Living up on the tundra, conversation often turns to the fantasy of having a second house in the South where one can live during the winter. I have always been baffled by this because a) I love snow, and b) while I’ve enjoyed my trips to the South, I’ve never visited a place where I could imagine living in for a few months.
That has changed now. I could live in New Orleans.
I have had only the briefest of visits here, driving from school to school (my nose pressed against the window of the car), a ten minute walk through the neighborhood of Octavia Books, and lots of conversations with hurrican survivors, but this I know to be true: New Orleans is unique. Must. Come. Back!
So… details of the next to last day of this leg of the Book Tour:
The NPR affiliate of New Orleans, WWNO, has a brief interview with me about the writing of CHAINS. Many thanks to journalist Diane Mack for asking some of the best questions yet.
The trees of the city spoke to me.
The students and librarians at Sacred Heart were amazing, and their chapel, breathtaking. Thanks to everyone from SH who came out to Octavia Books, and to those girls who Friended me!
The McGehee School (good luck to the volleyball team!) is housed, in part, in this building.
It has the only school library I know of with a sweeping spiral staircase.
I know there are many, many parts of New Orleans that are suffering – people whose schools are crumbling, whose homes are still broken, whose spirits are battered. I hope the next time I come down, I’ll be able to lend a hand.
I’ll finish my NOLA post tomorrow. Right now, I have to get to my event!