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About the Author
Mariana Titus, a Franklin, Louisiana native, currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, and spends her summers in Acadiana to gather material for her books. She grew up along the banks of Bayou Teche across from the Franklin cemetery. Louisiana cemeteries have always been a source of inspiration for Mariana, "I became familiar with my neighbors at rest. I watched rose bushes grow bark and learned where old plants and vines were planted." Graveyards and Bayou Bars, her first book, is a collection of barroom stories and philosophy combined with epitaphs from this graveyard. The chapters flow gracefully from love to heritage to life to death in the captured conversations and black and white photographs. Summers Full of Porch Bull , a companion to her first work, is a compilation of stories and anecdotes collected during her summer returns to Louisiana. They reflect her profound appreciation for the simplicity and drama of everyday people, their lives and their stories. Dramatic and often humorous black and white photographs complement the text. The reader will delight in chapters titled "If I Can Catch It, I Can Cook It" and "Love is Better than Rabbit Spaghetti". Mariana prefers stories that give the "...gift of a valuable lesson. Old folks are good with these, but sometimes just a simple exchange between old friends makes a great story." She has a very relaxed disarming style in gathering material for her books. In conversations with folks she says, "I've never experienced any real objections in these interchanges. I want only positive things in my books. I am careful to change facts around so no one's feelings are hurt." "I've never had trouble relating to people in Louisiana or anywhere else. I project an open attitude which helps. I think all people have an inner sense and can feel vibrations similar to the way dogs do. I'm also never pushy about photographs and always ask if I can take the picture and usually send them a copy." Mariana is also an artist, calling herself a "molecular re-arranger." She does large abstracts in oil and acrylic, along with works in other mediums. Feel free to e-mail Mariana if you have questions or just want to talk. Caution, you may end up in her next book! Colonel Possum 11 March 2001
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