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GONZALES – Local author, and amateur genealogist Chad J. LeBlanc of Gonzales, has published his debut work of historical fiction, “The Roots of the Bayou” through Kindle Direct Publishing.

Set in 18^th Century Acadia, Canary Islands, France and Louisiana “The Roots of the Bayou” is the story of two families of disparate means who both find themselves in unfortunate circumstances.

Honore, a well-respected and successful man in his community of Pisiguit, Acadia suddenly finds himself and his young family without a home. His son Joseph had just turned two years old. The family is scattered to the winds across the Atlantic to England then France. The years pass and Joseph, now a young man, longs to be reunited with his extended family in Louisiana.

Nearly 3,000 miles away in the Canary Islands, a young man named Andres faces the harsh realities and misfortunes of life before he and his family are finally presented with an opportunity for a fresh start in Louisiana.

These two families from different places, speaking different languages, and of different cultures ultimately come together in the inhospitable swamps and along the murky bayous of southern Louisiana.

Follow the journey of these courageous and resilient people as they live off the land and face life’s challenges. Along the way you will come to know the fascinating story of these two cultures and the vastly different circumstances that brought them together.

LeBlanc said “The Roots of the Bayou” is much more than just a work of historical fiction.

“This is our story. Today, there are literally thousands and thousands of descendants of both the Acadians and the Isleños (Canary Islanders). Since the early 1800s, these groups have been intermarrying and continue to do so today,” he said. “If you are able to go back that far on your family tree you will find that you have hundreds of great (x5 or x6) grandparents. If your family has been in Louisiana that long then it is almost impossible not to be descendent of one of these groups, but more likely you are descended from both.”

Some Acadian surnames are Aucoin, Babin, Bergeron, Blanchard, Boudreaux, Bourg, Breaux, Comeaux, Crochet, Daigle, Doucet, Dugas, Dupuis, Foret, Gaudet, Gautreaux, Guidry, Guillot, Hebert, Lambert, Landry, LeBlanc, Martin, Melancon, Michel, Olivier, Pitre, Prejean, Richard, Sonnier, Talbot, Templet, Theriot, Thibodeaux, Trahan and many more.

Some Isleño surnames are Acosta, Albarado, Alleman, Aguillard, Alvarez (Alberes*), Ascano (Eskine*), Caballero, Carbo, Cavalier, Dominguez (Domingue*), Falcon, Fernandez, Gonzales, Gomez, Hernandez, Hidalgo, Monzon, Morales, Perera, Placencia (Plaisance*), Quesada (Cassard*), Rivero (Rivere*), Sanchez, Torres, Trujillo (Truxillo*) and many more.

LeBlanc is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book-signings contact chadleb@gmail.com.