Dark pasts and darker secrets lie at the heart of the Deep South. Louisiana's Bayou Country sets the stage for this gritty debut collection of short fiction by Suzanne De Cayette. Bold, lyrically haunting, and richly woven Widow's Weeds and the accompanying stories explore taboos and secrets entwined in the history of the American South, offering an original voice to universal themes of social injustice, intolerance, and ultimately- hope. Widow's Weeds It's summer 1940 in St. Giles Parish, Louisiana. Nine-year-old Louie Parsons is on a quest to find his friend who disappeared one June night. From his perch in the live oak tree, Louie eyes Zandria Baudelaire as she gathers roots and herbs. An outcast, known by the town as the witch-lady, Louie believes Zandria is the one person who might know what happened to his friend Jesse. At first, fear and fascination prevent Louie from speaking to the witch-lady, but the need to know what happened to Jesse pulls him away from his world and into hers. When Louie's father, a respected member of the community and the Klan, poses a threat to Zandria, Louie must choose between the world he knows and the world she has taught him to love. As the result of Louie's decision, his father's life hangs in the balance. Child of Fire The short story that sparks the beginning of Zandria's journey; a child born into fire and raised in hell. Sing me a Sweet Song Tonight Claireborne Parish shelters a secret of sadness and loss. For Angel Hamilton, a 17-year old girl, her sense of loss turns to hope with the arrival of a mysterious traveling preacher, until the preacher's demons shadow even Claireborne's own, locking Angel into a battle for her self and soul.