Re: My Favorite novel by an African-American
My latest favorite is by Rosalyn Story, WADING HOME: A Novel of New Orleans.The writing is lush and lyrical and the story is totally engaging, the saga of a young man desperately seeking his father, who may have perished in the floodwaters of Katrina. Along the way he reconnects with a woman he once loved and lost.
The book bowled me over for many reasons. My first suspense thriller, Absolution, is set in pre-Katrina New Orleans. My next one takes place in fourteen months after Katrina. I lived in New Orleans for eight years and I too survived Katrina, so I can relate to many of the scenes described in Story's novel. The protagonist is a male jazz trumpet player, and I played trumpet professionally for many years. I'm also a huge jazz fan, and the author excells at describing the young trumpeter's travails as he tries to maintain his "chops" while searching for his father. Like me, the author is a musician, though not a trumpeter. She plays violin with the Fort Worth Symphony.
Story has created some fascinating characters in a tale about one African-American family and the secrets that come back to haunt them. Here's the link to the book on amazon.
This is my first Red Room blog post ... because I loved the topic and the book.
This is one great author! From her delectable mysteries to her seductive look at New Orleans - Renzi’s hunt and Natalie’s actions go beyond thrilling. Suspense readers will be saying: “We need more Renzi...STAT!” -- Feathered Quill Book Reviews
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— Feathered Quill Book Reviews
About Susan
During my successful career as a Boston-area trumpeter and music professor, I discovered my dark side and began writing crime fiction. New Orleans is the setting for my award-winning Frank Renzi mysteries, Absolution, Diva and Natalie's Revenge. The Premier...
Thanks
WADING HOME sounds like a fantastic read. And I imagine it was a moving experience for you as both an author and a musician, not to mention a one-time resident of New Orleans, to be able to relate to the story on so many levels.
One of the most extraordinary things about the book you've reviewed and your own writings is how people keep managing to turn the trauma of Katrina and other disasters into meaningful literary art from which we can learn and draw inspiration to celebrate life in the face of such tragedies.
Very glad you survived the storm and lived to tell the tale.
Aberjhani
author of The American Poet Who Went Home Again
and Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (Facts on File)
Re: thanks for your comments!
Yes, Katrina was traumatic, but some good things did come out of it. I hope you'll read the book. A friend gave it to me (jazz pianist I taught with at Berklee)and I thought it was excellent.
BTW, I hope you'll check out my profiles of jazz women on my website and in my Archives. Lil Hardin's is particularly interesting. Unfortunately she's best known as Louis Armstrong's 2nd wife. However, she was extremely talented in her own right.
http://archives.susanfleet.com/
Hi Susan!Can't believe I'm
Hi Susan!
Can't believe I'm just now responding to this post (I'm not the most internet-savvy person)! Has it really been a year and a half!? Anyway, I thank you for your comments about Wading Home! I'm so glad you enjoyed it; it was a labor of love. Always great to hear from a fellow musician, especially one who lived in New Orleans. I'm writing also because I'm curious - is the person who gave you the book possibly named Carolyn Wilkins, who teaches at Berkelee? I met her and she is a wonderful lady! I also had the pleasure of hearing her play and sing when she came to Dallas over a year ago!