Jim Fraiser's next book was supposed to be a look at the history, architecture and culture of the Gulf Coast.
Now, because of Hurricane Katrina, the book is more of a tribute, with many images of structures that no longer stand.
Originally titled "The Mississippi Gulf Coast," the book now is called "The Vanished Mississippi Gulf Coast." And Fraiser, who has great affection for the region, said modifying the book after Katrina was painful.
"It was through tears, I assure you," he said. "It was terrible to think about my beloved coast being destroyed like it was."
Fraiser's mother-in-law lives on the coast, and he traveled to his former law firm's Biloxi office from time to time. He also lived on the coast for one summer while working as an intern, and he has returned for festivals and other events.
"The Vanished Mississippi Gulf Coast" is scheduled to come out later this year. Even though many people there lost their homes or businesses, he said, the book can serve as a memento. "There's never been a more resilient group of people that I've ever seen."
Fraiser came up with the idea for the book after writing the novel "Camille," which was set in Bay St. Louis at the time of Hurricane Camille in 1969.
Deciding that the coast was due for another hurricane, Fraiser convinced his publisher to move forward with a book covering 300 years of the region's history.
He worked with Clarion-Ledger photographer Rick Guy on the project. They were on schedule, and Guy was taking his last set of photos - and then Katrina struck. Guy rode out the storm in a hotel on Interstate 10, which flooded, and then he took photos afterward.
The book will be divided by city, describing architectural structures and their significance and then cultural features such as festivals and restaurants. The preface will describe the book's original plan and how it had to be changed.
And more of Fraiser's work is on the way.
Next year, "The Majesty of Mississippi" will be released. That volume is a combination of two other Fraiser books, "The Majesty of the Mississippi Delta" and "The Majesty of East Mississippi and the Coast," as well as another author's writings about Natchez.
The "Majesty" books focus more on individual houses rather than whole towns. Like "The Vanished Mississippi Gulf Coast," these works had to be amended to reflect structures that are gone.
Then, the following year, Fraiser's book on the garden district of New Orleans is scheduled to be released.
And even with a new job in Tupelo, he plans to keep writing. It's not easy to make time, since his children have gotten older and want to spend time with him - but he feels the need to do it.
"It's been very difficult, but I'm addicted to it, as all writers are," he said. "I just can't imagine why anyone would be addicted to it, but we are."
In addition to his three novels and the "Majesty" books, Fraiser's past works include "For Love of the Game: The Holy Wars of Millsaps College & Mississippi College Football" and "Mississippi River Country Tales: A Celebration of 500 Years of Deep South History."
