About the Author

In his own words: "I am but a humble scribe toiling in obscurity. I sent in my contribution to Louisiana in Words as a lark, not seriously expecting it to be considered for publication (my first and, quite possibly, only). I do not doubt that this is true for more than a few of my fellow contributors.

As a 'migrant worker' in the oil patch, I have lived and worked all over Louisiana, including a 2-year stint in the Big Easy, to which I hope to one day return. I have no literary credentials other than a BA in English from Louisiana Tech and a somewhat eclectic taste in reading choices.

Anything you find on the Internet about Gary Thomas is likely to be about someone else. I don’t even have a mythologically-based nickname!"

About the Book

A literary collection of the Louisiana experience.

Created from submissions received from Louisiana citizens throughout the world, this anthology offers an authentic diary of Louisiana, a state fractured into regions more disparate than any other in America. The ultimate insider's look, the book provides an unparalleled feel for hitherto hidden worlds inside the state. The selections -- 119 pieces from 109 contributors -- run chronologically from dawn to dawn. Together these minutes provide a mosaic of the landscape, heritage, speech, and traditions of Louisiana, a place so often romanticized, demonized, adored, pitied, and patronized.

Contributors were asked to write one page or less about one minute, anytime, anywhere, in Louisiana. Writers selected include award-winning novelists and novice writers of all ages, including an eight-year-old girl and an 84-year-old man. Passages cast Louisiana's diverse peoples as backdrop against the action that transpires within the minute.