About

Teresa Tumminello Brader was born in New Orleans and lives near Lake Pontchartrain; the city, the estuary, and its denizens are the source of much of her inspiration. Her first book, a hybrid memoir/fiction titled LETTING IN AIR AND LIGHT, was released from Belle Point Press on October 10, 2023, and was honored as one of three nominees for the 2025 One Book One New Orleans citywide read and literary outreach. Her second book, SECRET KEEPERS, a short-story collection, is forthcoming March 25, 2025 from Belle Point Press.

Featured Work

Secret Keepers

2005
Blue and green book cover of overgrown grass around levee steps (a stairway of gray metal). Book name and author are in white font.

In Teresa Tumminello Brader’s follow-up to her New Orleans memoir, Letting In Air and Light, SECRET KEEPERS expands the question of whether we can ever truly know our loved ones. This collection of character-driven short stories delves intimately into romantic and family relationships—some fractured, some fragile, all troubled by mysteries for which there may be no clear answers. Compelling stories of betrayal and regret intertwine with thoughtful depictions of strong women seeking more authentic lives. Within the familiar world of South Louisiana, Brader’s characters navigate obsession, loss, and a tentative hope that some connections are still worth trying to keep.

Other Works

  • Letting In Air and Light

    2023

Awards and Recognition

  • Tumminello Brader's short story “Helter Skelter” was honored as a finalist in the Country Roads Readers’ Choice contest.
  • LETTING IN AIR AND LIGHT honored as one of three nominees for the 2025 One Book One New Orleans citywide read and literary outreach.