Upcoming Book Signings

Now that “An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward” has been released, I will be signing books at the Mandeville Barnes & Noble, the Metairie Barnes & Noble and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival! Information for the signings are included below:

Barnes and Noble: Sunday, April 23, 2017, 12 PM – 2 PM, The Village Shopping Center, 3414 Highway 190 Suite 10, Premier Center II, Mandeville, LA 70471

Barnes and Noble: Saturday, April 29, 2017, 2 PM – 4 PM, Veterans Memorial Blvd Metairie, LA 70002

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 12 PM – 1 PM, New Orleans Fair Grounds: 1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

I hope to see you there!

‘An Oral History of the N.O. Ninth Ward’ On Stands Now

My book “An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward” hit stands on April 7. Bookstore availability varies upon location, but the book is available online at major retailers like Amazon, Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble.

Hey Kindle Readers …

My book, An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward, is available as an ebook now on Amazon. Like, right now. So, if you’re a Kindle reader, an ereader, cloud reader, whatever, you can read my book now! Click here for the link on Amazon.

Nat Geo Nights: New Orleans

Every month National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC hosts Nat Geo Nights, a special happy hour event featuring Nat Geo explorers, live music, food and drink specials. I had the honor of being a featured explorer and speaker at the inaugural Nat Geo Nights event, Field Notes: New Orleans. 

The evening celebrated all things New Orleans with king cake, Abita Beer and talks by photographers Kris Davidson and Tyrone Turner, climate scientist Victoria Herrmann, and me. I was/am so honored to be included in such an impressive lineup.

My talk walked the audience through the Ninth Ward’s history while including inspiring stories from residents and fun tales about New Orleans culture and nostalgia from my upcoming book, An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward.

After my talk, I did my first book signing. Though advance copies were available at the event (and in the National Geographic store on campus), the book will not be officially released until April.

A huge thanks to National Geographic for including me in this fabulous event celebrating the Crescent City.

Field Notes: New Orleans. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

Field Notes: New Orleans. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

Field Notes: New Orleans. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

Field Notes: New Orleans. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

Field Notes: New Orleans. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

Field Notes: New Orleans. Photo credit On Tap Magazine (Yes, that is a Muses shoe)

With some friends during the event. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

A copy of my book being discussed by National Geographic staff on stage. Photo credit http://www.TaylorMickal.com

Time Out New York Byline

I recently contributed a travel piece about my old stomping grounds, Baton Rouge, LA, to Time Out New York. This was my first travel piece with the publication.

Find out what’s hot in Louisiana’s capital city in the article below.

 

Celebrity Interview With Tig Notaro

Last week, I interviewed Tig Notaro about her upcoming New York Comedy Festival performance, which she says may be her biggest risk yet …

Read the full article about her upcoming show here, “Tig Notaro Will Take Another Risk At The 2016 New York Comedy Festival & Says It Could Be Bigger Than Her Shirtless Set.”

Celebrity Interview With Ty Burrell

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Ty Burrell from Modern Family to discuss the show’s season 8 premiere and season 7 DVD release.

Check out the two articles I wrote after my interview with Ty, “‘Modern Family’ Actor Ty Burrell Joins ‘Kids In The Spotlight’ To Help Young Filmmakers Reach Their Full Potential” and “Will Andy & Haley Get Back Together On ‘Modern Family’? Ty Burrell Doesn’t Think They’re Done For Good.” Phil Dunphy would!

 

Cat’s Out Of The Bag …

It’s official my book — that’s right, my book — is available for pre-order on Amazon! An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward is due out spring 2017 from Pelican Publishing.

The Amazon synopsis states:

Steeped in musical influence, racial dynamics, and culinary significance, the Ninth Ward has distinguished itself as one of New Orleans’ most influential communities—so why is its history so often overlooked?

While many have heard of Ruby Bridges, most don’t know about the McDonogh Three, who desegregated another Ninth Ward school on the same day. And when Hurricane Katrina threatened to displace its notable musicians, the Ninth Ward provided sanctuary with its modern Musicians’ Village.

Extensively researched and carefully recorded, An Oral History of the New Orleans Ninth Ward features substantial, unique interviews with generations of residents to preserve the history of the district. Each source honestly evaluates discrimination, neighbors, poverty, and faith, delivering heartfelt and often harrowing insight into what it means to be from the Ninth Ward.

Readers will explore the community’s changing population, from its inception as an immigrant borough that welcomed a majority African American community—and the stigmas it faced for doing so—to the encroaching gentrification by the hipster population. With each chapter chronicling one of the metaphorical and actual storms the area has weathered, this volume is a comprehensive record of history and folklore from the people who know the Ninth Ward best.

I am so, so excited to share this development. Please stay tuned for more information about my upcoming work as it becomes available.

2016 Young Explorers Convention

I recently presented at National Geographic Headquarters about a big development from my Young Explorers Grant project. Stay tuned for an update about my Ninth Ward research …

First Post Published On Thought Catalog

In addition to working as a regular contributor for HelloGiggles and Bustle, I am now also writing for Thought Catalog. My first post, From Khaleesi To Liz Lemon: 30 Smart Pieces Of Career Advice From Your Favorite TV Boss Ladies, published this week. Keep up with my work on Thought Catalog, here.