A small table with a few books and a small podium surrounded by12 chairs stood in the Union bookstore Wednesday in preparation fora book signing by LSU graduate and author, Dayne Sherman.
At 34, Sherman, a librarian at Southeastern LouisianaUniversity, just published his first novel, “Welcome to theFallen Paradise.”
Sherman spoke to the crowd about his novel and gave them thechance to ask questions.
Sherman read an excerpt from his book to the crowd. Speakingwith much enthusiasm, Sherman read each character’s speakingpart in a different voice.
Sherman said the novel takes place in Baxter Parish, La., afictional location based on his native parish of Tangipahoa. Hesaid it is a crime novel that centers around the life of the maincharacter, Jesse Tadlock.
Sherman said the topic of the novel was sparked by a real-lifeexperience when he and his family dug his cousin’s grave.
He said he wrote his entire novel between August and October of2003, writing four pages a day for 60 days.
“I wouldn’t go to sleep until my pages werewritten,” Sherman said.
Sherman said he recently has had short stories published inseveral magazines, including Country Roads Magazine and FourteenHills: The San Francisco State University Review.
Sherman said he was not involved with the publishing or cover ofhis book, but he was involved in the editing process.
Sherman, a high school dropout, said he has been an obsessivewriter since he was 18.
Sherman said he was in ninth grade for three years, and did notfinish English I or pass English II.
Sherman received his high school diploma when he took hisGeneral Education Development test on a whim. He then went on toreceive a bachelor’s degree in communication fromSoutheastern and a master’s in library and informationscience from LSU.
Sherman said he did not originally plan to write novels, but gothis start writing short stories.
He used to write poetry, but says he was horrible at it.
Sherman said when he first started writing his novel he had noidea what he was writing about.
“I knew how I wanted the book to end, but I didn’tknow where to begin,” Sherman said.
Sherman said the whole time he was writing he never ran out ofwords.
“I knew I had to get to the end. That’s whatpropelled it,” Sherman said. “That, and lots ofcoffee.”
Sherman said the characters in his book are partly fictional andpartly based on real people.
“One character in the book could be based on 12 people Iknow in real life,” Sherman said.
Tonya Duthu, a sociology administrative specialist at theUniversity and old friend of Sherman’s, said she enjoyedSherman’s presentation of his first novel.
“I’m so impressed by Dayne’s extraordinaryimagination,” Duthu said.
Sherman thanked the crowd for coming and reminded them to readbooks.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re mine or somebodyelse’s, as long as you read,” Sherman said.