A Good Place

Loving and Losing a Dog

Lent Lourens, a South African living in Uganda, is a dear friend of ours. Yesterday she had to put down her twelve year old dog. I was reminded of the pain of losing a dog. I thought about this story from our novel,  A Good Place. Male readers often say,  “Curt, I cried when I read that chapter about Bo the …

Read More »

Chapters 1 and 19 of A Good Place

Chapter 1   A Good Place WHEN Daddy shoved me under the table, I knew this wasn’t just any storm. As the crow flies, our Louisiana log cabin was a hundred miles from the Gulf of Mexico. When this day had quietly begun, no one had any idea a hurricane was churning ashore. Here we were less than twelve hours later, …

Read More »

“Snake-Popping” An excerpt from “A Good Place.”

My favorite current passage from A Good Place. I read the following story to a Sr. Adult group earlier in the week.  One lady laughed so hard I thought we were going to have to do the Heimlich Maneuver on her. Here is it for you to read, enjoy, and laugh. Author’s note:  Mayo Moore, preteen son of Joe and …

Read More »

Log Float on the Calcasieu A Good Place

Special thanks to my friend Joe Chaney for inspiring this scene. A Good Place, the upcoming novel from Creekbank Stories Curt’s followup novel to The Wayfaring Stranger should be ready later in 2009. We’ll keep you posted as we know more. Set in 1863, it tells the story of Joe and Eliza Moore through the eyes of their son Mayo. …

Read More »

Naming Characters: From A Good Place

Should her name be Gisele or _____________? At the bottom of this blog are dozens of suggested names. Select your favorite three (3) and send them to me via Facebook or the comment section of this blog. I’ll pass the results on later. Author’s note: For nearly a year I’ve been in love with this young Creole girl I’ve named …

Read More »

From A Good Place

This scene from my upcoming seventh book, A Good Place, is set in Piney Woods in western Louisiana in 1863. The characters in the story, 13-year-old Mayo and his PaPaw (Willard Clark) are discussing Mayo’s father’s (Joe Moore) decision to join the Southern army in the Civil War encroaches on their part of the state. -Curt Iles http://www.creekbank.net It is …

Read More »

Book Plates and A Good Place

This is a “book plate.” It is an adhesive label for placement inside a book cover. If you have any of my six (6) books and do not have a personal autograph, I’ll be happy to send one your way. Here’s how: Email me and include the following. In the subject line, put “Book Plate.” In the text body of …

Read More »

Chapter 1 Commentary: “A Good Place”

A Good Place Chapter by Chapter Commentary Chapter 1 A Good Place begins with a hurricane. Author Notes: My experience with riding out Hurricane Rita in September 2005 led to the writing of this chapter. I was in charge of a camp full of 300 evacuees on the night Rita moved in from the Gulf. Even though Dry Creek is …

Read More »

Sample Chapter A Good Place by Curt Iles

A Good Place Readers: How you can help. Part of the joy of writing is working with friends and readers to improve our stories. I need your help on the name of one character. Curt Iles’ new novel, A Good Place, follows the story of Joe and Eliza Moore. Moving ahead ten years from their story in The Wayfaring Stranger, …

Read More »

Louisiana’s “No Man’s Land” Maps

The two maps (above) are in the second edition of The Wayfaring Stranger. The first map is sketched by my special Dry Creek friend, Debra Tyler. I think it is great. The second beautiful map is by my good friend, Peyton Freeman of Wise Publishing in Sulphur. Thanks Deb and Peyton! click on maps to see a larger view. The …

Read More »