Spirits of the Bayou: Sanctuaries, Cemeteries and Hauntings

by Deborah Burst

Overview

“Literature that creates an authentic sense of place can be difficult to find. A writer who can capture the real spirit of a place is even more rare. Deborah Burst is such a writer, and her Spirits of the Bayou does justice to one of America’s most historic and hauntingly beautiful settings, South Louisiana.” C. E. Richard, author of the book Louisiana, An Illustrated History and the companion documentary Louisiana: A History, produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

Deborah Burst adds another book in her continuing series of Louisiana’s Sacred Places. Her fourth book, Spirits of the Bayou: Sanctuaries, Cemeteries and Hauntings brings to life both the historic and artistic landscapes of New Orleans and coastal towns of South Louisiana.

One by one, each chapter unlocks the doors into ancient houses of worship, probes the eerie shadows of cemeteries and delves deep inside the bayou’s haunted legends. It’s a compelling gallery, a rarity in the literary world with both the magic of her words and the emotional flavor of her photographs.

Fans have called it Burst’s most compelling piece of work with more than 256 pages and 125 photos. The trail begins in New Orleans, then north across Lake Pontchartrain to the hidden gems of St. Tammany Parish. Readers then travel along the back roads and bayous of Houma, Raceland, Franklin and Morgan City.

The last chapters visit the wicked beauty of Louisiana’s swamps and bayous. Meet Rougarou, the Cajun werewolf, Jean Lafitte, a nineteenth century pirate turned patriot, and the illusive swamp monster in the Honey Island Swamp. Closing the book, discover the spiritual world of trees, butterflies and dragonflies.

For the connoisseur, the book deserves a place on the coffee table; for the adventurer, it belongs neatly tucked in a backpack. It’s a must-read for locals and a rare treat for those beyond the state’s borders.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940154156346
Publisher:	Deborah Burst
Publication date:	05/04/2017
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

A born storyteller, Deborah Cunningham Burst, is a New Orleans native who enjoys writing outdoors at her home in Mandeville. An award winning writer and photographer, she left a corporate career with IBM and returned to Tulane University graduating cum laude in 2003 with a BFA in Media Arts. In her 12-year career as a freelance writer she has published more than 1,000 articles and twice as many photographs on a local, regional and national level. With a passion for travel, history and architecture she earned columns on travel and historic churches. In 2012 Deborah won a publishing contract for a historic church book titled, Hallowed Halls of Greater New Orleans. The book is graced with a foreword by Anne Rice and has received rave reviews. Continuing her wanderlust of discovering historic churches, Deborah has found a new fascination with funerary architecture amid the shadows of cemeteries. Her first self-published work, Louisiana’s Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo is the first in a series with trails of history and mystery. In November 2015, Deborah published, Southern Fried & Sanctified: Tales from the Back Deck. In her newest book, she has brought together her talents of southern storytelling with a decade of writing and photography featuring her favorite places, people, pets and personal essays. Her fourth book and second in the Louisiana’s Sacred Places series, Spirits of the Bayou: Sanctuaries, Cemeteries and Hauntings, was released in September 2016. The book captures the poetic beauty and artistic landscapes of hidden graveyards, sacred temples and shrouded bayous. Packed with more than one hundred photos, it’s a must read for locals and a rare treat for those beyond the state’s borders. Deborah is highly sought for speaking events with her colorful collage of photographs combined with animated presentation. She has also appeared on multiple television and radio shows. You can order both of her books and view samples of her writing and photography at www.deborahburst.com.