“It’s October in New Orleans, and all evenings are hallowed.” – Station of the Birds
Betsy Sussler, BOMB Magazine Founder and natural storyteller, creates magic at The Church with her newly released debut novel Station of the Birds (January 2026, Spuyten Duyvil Publishing). This unique evening sees live music, a live reading with the author and an illuminating discussion between Sussler and The Church co-founder April Gornik, plus a thoughtful Q&A with the audience, followed by a book signing. A warm thank you to Real East End Brass helping us to kick off the program with a special musical performance designed to deepen our connection to the landscape of the novel.
Set in the bayous, swamps, and drug dens of the Louisiana backcountry and New Orleans, Station of the Birds is a thrilling family saga that takes readers through a physical landscape and a psychological one.
Following the story of Daryl Munroe, a well-educated, privileged, and disinherited prodigal son, readers are led to Munroe’s hometown in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Swamp where he is hell bent on intimidating his father by setting up an illegal smuggling business. He joins forces with his estranged childhood friend, Michael Duvet, the son of a local jazz musician and together they begin a mysterious quest in an area steeped in myth & generational lore and entrenched by barriers of class and race. Part fever dream, part cautionary tale, Station of the Birds spins a narrative about fathers and sons, addiction’s hollow banging at the gate, and the ritual sacrifices rooted in agrarian culture.