Meet Billy Augustine, Our First Contributing Writer

October 29, 2026
KNOW BEAUMONT

Billy Augustine came home from college for one semester at Lamar. That was twenty-five years ago.

Today he becomes our first contributing writer. He starts by telling you who he is, then why he calls Beaumont a crawfish trap.

Save this one for your afternoon break. You'll want to read it to the end.

A NOTE FROM JENNY

I'm happy to welcome our first contributing writer to love, Beaumont.

Billy Augustine is a local author with plenty of Beaumont stories to tell. For the next three months, he'll be joining us once a month with his own take on the people, places, and experiences that make this city what it is.

I thought we'd start by letting you get to know Billy, in his own words.

IN HIS OWN WORDS

By Billy Augustine

When I was twenty-two, I set out to write my first book. Striking Out in Coed Softball and in Life was going to be a memoir, of sorts. The problem was, I didn't have an ending. Since then, I have always wanted to write, but lacked the follow through to finish the task. That changed when my godfather, my Parrian, passed away.

My Parrian (pronounced paw-dan) was the last of his generation to go. I was lucky enough to grow up knowing not only my grandparents, but my great grandparents too. For a brief window in time, my son was even alive at the same time as his great, great grandparents. My godparents were from this same generation. I had wanted to write a book to memorialize the stories of these four people who meant so much to me, and had tried to write it down a few times before. My great grandmother had passed away a decade earlier. She was the first to go. The idea for Four Funerals in Mamou came to me on the ride home from that funeral, but it would take a few more funerals to finish the story.

Each time a loved one passed, I would go back to the story. Each time, trying to write it as non-fiction. I kept getting hung up on details, though. The problem with the truth is it's not for everyone. When my Parrian passed, I knew I had to write their story then or the memories would continue to fade away. I allowed myself the freedom to write the story as fiction, and it poured out. Five months to the day, I finished the fictional account of my family's final four trips to Mamou.

Four Funerals in Mamou was released February 3rd of this year. Locally it's available at Boss Lady Books on Calder, For Heaven's Sake, the Mailroom, and Courville's!

I never could have imagined everything that has happened since the release of Four Funerals in Mamou. I was able to share a copy with hometown hero Kendrick Perkins at Mural Fest. He and I were on a little dribblers team together back in the 1900's. We had one play. It was called the Ken Bomb. We passed it to Kendrick, and he scored. We won the championship that year.

Thanks to my friends at Courville's, I had the opportunity to open for Hayes Carll, with my book. I met Hayes Carll in 2006 when I was asked to leave Lee Ann Womack's hotel room, by Cody Canada, in Steamboat, Colorado. Hayes left that party because I got kicked out. After that, he was always a little bit of a hero in my book. To get to take the stage before him, tell stories, and read from Four Funerals in Mamou was truly a surreal experience.

I have also met hundreds of people from Beaumont. Living here my whole life, I thought I knew a lot of people. I've been amazed meeting so many transplants and lifelong residents I had never met before. Folks who are talented artists, poets, photographers, and musicians. They are shopkeepers, bartenders, and promoters. They are all wonderful people, and they all have one thing in common. They all love Beaumont.

When love, Beaumont first popped up as a suggested friend on Instagram, I hoped I'd have the opportunity to contribute. I've wanted to write about Beaumont, but was not sure where to start. The algorithm knew, and I'm so glad it did. I'm looking forward to sharing stories with you over the next few months. Stories about growing up in Beaumont, and maybe a few about growing old. Stories that will make you love Beaumont just a little bit more, and proud to call her home.

BILLY'S BEAUMONT · NO. 01

The Beaumont Crawfish Trap
By Billy Augustine

I've often called Beaumont a crawfish trap. This particular type of trap is a chicken wire cage with a PVC pipe neck. The trap is baited with a chicken neck, a fan favorite of the crawfish. The hungry mudbug, eyeing the trap, thinks he can just climb in and grab a quick snack. As soon as he's done, he tries to climb out the top of the cage. Every time he does, he hits the PVC and falls back in. Destined to spend the rest of his days waiting to be boiled.

I came home from college my sophomore year for a semester at Lamar. This was going to be a temporary pit stop before heading off to Southwest Texas State. I've been back home for twenty-five years. In the past, I too often felt like that crawfish who kept falling back into the trap. My love for Beaumont was a reluctant one. When you're twenty, and have just returned to your old bedroom at your parents' house, you tend to be pretty negative. The longer I was home, though, the more I forgot why I was supposed to be mad. For me, one thing made Beaumont better.

The People.

All but one of the chapters of my life have taken place in Beaumont. Many people have filtered in and out of my life during those chapters, all leaving a mark. Beaumont is full of wonderful artists. Painters like Joey Blazek and Inez. Folks like thingsbeaumonterslike. Photographers like Joe Winston and John Fulbright, and musicians like Jimmy and David Lee Kaiser, Greg, Jr., and Honky Tonk Jones. We have wonderful writers like Dani Donari, too.

We've got wonderful places, with wonderful people, as well. You could go see Ed at the Logon Cafe on Sunday for brunch, or a concert on Saturday night. John Wilson at J Wilsons and the Patio is creating great food and environments tailor-made for a good time. Get Sam to make you a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned the next time you're bellied up to the bar! If you're not hungry, go see Amy at Boss Lady Books for a local new release, or go on a downtown walking tour with the Beaumont Heritage Society.

Beaumont is also full of optimists. People investing their time and talents to try and make Beaumont better. People like Min Dai, who puts on Mural Fest every March. People like Lauren Bebeau and Stephanie Orta, who are both going out of their way to promote our great city. People like Frankie Randazzo and Robert Valvano. When they're not at Madison's, you'll find these guys at every city festival slinging drinks or cooking delicious food. Frankie may even be in the band! People like the Courvilles family. They bring great music to town every month, and do a whole lot of good when people are in need, too.

This list could go on and on, so I'm going to stop here. Beaumont is beautiful because of the people in it.

Passionate people. Optimistic people. Good People.

Billy Augustine is a Beaumont author. His book, Four Funerals in Mamou, is available at Boss Lady Books, For Heaven's Sake, the Mailroom, and Courville's.

That's the week. Go see something good.

See you around town,
Jenny

Jenny Lee · Locally written. Community trusted.