17 Apr 2007

New Orleans booksigning draws crowd

Dear Friends,

We wish to express our thanks to all who helped make tonight's booksigning event in New Orleans such a success, in particular John Macheca, Andrew Dodenhoff, and Britton and Deb from Garden District Book Shop. The event, originally scheduled for 5-7 p.m., had to be extended to 9 p.m.

We were delighted by the turnout and by the opportunity to meet with former New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu and his wife Verna, American Italian Foundation President Joseph Maselli, historical researcher Doug Casey of Metairie and historian/entrepreneur Fernando Cuquet of Mississippi, as well as the many descendants of the Macheca clan who stopped in for the event.

	Martha and Tom have a few moments to talk before the event begins. After collaborating on "Deep Water" for four and a half years through e-mail, mail and telephone, it was their first opportunity to meet each other in person.
	Tom meets with Mississippi entrepreneur/historian Fernando Cuquet, whose research into the 1891 Crescent City lynchings prompted Martha to investigate her family history.
	Reporter Christopher Tidmore of radio station 99.5 FM in New Orleans discusses Macheca family history with Martha.
	Tidmore interviews Tom on the relationship between organized crime and organized politics in 19th Century New Orleans.
	A good-sized crowd gathered outside of the Garden District Book Shop within the historic Rink building on Prytania Street. The Rink reportedly dates from the Cotton Centennial Exposition, which is discussed in "Deep Water."
	Martha speaks with American-Italian Foundation President Joseph Maselli. Mr. Maselli generously provided background information on early southern Italian immigration to New Orleans for the "Deep Water" book.