Local Author Book Signing for Debut Novel about Hurricane Katrina

Julie Lamana will be signing copies of her new book, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere

    Denham Springs, LA – Cavalier House Books will be hosting a book signing for local author, Julie T. Lamana, on Thursday, April 17th beginning at 5p.m. and set to last until 7:30p.m. Lamana’s debut novel, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere, was released on April 8th. It is a moving tale about a young girl and her family’s struggle to survive Hurricane Katrina. Booklist calls Lamana’s book an “accomplished debut…full of touching, distressing detail.” Kirkus Reviews wrote it is “an honest, bleak account of a national tragedy sure to inspire discussion and research.”

    Julie T. Lamana grew up in a military family, moving frequently throughout the U.S. and Japan. She and her husband, Keith, eventually chose to make Louisiana their permanent home. Julie was working as an after-school Literacy Specialist in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina tore through her state. She was in a position to help displaced children through one of the most devastating tragedies in U.S. history, giving her a unique insight into the survivor’s experience and sparking the idea to write Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere. Julie currently lives with her family in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana. 

    Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her 10th birthday. All her friends are coming to her party, her mama is making a big cake with blue icing, and she has a good feeling about a certain wrapped box. Turning ten is a big deal to Armani. It means she’s older, wiser, more responsible. But when Hurricane Katrina hits the Lower Nines of New Orleans and tears her world apart, Armani realizes that being ten means being brave, watching loved ones die, and mustering all her strength to help her family survive the storm. Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere is a story of courage. It is a story of an African-American family’s survival. But most importantly, it is about the miraculous power of hope and love in the face of the unthinkable.