When the Bowl Filled

A Novel

Allisan Beck

What the flood exposed, she must rebuild.

As a new military spouse, Collette is embarking on a life-changing journey and leaving behind all she’s ever known in Cleveland, Ohio, to follow her husband on military orders to New Orleans, Louisiana. Just as she’s learning to ignore her anxiety and adapt to life in NOLA, Hurricane Katrina destroys the city and shocks the entire country. Suddenly, she is confronted with the harsh new realities of married, military, and southern life all at once. Losing her home is the first of many challenges that Collette must face as the hurricane reveals the cracks in the foundation of not just her house, but also her identity.

Allisan Beck’s debut novel, When the Bowl Filled, is an emotional story that embodies the realities of those rocked by natural disaster and unforeseen circumstances. Collette’s experiences give you a glimpse into what life was like in NOLA before, during, and after the storm, and the sacrifices military families underwent to help restore the city. As she works to slowly rebuild her home, Collette must also try to rebuild her life or risk living with permanent damage.

Allisan Beck is a seasoned marine research scientist, publishing numerous peer-reviewed scientific journal articles throughout her career. This work of fiction is her first novel. She has traveled all over the United States with her husband, who proudly served in the United States Coast Guard for twenty years, resulting in a total of eight PCS moves. The military life gave them both the opportunity to travel, meet people, and participate in different cultures of each new city where they were stationed. Throughout their years of service they experienced many hurricanes, the largest and most damaging of which was Hurricane Katrina. They can both take credit for rebuilding a part of New Orleans. These days, Allisan, her husband, their two children, and their fluffy dog still love to travel, but now enjoy packing for vacations instead of permanent moves.