BSWRC Mission

BSWRC's Mission

The Bayou Soul Writers and Reader’s Conference has a dual mission to celebrate the literary arts by bringing together established and emerging writers, book lovers, readers and publishing industry professionals in New Orleans as well as to empower youth in Louisiana by pushing education, writing, reading and the basic skills to survive in an ever changing, technological world.

About the Founder

“Clarence Nero is one of our most promising young writers,” Maya Angelou.

Clarence Nero, author, screenwriter, educator, and founder of the Bayou Soul Conference grew up in New Orleans Ninth Ward and graduated from Howard University with a B.S. in Chemistry. His first novel, “Cheekie: A Child Out of the Desire,” was critically acclaimed and favorably praised by Dr. Maya Angelou who says that Clarence is “a promising writer.” His screenplay “Cheekie” was recommended to Sundance Lab by Jonathan Demme, Academy Award Winning Director of “Silence of the Lambs” and “Beloved.” Clarence second novel “Three Sides To Every Story” was endorsed by bestselling author E. Lynn Harris as well as a book club favorite. His new novel “Too Much of a Good Thing” was read by Zane, Queen of Erotica Fiction who said “the book was wonderful. Sheila, Johnny, and James were well drawn out characters and had a lot of drama going on. Great job!”

Clarence is the self-proclaimed “King of Drama” and has an MFA in Creative Writing from Louisiana State University. He teaches at the Baton Rouge Community College.