Mary Alice Fontenot (1999)
Louisiana Legends
Details
Collection:LPB
Genre: Interview
Place Covered: Eunice, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority
Date Issued: 1999-08-27
Duration: 00:25:46
Subjects: Fontenot, Mary Alice | Authors | Children's books | Clovis Crawfish (Fictitious character) | Cajun French dialect | Biographers | Keyes, Frances Parkinson, 1885-1970 | DOUCET, D.J. "CAT" (SHERIFF) | Jeanmard, Jules B., 1879-1957 | Writing | Catholic Church
Contributors:
- Weill, Gus Host
- Fowler, Ken Producer
- Fontenot, Mary Alice Interviewee
Description
This episode of the series “Louisiana Legends” from August 27, 1999, features an interview with Mary Alice Fontenot conducted by Gus Weill. Fontenot, a native of Eunice, is the author of the Clovis Crawfish children’s book series. She discusses: growing up in Eunice; writing book reviews for local papers; the importance of libraries; performing research for author Francis Parkinson Keyes and her book “Blue Camellia”; her job as a kindergarten teacher; teaching the kids French; creating the character of Clovis the Crawfish; her determination to include French words in the Clovis series; her biography of the controversial St. Landry Parish Sheriff D.J. “Cat” Doucet; collaborating with Kathleen Toups on a biography of Bishop Jules B. Jeanmard, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette; and her love of writing.