by KAREN LAGRANGE COX
Broussard resident Linda A. Meaux started her writing journey for the Daily World newspaper in Opelousas when she was fifteen years old. Her role was a society correspondent for the community of Chataignier, which is about eight miles northeast of Eunice. On the weekends, Meaux said the newspaper published stories and poems written by their staff. She submitted some of the poems and stories she wrote for publishing.
After high school, Meaux attended T. H. Harris Vocational School, now known as South Louisiana Community College (SLCC) T. H. Harris Campus in Opelousas. It was there she studied business, then joined the United States Navy.
After leaving the Navy, she became a reporter and worked for several different newspapers.
Meaux tells the story of meeting Kirk Dugas, owner of a cellular phone store in Broussard in 2005. She needed a new cell phone and went to Dugas’ cellular store to purchase one. Through conversation it came up Dugas was looking to start a newspaper for Broussard and needed a reporter for it. With Meaux being a reporter, Dugas hired Meaux on the spot for The Broussard Independent. The newspaper was in publication from 2005 until around 2007.
Meaux next reported for the The Acadiana Gazette newspaper, which was started by Christina Edwards, according to Meaux. That newspaper stopped publication around 2016.
Meaux has written five books and offers book editing services and art design. Of the books she wrote, one is Images of America: Broussard which displays historic photos while giving historical information on the City of Broussard. To obtain the historical information and photos on Broussard, Meaux did interviews with those who could provide information and photos. Old photos were loaned to Meaux to copy. After copying the photos she returned the photographs to the those who loaned the photos to her.
Other books written by Meaux are Jake Lebleu Opposing the Soul Stealers, Reflections for Quiet Moments and Willow Caine: The Traiteur of Delacroix. She co-authored My Love’s Entry into another Universe with David A. Spriggs. Reflections for Quiet Moments is a book of Meaux’s reflections of her deceased father, who she considers her hero.
Meaux’s talents don’t stop with writing and reporting. She also paints. One of her paintings is a scene on a four-foot fiberglass and metal fiddle that is part of Fiddle Mania in Opelousas. The Fiddle Mania project was created in 2010 to showcase the unique history and culture of Opelousas. The fiddles were commissioned by twenty-one area artists and are displayed around the St. Landry Parish Court House Square and other areas of downtown Opelousas.
A member of L’Acadian Art Guild, Meaux states she loves showcasing the music, food and culture of south Louisiana in her paintings.
Prior to moving to Broussard twenty-five years ago, the retired investigative reporter lived in Lafayette and grew up in Opelousas.
