Article and Photos by DeAnn Lubell
Recently, I became a part of a team of extraordinary writers called Writers of Wit & Wisdom – All About Books that includes founders Rachel Druten (humor), Joanne Hardy (historical fiction), along with guest artists Kathy Strong (travel), Joyce Bulifant (entertainment), Ruthie Darling (children’s fiction), and Dr. Susan Murphy (leadership and relationships). Three of us at a time are available to share our stories in a 30-minute complimentary program for your book clubs, rotary meetings, schools, etc. For information and to schedule a program please go to allaboutbooks51@gmail.com or call 760-340-2598. Each writer and their books will be profiled and featured in future Desert Art Scene columns.
My own story:
I am credited with being widely respected throughout Southern California in negotiations, marketing, event planning and production, as well as social and visionary strategy development. I have represented non-profits and businesses in resort areas along both coasts of the USA for more than three decades. A resident of the Coachella Valley since 1991.
An accredited writer, I have written for several popular publications including the Palm Springs Life Magazine, Next Magazine, The Desert Women, The Desert Sun, Desert Charities News, and the Desert Magazine. My published works include a novelette Nightmare Island, historic and educational books for Little Folk Visuals, as well as a comprehensive medical guide on the functions of the body.
My historical novel The Last Moon has won five national awards and three international awards including a gold medal first place for historical fiction from Reader’s Favorites and the first-place winner in the category of historical fiction at the 2016 Amsterdam Book Festival.
I first learned of this fascinating story at 18-years-old while attending Western State University as a journalism student. I immediately vowed to visit the island and do proper research before writing a historical novel based on the incident. It took twenty-plus years for the opportunity to present itself. By freakish happenstance, Yves Clerc, the grandson of one of the actual historical characters from that time in 1902, Fernand Clerc, came to view the home of mine for sale in Boca Raton, Florida. Upon learning of my ambition and passion regarding this enormous tragedy, Mr. Clerc immediately arranged for a two-week visit to Martinique with an introduction to local officials and historians, and even an eye-witness account. As a result, armed with research and valuable interviews, I was able to begin and eventually complete my historical novel.
“As a colony of France, Saint-Pierre has a unique mix of societal and cultural structures”, said Gabriella Tutino of US Reviews. “The author lays the foundation that even though white landowners and businessmen are in the minority populace, they are mostly in control of the town’s economy. Readers see this in how the author portrays the various ways in which black and mulatto citizens must work, doing hard labor and sometimes subservient jobs to continue to survive on their island. In writing about a place where most inhabitants are people of color, the author takes care not to fetishize or caricature the natives of Martinique, their culture, and their land. Instead, readers get a detailed, vibrant understanding of the way of life of the people of Martinique in the late 1880s and the nuances of their culture that come from being a colony.”
For more information, please go to https://thelastmoonnovel.com The Last Moon by DeAnn Lubell is also available on Amazon. DeAnn can be reached at lulubell24@aol.com
