Calling all worm grunters

To catch a fish you have to offer some bait, and the old-fashioned way to do that is to hang a worm on the line. Getting those worms is another story. The folks in Sopchoppy, Florida, population 460, are experts in the field, which is why they offer a festival every spring in honor of their worm-charming skills. 

The 17th annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival will be Saturday, April 8, 2017, in the northwest Florida town southwest of Tallahatchee and will include artisans and craftspeople, horseshoe championships, live music, hoola hoop contest, 5K race, bait casting contest and, of course, the worm grunting contest.

Just what exactly is worm grunting? Take a specific piece of metal and a piece of wood and worm grunters call worms to the surface. According to the festival press materials, these vibrations — not the noise — mimic those of a mole, which snacks on worms.

Lodging options include camping in Sopchoppy City Park, Ochlockonee River State Park, Holiday Park and Campground and Newport Campground. For accommodations with a roof over your head and toilet, try Sweet Magnolia Inn, Best Western Plus Wakulla Inn and Suites and Wakulla Springs Lodge in Wakulla and The Magnuson in Crawfordville. 

Cheré Dastugue Coen is a food and travel writer living in South Louisiana who is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire and the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Shark-Con: Come on in, the water's fine

They have –cons for everything these days. Comic-Con International is the country’s longest continuously run comics and popular arts convention, happening July 21-24 in San Diego. Bouchercon world mystery convention will be Sept. 15-18 in New Orleans, bringing together top mystery writers.

 Now, there’s Shark Con. Can you hear the John Williams music playing?

Shark-Con “…brings those who love the ocean together for a weekend of education and the fun of a Comic-Con,” according to the event’s website.

And then it terrorizes you.

The fun happens July 9-10, 2016, at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa with activities for children from nonprofit partners Sharks4Kids, Tampa Bay Watch and Shark Angels, lectures and more than 100 vendor booths. Dr. Ellen Prager will host Shark Trivia, visitors can dig for shark teeth and SharkSUP will teach stand-up paddleboard techniques (don’t fall in?).

It's all a nice ending to Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” happening now.

If you’d rather let your imagination run wild, Steve Alten has published a new MEG novel (short for Carcharodon Megalodon) that centers around a 70-foot, 50-ton prehistoric version of our modern-day Great White shark. This according to the author’s press release:

“A Megalodon’s jaws were so large they could devour an elephant in two bites, aided by over 100, 7-inch razor-sharp serrated teeth that the sharks used to feed on whales. And if that doesn’t scare you, consider this — Carcharodon Megalodon may still be out there.”

I’ll definitely read that before heading to the beach.

Alten and his novel, “MEG: Nightstalkers,” the first and latest book in the series, and a mass market paperback re-release of the novel that started it all, “MEG,” will make an appearance at Shark-Con. The NY Times and International best-selling author of 16 novels, including the “MEG” series and the No. 1 international best-selling “Domain” series about the Mayan doomsday calendar, suffers from Parkinson so his appearance is a rare treat.
            Want to see a book trailer for Alten’s latest. Click here.

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire. She is also the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.