One Amazing Houston Author

The recent earthquake that shook fear into the small towns and big cities on the East coast is reminiscent of the geological anomaly in the novel “One Amazing Thing.” The recent works of a Houston author that is being highlighted at the book festival held the libraries in the region throughout the months of September and October.

Gulf Coast Reads is a reading initiative that is replacing a similar program “Books On the Bayou”. It’s a “one book, one community” reading event designed to establish more dialogue about regional writers and their works, amongst friends, families, and in classrooms.

The overall strategy embraced by the libraries in the region: Fort Bend County, Harris County Public Library System, Brazoria Montgomery County alongwith the Houston Public Library is to encourage their communities to make sure their literary diet includes more works written by some of the outstanding literary talent in Houston and other places around the Gulf Coast.

This year’s novel is an intriguing, timely tale entitled,”One Amazing Thing”, authored by Houston writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, who lives in Sugarland. Her book chronicles the struggle for survival of 9 people, trapped in the basement of the Indian Consulate after an earthquake.

The premise of the book unfolds as the survivors begin sharing with each other “one amazing thing” that happened in their lives. As they listen to each other tell about love and loss, betrayal, and redemption it gives the entire group some much needed encouragement during their fight for survival while trapped in the throngs of darkness.

A few other good books written by authors from the Gulf coast that you may want to consider adding to your bookshelf include:

"A Good Long Way" by Rene Saldana Jr. of Lubbock, a fast-paced young adult novel that follows the troubled lives of three teens in South Texas (Amazon, $10.95).

A handy guide to about 150 interesting and sometimes offbeat Texas museums. "Texas Museums of Discovery" by Allan C. Kimball

"The Steps of the Savior: 365 Devotionals from the Gospel of Luke" by Phil Ware. A hearty helping of scriptures to infuse spiritual awareness into your day.

"The Smart Stepdad" by Ron L. Deal of Amarillo


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A Houston Writer Follows The Barbecue Smoke

In "Follow the Smoke" (bright sky press) Houston writer John Demers reveals the continued evolution of Texas barbecue as it forges ahead into the new century, undergoing a melding of flavors, ethnic dishes and marketing to become a modern meal. On the surface it appears that the differences in a Bar-B-Q joint and a barbecue restaurant are all extrinsic, but it's more than just the wood, the rub and the food that sets them apart.

The book sets the backdrop as the storied past of "small scale hands-on Texas barbecue" and the present growth of homegrown chains that are at odds with each other to carry on the taste of Texas.

I don't envy the Houston writer and the amount of barbecue that he had to test, taste and consume to write this barbecue atlas. It had to take at least a ton of food and add to his girth, when you consider the meat and all the sides.


Baked Beans vs Charro Beans

The pages also echo another story. DeMeres points out the arrival of several new kids on the block, that are replacing the favored sidedishes potato salad and baked beans and some of the mainstays, links and chicken. For now, they're found more often in the chain-owned barbecue restaurants than the mom and pop joints; however they are locked in a battle for prominence on the menus. These new dishes, pulled pork topped with coleslaw, charro beans, turkey, smoked chicken salad and boudain, like most Texans, have drifted in from neighboring states and south of the border.

The tasty read is outlined like an atlas. It lists the places where you can find the best smoked brisket, ribs and links by region. DeMers also takes the time to recognize the masters of Texas bbq, the pit-bosses from the North, South, East and West Texas, and enlighten us to why they do what they do, aside from earning a living.

Who's The Pit Boss

The cooks we meet in "Follow The Smoke" aren't as closed mouth and secretive as the old school cooks, I remember, who were reluctant to even share how they lit their fires. This book is testament to how well John Demers, a seasoned Houston writer can elicit recipes, choice of wood and just about any answer he wants from the barbecue pit bosses through smooth conversations like a ninja writer stalking an elusive plot.

Maybe it's a byproduct of the change that today's pit masters like Bobby Flay have instituted. It's almost a norm for cooks to freely share their recipes for smoking meats, choosing wood and cuts of beef and pork. If you're a fan of Texas style barbecue with deep smoke rings, this is one book that won't leave you just wafting the smoke. DeMers throws in a few mouth-watering recipes for meats, sweets, sides and extras, that you can try out. Sphere: Related Content

Houston Writer: Louise Parsley

Houston writer, Louise Parsley's "Revelations in the Rearview Mirror: One Mother's Hard-Won and Hilarious Epiphanies on the Road to the Empty Nest" (bright sky press),
earned a place on the list of books I've read, on my Goodreads bookshelf.

If the themes from "War and Peace" were as straight forward, brief and to the point as the essays in this book, I might have found enough reasons to make it to the end of the classic.

I can't believe how Parsley honestly bears her soul to readers in this candid and humorous look at her formative years, on her journey to becoming an atypical mother. She escapes becoming your garden variety mom when she bravely admits to being the reason that her children "started off at such a disadvantage". Because she wisely refused to stand in line at 4 a.m. to register them for T.H.E Mother's Day Out program and did not sign them up for T.H.E summer camp, knowing the best things in life come without T.H.E. blueprint for success.

This Houston writer has penned what should be called, the ultimate survival guide for brides, young mothers and parents in their fight against graying hair and maintaining their sanity during child rearing. It's great preparation for enduring the marathon Dora the Explorer episodes, when Sharpie's attack your walls and being banished to last place on your teens "need to know list".

Louise becomes the light bearer for brides when she shares her epiphany, "I spent six months focusing on a wedding, not a marriage."

The Houston writer illuminates the zigzag path mothers climb from the land of "Holding On" to the welcome feeling of "Letting Go". This book will cause you to ingest big gulps of laughter into your soul and should be prescribed instead of Xanax for anyone considering hoovering on the brink of depression because family life ain't been no crystal stair. Sphere: Related Content