Next month from April 16-19 is the New Orleans Poetry Festival, with which I had the honor of serving for nine years. The city’s flagship poetry festival, this year looks to be one of the best yet, with an international focus on Mexico and a new, expanded lineup of three full days of events. More details are available at nolapoetry.com; as ever, the fest is free, free, free.

I’m delighted to be appearing at the 2026 Tennessee Williams Festival next week — one of the city’s flagship festivals and a total joy all weekend long. I’ll be moderating a panel on the new New Orleans noir; details of the panel are below.

Friday, March 27
11:30 – 12:45 PM—Literary Discussion
HARD DRINKS, HARDER INK: WRITING NEW ORLEANS NOIR

New Orleans can be a difficult place to write. Poet and essayist Benjamin Morris will moderate a panel exploring the challenges of bringing this unique American city to life. Tom Andes’ Wait There Till You Hear from Me features a reluctant detective searching for his wealthy fiancée’s missing brother. Ariadne Blayde’s Ash Tuesday uses a modern twist on the Southern Gothic to explore the French Quarter’s culture through its notorious ghost tours. Bill Loehfelm’s Maureen Coughlin novels take the perspective of a white, working-class woman from Staten Island who becomes a New Orleans cop. And P.M. Raymond’s short story collection Things Are As They Should Be explores the city through the lens of psychological horror. These writers will discuss how they use noir fiction to bring fresh perspectives to writing about a city that can’t help but be a character itself.

Hotel Monteleone, Queen Anne Ballroom, $10 or LitPass or VIP Pass.

Book Banter Books is hosting an event this Friday for Belle Point Press authors at Broad Street Cider, from 5-7pm. I’m delighted to join the many Louisiana writers on the BP list as well as a few special guests from outside the Pelican State. Come one, come all!

It’s hard to believe, but The Singing River has been out for exactly a year, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Over the last twelve months this book has journeyed across Mississippi and Louisiana, and I remain indebted to all those hosts, editors, booksellers, and most of all readers who have given it space and room to breathe.

More songs await — but for now, thank you.

Sonnets are still back! I’ll be leading another sonnet workshop at East Baton Rouge Parish Library next week, on Wednesday, February 25, from 12-1pm. Free and open to the public.