From Tuesday to Friday, the Nilsen Endowment Visiting Writer Program will host David Armand, who is a writer and a creative writing professor at Southeastern Louisiana University who also works in high schools in his area helping students receive college credit for their writing. He has written two novels "The Pugilist's Wife" and "Harlow." He just finished his third novel, which he is waiting for a publisher to pick up. All of his novels take place in Louisiana.

"I use my background and life experiences for some of the characters in my novels," Armand said.

Some of Armand's many life experiences include odd jobs, such as a drywall hanger, a draftsman and a press operator in a flag printing factory. Armand also stated that he makes some of the characters out of people he has met in the past or people in his community. His favorite authors are those who write from live experiences.

"Some of these characters tend to weave in and out my books, sometimes appearing in other books, as minor characters," Armand said.

Armand said he began writing as a small child.

"I used to draw comic books," Armand said

As he grew he said that he stopped writing once he got into high school, but it was not until Armand was out of college that he realized his talent for writing and began to use it.

Aside from being a professor at the Southeastern Louisiana University, he is also an editor for Louisiana Literature Press, which publishes two books a year. He works mainly as the solicitor between the press and the authors, but he also edits and designs the books published as it comes out twice a year.

Though he wants to one day travel and speak to universities full time, Armand said he is happy where he is now, even though he has a lot on his plate. He said it keeps him busy and he gets to meet new people and have new experiences that he may be able to put into his books one day.

During the week of his stay here at Southeast, Armand will visit several classes, and will present a reading from his work on 7 p.m. Wednesday in Crisp Hall Room 125. Armand said he enjoys doing readings and visiting universities, libraries and book festivals. He hopes that one day he may be able to do more of it.

"I have heard good reviews about him and his readings," Dr. Susan Swartwout who is helping organize this reading, said. Swartwout also said that she hopes that Armand inspires students to become authors.