Shannon Terry Wiley at the GDBS

The Garden District Book Shop welcomes author Shannon Terry Wiley to the shop on April 22 for an evening celebrating the release of her debut novel Yellow September: A Louisiana Love Story of Pestilence and Perseverance.

The evening will begin at 6:00 PM. Wiley will be joined in conversation by author and researcher Nancy Dixon. After their discussion, Wiley will answer guest’s questions and personalize copies of her book. The event is free and open to the public but interested parties are encouraged to RSVP and reserve their copies of Yellow September ahead of time on Eventbrite.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a heartwarming story of love, loss, and perseverance, debut author Shannon Terry Wiley chronicles the experiences of those in Shreveport, Louisiana, during the September 1873 outbreak of yellow fever, which ultimately killed over a thousand individuals. Weaving together fictional storylines and real history, Wiley paints a vivid picture of the unspeakable tragedy and the people who lived through it.

Through multiple points of view, Yellow September narrates the fortunes of those in the fever-wracked town. Two brothers, George and Eugene, find themselves far from their Midwestern roots while working for the Army Corps of Engineers. Sent to battle a massive logjam blocking the Red River, the pair find themselves grappling with two very different commitments. Meanwhile, Katherine, a farm girl living along the Silver Bayou with her family, who are still grieving the wartime death of her father, faces a difficult choice with consequences that echo throughout her life. Others, like Dr. Dalzell, a pastor and doctor in town, and Eleanor and David, parents fleeing the fever, bring a nuanced perspective to the experiences of those swept up in the outbreak.

With epistolary touches throughout, the novel is a testament to the enduring love of family—those we are born with and those we choose—and tells a profound story of duty, devotion, and community.

Shannon Terry Wiley is a Louisiana native with deep roots in Southern storytelling. She earned her English degree from LSU and an MA in Creative Writing from Sam Houston State University. After more than thirty years as a high school English teacher, she now brings her love of history and place to the page. When she’s not writing, Shannon enjoys reading on the porch, fishing Louisiana backwaters, spoiling her rescue pup, Dante—and her grandchildren, Waylon and Mae. This is her debut novel.