Connie Collins Morgan

Connie Collins Morgan grew up in a rich culture of French-speaking people in Lafayette, Louisiana ─ a city recognized for its "joie de vivre." She lived minutes away from the Vermilion Bayou, a magical place that fueled her imagination with enchanting adventures. Firmly rooted in Connie's childhood was a deep passion for literature. This passion led her to a degree in elementary education from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. In 2011, Connie graduated from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia with an MFA in Children's Literature after completing her thesis, The Cajun I Am. Her first children's story, The Runaway Beignet, earned recognition at Hollins when selected as a finalist for the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Award. The Runaway Beignet was published in 2014 by Pelican Publishing Company. The story celebrates the folklore of New Orleans. It promotes the originality and distinctiveness of the south Louisiana region. The beignet's rambunctious romp through the city of New Orleans highlights the city's cultural icons, musical heritage, and unique dialects. Published in 2016 by Pelican Publishing, Hercules on the Bayou stirs together myth and culture and is steeped in Louisiana traditions. Woven into the Labors of Hercules, are mini pourquoi tales revealing elements unique to the Louisiana region. The story celebrates the rich culture of the French-speaking people in south Louisiana. Connie and her husband, Del, reside in the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia, in proximity to their four children. She currently teaches school in Middletown, Maryland and has twenty-two years experience in the field of education. Although she no longer lives in south Louisiana, she recognizes the significance of her roots and will always be a Cajun at heart. Her French heritage remains her constant companion. Connie seizes every opportunity as a visiting author to share the rich Louisiana culture that shaped her.