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Author photos

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Jude Gaillot on stairs

Author Jude Gaillot in Eureka Springs in January 2024. Photographer: Jude Della Terra.

Jude Gaillot leaning on bricks

Author Jude Gaillot in Eureka Springs in January 2024. Photographer: Jude Della Terra.

Jude Gaillot in front of lights

Author Jude Gaillot in Eureka Springs in January 2024. Photographer: Jude Della Terra.

Books

Welcome to Eureka Springs book cover

Bio

Jude Gaillot (pronounced “Guy Yo”) is the author of Welcome to Eureka Springs: The I-Sh*t-You-Not History of America’s Quirkiest Town and board president of the nonprofit Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. He lives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, with his wife and their three yappy little dogs, as well as the occasional groundhog, armadillo, or fox.

Jude Gaillot is the author of Welcome to Eureka Springs: The I-Sh*t-You-Not History of America’s Quirkiest Town, published by Oddball Hollow Press in 2026.

He is a former copy editor, page designer, and occasional writer for daily and weekly newspapers in Georgia and Florida. His journalism career started in Pensacola, Florida, as editor and publisher of the arts and entertainment newspaper Boogie Pensacola from 1998 to 2000.

Born in New Orleans, he grew up in its suburbs, and graduated from Louisiana State University in 1991 with a computer science degree. He worked as a network engineer and software developer before and after his journalism career, retiring as a principal software engineer with IBM open-source subsidiary Red Hat.

He has been married to artist Kricket Gaillot since 2004.

In 2017, they moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Jude fell in love with the tourist destination’s historic architecture, natural beauty, and quirky vibe. He decided its full story needed to be told, and published Welcome to Eureka Springs, his first book, after more than four years of interviews, research, and writing.

Jude is president of the board of directors of the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. The nonprofit, a pleasant walk from downtown Eureka Springs, welcomes writers from across the globe for weeks-long residencies in the inspirational setting of the Ozarks.

If you read only three stories in the book, read these

  • Chapter 32: Norman G. Baker, the con artist who started a sham cancer hospital that turned into a house of horrors.

  • Chapter 37: Joe Parkhill, the mob-era speakeasy operator who dazzled a popular radio game show.

  • Chapter 50: Schoe, the anarchist hippie biker who was mayor the first time the Hells Angels held their national get-together in Eureka Springs.

Sample interview questions

  • What makes Eureka Springs America’s quirkiest town?

  • How long did it take to research and write the book?

  • What did you find that surprised you?

  • Was it difficult to find sixty interesting stories?

  • What’s special about the audiobook edition?

  • Are all the stories humorous?

  • Which chapter was most challenging to research?

  • You’re board president of the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. What is that?

  • Why did you decide to self-publish?

Contact