New Orleans resident makes most out of stay

New Orleans author and jazz musician Tom Piazza is still in exile in Southeast Missouri, just as he has been since Hurricane Katrina struck.

The situation presented the perfect opportunity for Southeast Missouri State University's English Department. The department is constantly seeking real-life authors to give perspective to its students, especially if they're winners of the James Michener Award for Fiction like Piazza.

So as he waits to return to his teaching job at New Orleans' Loyola University, Piazza will deliver two public lectures at Southeast on Wednesday. The writer/teacher/musician will discuss writing, music, New Orleans and the hurricane that has wracked his home city.

Piazza's first speaking engagement will be the informal "An Afternoon with the Author," held from 3 to 4 p.m. in Crisp Hall Auditorium, in which he'll talk about writing books and music. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium, Piazza will read from his novel "My Cold War" and his book of short stories "Blues and Trouble," winner of the Michener award.

Dr. Susan Swartwout, professor with the English Department, will be a part of the afternoon discussion. She has been reading Piazza's work, and raves about both "My Cold War" and "Blues and Trouble."

"In the short stories what I most like about his work is he has the skill of developing characters that are identifiable, and you know them," Swartwout said. "They are not completely likable, like all the rest of us, and he puts them in complex situations."

Piazza had his first book published in 1995, a scholarly work called "The Guide to Classic Recorded Jazz." But it was 1996's "Blues and Trouble" that put him on the literary map, a book that was followed by "True Adventures with the King of Bluegrass," a portrait of bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin.

"My Cold War," published in 2003, has garnered great critical praise as an examination of the human character and its relationship to history. The novel tells the story of a history professor and author in the process of writing a history of the Cold War who has to confront his own history.

Piazza is prolific, with writings beyond his books. Last year he won a Grammy for his essay on blues and blues history in the five CD box set, "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey." A fan and follower of Bob Dylan, Piazza also wrote an essay on the folk great's early 1990s recording for publication in "Studio A: The Bob Dylan Reader."

The discussion Tuesday afternoon may turn easily to the subject of Katrina, said Swartwout, but the real value of Piazza's visit is to teach writing students about their own futures. Piazza will also visit an afternoon advanced creative writing class to talk about short story writing.

Making a living on creative writing alone is hard, she said, but Piazza's provides a good example of an author who has a job that can sustain him.

"He's sort of the standard for writers, you get a teaching job and you write on the side," said Swartwout.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Want to go?

* What: Tom Piazza speaks at Southeast Missouri State University

* When/Where: Wednesday, 3 p.m., Crisp Hall Auditorium, 7:30 p.m., Glenn Auditorium

* Info: 651-2641