to a wealth of new friendships–those Mark has found or who have found him, as well as the ones he’s brought to me and to others.

There were going to be far better photographers than I at the festival–many of them Mark’s and my mutual friends. So I knew I couldn’t dazzle him with my mad camera skillz. (And good heavens, if any of you haven’t seen this photo taken by Dan, check it out. It’s proof that hundreds of people can shoot the same scene, but a truly gifted photographer makes it his own.)

There is another passion Mark and I share outside of writing. With the help of a 1972 McCall’s pattern, carefully selected mod fabrics, seven enthusiastic models, and our friends, I offer Mark my unique experience of this year’s festival.

Behind the cut to save your monitor.

Hump Day Happy

I usually pass parade beads to my great-nieces and -nephews, but not this throw. This one came from Greg last year when I made my February trip to New Orleans.

I’m using it here because even though I’m deliriously happy to be back at The Compound with my dogs and husband and Houston friends nearby, I’m still in that Crescent City state of mind, thinking of everything that happened at Saints and Sinners and how good my writer friends and long-distance friends are for my soul.

I’ll be sharing photos and stories in a lot of posts over the next couple of weeks as memories bubble to the surface. One of the VERY BEST parts of the long weekend was how I could see how vastly improved my mood and health were from last year. I laughed more, walked more, participated more, and relaxed more. I just felt lighter. Happier.

If you’re looking for something to be happy about, comment with a page number between 1 and 611, and another number between 1 and 25, and these Krewe of Muses shoes are made for walking through the pages of this book to get your answer.

Greg, if you ever again think I’m snubbing you, just remember that I brought your paperclip sculpture you gave me all the way home from New Orleans and shot a photo of it because it looks like a heart. I will be always grateful for the many kindnesses you’ve shown me, both professionally and personally. This event you and Paul have created, Saints and Sinners, has brought some amazing people into my life, given me more confidence as a writer, and provided the opportunity to meet in person other writers and friends I’d have otherwise known and admired only from a distance. You say the festival is your chance to get all your creative friends together and how happy that makes you. But we’re happy that YOU make it possible for all of us to converge. What a gift to writers, friends, and colleagues. You and Paul, and all the people who help you, including the one pictured below, should be SO PROUD of your work, your passion, and your amazing host city. Thank you.

 


Evil Mark, who’s not even remotely evil and whose enthusiasm and energy never flags as he does all his Saints and Sinners magic, including keeping us on schedule. Thank you, Mark! 

New Orleans Notes, No. 1


Kathleen Bradean is my hero.

On Friday, a large group of us went to lunch after Michael Thomas Ford‘s master class on making a full-time career out of writing. Picture it: Pere Antoine Restaurant. The table laden with writers and personalities. The flowing wit was headier than any wine. I was sopping up quips and quotes along with the ranch dressing on my salad of mixed greens.

Then that most dreadful of things occurred.

“You have something in your teeth,” Timothy whispered.

I tried to discreetly take care of it, only to see him shaking his head. Again. And again.

“Aren’t you a dental floss addict?” he chided.

“I don’t have any with me,” I hissed.

Suddenly from beside him, Kathleen held out the holy grail of dental floss–the wonderful wide, slick kind. I pulled off a piece, handed her the container, dashed outside, and began flossing my teeth using the sideview mirror of a van parked outside the restaurant. Because better the entire city of New Orleans see me floss than the gliterati at my table.

And then it happened.

Behind me, I heard the cackle of Famous Author Rob Byrnes just as Greg Herren said, “WHY don’t I have my camera RIGHT NOW?”

Freaking smokers, hanging out on the sidewalk.

Photo captions:
Author Kathleen Bradean shares her bench with a horse in Faubourg Marigny Art and Books during a Saturday night reading.

Authors Timothy J. Lambert, Michael Thomas Ford, and me after Ford’s master class on Friday.


Diabolical authors Rob Byrnes and Greg Herren before a panel discussion on Sunday.

Button Sunday

I should SO be asleep. Tomorrow’s another big day for me at the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival because I have the honor of moderating a panel. It’s been a fantastic few days filled with meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, enjoying the charms of New Orleans, and most of all, being awed all over again by the talent of the contributors to FOOL FOR LOVE after their reading on Saturday.

I love writers. I feel so honored to be among them.

I have stories and photos to come, of course. I miss reading all of you! I also miss the dogs and Tom, and I understand once more how fortunate I am to have a husband who supports my career in every way.

To be continued…

LJ Runway Monday Challenge, Week 3

Louisiana in September was like an obscene phone call from nature. The air–moist, sultry, secretive, and far from fresh–felt as if it were being exhaled into one’s face. Sometimes it even sounded like heavy breathing. Honeysuckle, swamp flowers, magnolia, and the mystery smell of the river scented the atmosphere, amplifying the intrusion of organic sleaze. It was aphrodisiac and repressive, soft and violent at the same time. In New Orleans, in the French Quarter, miles from the barking lungs of alligators, the air maintained this quality of breath, although here it acquired a tinge of metallic halitosis, due to fumes expelled by tourist buses, trucks delivering Dixie beer, and, on Decatur Street, a mass-transit motor coach named Desire.

Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume


It’s a party!

While in New Orleans for a Vanity Fair shoot, Summer was invited to a party taking place next month at the Queen Anne Ballroom in the city’s Hotel Monteleone, famous for its literary associations. Rumor has it that an editor from a New York publishing house will also be there. Summer’s been working on a behind-the-scenes tell-all about the models of LJ Runway Monday, but she knows everybody corners editors at parties with their book ideas.

“I need to lure him to me,” she explained when she called her favorite designer, Becks. “Then ensnare him!”

“You sound like a spider,” Becks said, but agreed to meet Summer near Jackson Square to discuss design ideas. While walking to the Café Du Monde for a beignet and café au lait (Becks) and bottled water (Summer), Becks saw this sign.

Photo copyright Jenn

An idea was born. And as an editor might say, “Then what happened?”

What are you waiting for? CLICK HERE.

Hump Day Happy

 

 

Don’t think that all my work for Runway Mondays will make me forget that you deserve some happiness. You only need comment with a page number between 1 and 611, and another number between 1 and 25, and I’ll find you a delightful bit of happiness from Barbara Ann Kipfer’s book.

Last week you said it was a plastic hamster. This week a snake. You’re having an acid flashback, aren’t you?