The Texas Author and Reader Con on July 19th was a great event with a pretty big turnout! I had an amazing time on the Western panel, and it was an honor to share that stage with Ronnie Ashmore, Phil Mills Jr., Chris Mullen, and RJ Hanson. I learned a lot from these guys, and it energized me to push forward with my writing. It was such a great pleasure to meet and talk with so many great people! These kind of events just breathe new life into me every time I attend. I’m really looking forward to next years’ event. This con is getting bigger every year, and if you weren’t able to attend this year, come out next year! It promises to be an even bigger event! Special thanks to the Irving Community Television Network for coming out and doing a story on the event!
Family Adventure Part 3: Gatlin’s BBQ
So the first place on our list from High On the Hog was Gatlins’ BBQ. We stood in a long line but it moved very quickly. I had my heart set on a Smoked Bologna Sandwich but they were out of the bologna when we got to the front! It stood to reason as we were there mid-afternoon. We stood with some patrons who gushed about the place, many coming there since the beginning. I satisfied myself with a Rib sandwich, which was insanely tasty, and I have to admit, my son had the Mac n’ cheese, I took a taste and was disappointed I didn’t order it myself! My wife had a sausage plate, and that was excellent as well! If you are in Houston head over to this place for some magnificent BBQ!
After a moment Momma Gatlin herself came by our table and talked to us for a while, and she was gracious, kind, and we felt like part of her family before we left! Of course, I had to give her a copy of my book, and I hope she enjoyed it! I promised her whenever I return to Houston, which I will, several times in 2024 in fact (stay tuned!), that I would stop by. This is a promise I intend to keep!
Family Adventure Part 1: High On The Hog
As we start 2024, I’d like to show a little adventure I took the family on during the week of Thanksgiving 2023. But first, a bit of background about how it started…High On The Hog. This is a book about African-American history as told through our food. The book was turned into a Netflix series which is currently in its second season, and I can’t recommend it enough. Everyone, no matter your skin color should watch it. It’s beautiful, it’s challenging, it’s full of heart and I know you’ll find something out about Black cuisine and the history behind it you didn’t know. The fourth episode is called Freedom and moves the story to Texas, and I was exposed to places I have never heard of and people I have never met. I decided to change that in a big way. After all, I can’t be a Black Western writer and say “Nope never been” when asked if I’ve ever been to the Black Cowboy Museum, could I?
This is the first of a series of posts, and if you’d like to play along, start by watching the Netflix series High on the Hog. While I think you should watch EVERY episode because they are all simply fantastic, starting out with episode 4, Texas, will suffice! And look what I got for Christmas! The book itself!
Liberty Saints Press 