I fell for the Cane River and the town of Natchitoches last year, when I was preparing the final manuscript of The Broken Fall for my publisher.  I can't really say how I arrived there, but I can say after one week, I was sold on meat pies, devouring them daily in my makeshift office.  Best known as the hometown of this Southern delicacy and the book turned iconic southern film Steel Magnolias, there is another side to the town that flourishes with tourists and locals in the former settlement that brags it is actually older than New Orleans.  Come on, I said.  But truly, they claim it and well, I was never the historian.  So along this pastoral boulevard, the riverfront, crawls people, lots of them, especially east Texans loving the food, ambiance and nightlife, and the lovely and inspiring Book Mercant, J. Michael, my idea of an Americam bouquiniste, and I felt for a moment back on the Seine in Paris, watching the art of bookselling along the promenade.  (Hint....He's right there on the right with his beautiful assistant Deidre).

This man loves his customers, hand-selling and knowing them on a first name basis, and I can tell you every one left pleased with their find, and no one left emply-handed.  It was well, great.  But even more fun were the eclectic mix of those we met, including Miss Natchitoches, many Post-K transplants from New Orleans and the Misses Breaux Bridge, who were visiting the aforementioned reigning queen.  

Royalty does still exist in America, as I can attest, and I even got for one small moment, to sample that rare delight of being a real beauty queen, as Miss Natchitoches handed me her crown,  It's true!!! and well, I'd like to thank everyone that made this possible, especially AD caught below sampling the local fare!  He always thinks its a party, I swear>>>>>He's even beginning to get his own fan base on these road trips...look how how he holds court! Unbelievable, and awesome, we love you Book Merchant!