I remember it like it was yesterday. October 20, 2018, under the oaks at an outdoor event near a lake in South Louisiana. It was a candlelit evening filled with dinner, wine, and the sound of a lively accordion drifting through the air. When the music stopped, a beautiful young woman stepped through the crowd and began singing La Vie en Rose a cappella. It was a showstopping moment. It was also the moment my story began.

Over the course of two years, I shaped the story in my mind. Then in 2020, the world shut down. During the pandemic, I wrote the first draft of the book, followed by a screenplay adaptation that went on to earn quarter-finalist honors in a national screenplay competition. In early 2025, I completed the final edits of the novel.

In my writing, art, and photography, I am a storyteller. Traveling the backroads of South Louisiana, I’ve collected stories that became the soul of my food blog, AcadianaTable.com. The beauty of the faces and places I encountered along the way is woven into the heart of Marsh Island Memories.

Ahh… the question of all questions. I like to say it’s much like a gumbo… a little of dis, a little of dat, all cooked down with just the right amount of spice. In the acknowledgements of my book, I share a few of the real places that helped shape the fictional Marsh Island, and I encourage everyone to visit them soon.

Cajun and Creole culture is at the heart of the colorful world of Marsh Island Memories. I built that world on four pillars: food, music, scenery, and language. I included a glossary of Cajun French terms so readers can better understand just how beautiful the language is to those of us who hear it every day.

Absolutely. My daughter Lauren. Bright, ambitious, driven, and unshakeable. She left Louisiana for the glitz and glamour of the big city and returned to rediscover just how remarkable her home really is. And yes, she found her blue-eyed, boudin-stuffed shrimper.

There’s something magical about Louisiana’s marsh. It’s mysterious, spiritual, and alive with stories. Spanish moss-strung cypress trees and graceful white egrets create the perfect backdrop for telling this story.

While Kaitlyn is clearly the protagonist, I like to call Mimi the heroine of this tale. She is the foundation Marsh Island Memories is built on, and her strength is what propels the events that unfold. Yet it’s her inevitable flaws that shape the heart of the story.

In South Louisiana, coastal preservation is a serious matter. The encroachment on our precious ecosystem and the destruction of marshlands have changed communities and threatened our fishing industry. I’ve also lived long enough to witness the decline of Main Streets in countless small towns, overtaken by big-box retail chains. The people of Marsh Island decided it was time to fight back. And so do I.

I didn’t set out to write a romance novel, but it evolved naturally as the characters revealed themselves. In the end, the love story is one layer of a multi-dimensional tale that adds depth and emotional resonance to the plot.

Every story needs a shadowy keeper of secrets lurking in the background. Jacques Dubois is the moral compass that keeps pointing true north. Think Boo Radley meets Rambo, with a little Captain Quint thrown in. It’s his ethical conscience that helps drive both the action and the plot.

The bad guy is always the hardest to conjure. I wanted him to be bad, but not deadly. Evil, but not terrifying. He had to be sleazy, shady, or morally bankrupt. Bama checks all three boxes.

Maddie, for sure. My daughter’s best friend inspired the sass, acerbic wit, and daring spirit of the character, and Maddie’s personal journey throughout the story was a joy to write.

I’m a food writer, and Marsh Island Memories is set smack dab in the middle of the Cajun and Creole foodway. With Kaitlyn and Maddie’s background, along with Mama T’s delicious recipes, food became another character in the story. I’ve even included recipes for the dishes featured throughout the book.

“Write what you know” was the best advice I ever got, and my experience in food photography helped bring Kaitlyn into focus. Her eye for detail and ability to see past the smoke and mirrors of who people pretend to be serves her well in this story.

Yes. Mama T’s backstory. As I took a deep dive into the rich cultural history of Creole New Orleans, I uncovered her colorful and haunting past. Two shots of moonshine later, I knew exactly who Mama T was.

Pick any zydeco song. When you combine a fiddle, an accordion, and a rubboard, you’re dropped right into the heart of Marsh Island. For me, that’s the rhythm of South Louisiana.

There was no intent at the start, but as the characters evolved, the contrast between rural life in Cajun Country and the posh world of Park Avenue wealth began to magnify the different worlds Kaitlyn had to navigate. As for dirty politicians, that’s a relatable storyline no matter where you’re from.

No way. That’s like naming your favorite child. Instead, I’ll point to the subtitle: When coming home is the only way to move on. This simple line wraps the story in a warm quilt of clarity and meaning.

That’s easy. I’d want to sit at the kitchen table while Mama T stirs a black iron pot with her wooden spoon.

Absolutely. But without giving anything away, I’ll just say this: nobody can eat just one bowl of gumbo. There’s always room for seconds.

Two things. First, I hope it inspires readers to visit South Louisiana and discover how special my home truly is. And no matter where they grew up, I hope they reflect on how important that place was in shaping their lives. Maybe they’ll find a renewed appreciation for how it helped define who they are.