Page 22 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2019

COASTNOTES
New
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster Cphoto courtesy of Thomas Simmons
oast native Thomas Simmons is at it again with the third installment of his stand-alone series, The Quinn Saga. Following the tales of By Accident of Birth and Last Quinn Standing, No
Promise for Tomorrow introduces us to another member of the Quinn family, Lt. Ansel Quinn.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, readers are introduced to Ansel’s headstrong wife Isabel as the newlywed couple prepare for their honeymoon in New Orleans following Ansel’s release from military service after sustaining injuries on the frontline. Through
a startling twist of events, Ansel and Isabel find themselves in the middle of
the war, drawn into American intelligence service in Cuba. There, in the heart of Cuba, Germany plots to turn Cuba and Mexico against the United States in the hopes of keeping the country from joining the Allied powers.
Simmons’ writing
style brings the
characters and
scenery to life while
maintaining the factual nature readers expect from historical fiction. “The key to historical fiction is the factual; the last thing an author of historical fiction wants is to have readers find errors in the facts, events, settings, etc. in his work,” Simmons said.
No Promise for Tomorrow is available now.
story by
Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
The scent of barbecue will fill the air on March
23 at the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra’s 31st Annual Barbecue Under the Oaks. This year’s
event is themed ‘Swine & Dine’ and will be held at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Thirty teams of “Ribmeisters” compete to create the most succulent barbecue of the bunch. “Attendees are able to sample any of the barbecue specialties at this all-you-can-eat event,” says Jordan Warren, executive director of the Symphony. “Enjoy beverages, musical entertainment from the youth orchestra and several other activities for the whole family. Our biggest attraction — other than the food — is our drawdown. For $100 a ticket, you’ll have a chance to win the $10,000 cash prize.”
The event is well-known regionally and was recently awarded one of only eight “Awards of Excellence” presented by the League of American Symphonies Volunteer Council, recognizing Barbecue Under the Oaks as one of the best fundraising events in the nation.
Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 at the door with $10 admission for children ages 6-12. Advance tickets can be purchased by phone, or by visiting the Symphony office.
Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra
11975 Seaway Rd., Ste. B233 Gulfport, Mississippi 228.896.4276 www.gulfcoastsymphony.net
22 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • March 2019
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Thomas Simmons Book Continues Quinn Saga