BLACKBIRD WRITERS SPOOKTACULAR #FLASHSALE THIS WEEKEND ONLY!

The Blackbird Writers and friends are having a Halloween flash sale and giveaway this weekend with 50+ free and discounted books including cozy mysteries, mysteries, suspense, thrillers, paranormal, crime fiction, and more. Books for all ages. But the sale ends midnight October 31st. Check out all the titles their website.

A Stitch to Die For, the 5th book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, is one of the books available. If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, after midnight the price goes back up from .99 cents to the regular price of $4.99. Don't miss out on this spooktacular Halloween offer!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: JANICE SEAGRAVES

Today we sit down for a chat with romance, science fiction, and paranormal author Janice Seagraves. Learn more about her and her books at her website.

When did you realize you wanted to write novels? 

When I was twenty.

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication? 

I had to work for it starting at age forty. It took me eight years, so before I turned fifty.

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author? 

I’m a hybrid author.

Where do you write?

In my bedroom I had a desk right up next to my bed. I literally roll out of bed and into my office chair and I start writing. 

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

I like it quiet so I can concentrate on the voices talking in my head.

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

Sometimes something will happen that will trigger an idea.

Describe your process for naming your character?

I have the Character Naming Source Book that I use for my characters’ names.

Real settings or fictional towns?

It depends. In Windswept Shores my setting is a deserted island in the Bahamas. In the Matrix Crystal series, it’s the planet Zenevieva. In The Year of the Cat, the setting is a ski lodge and later a neighborhood in a small California town.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

In Windswept Shores my hero was addicted to beer and ketchup.

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

I’m an old softie. I cry when people are hurt.

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

I wish I could have finished college.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People not stopping at stop signs. Someone I know lost their son to someone barreling through a stop sign and right into his truck killing him instantly. So, if I see someone not stopping at a stop sign…in my head I’m telling them off.

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

Knife, blanket, and a pot.

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

Being a human inserting machine for our local newspaper.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

God Stalk (Kencyrath, #1) by P.C. Hodgell

Ocean or mountains?

I like both.

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

Country girl at heart since we moved back into town.

What’s on the horizon for you?

Working on the very first book length manuscript I ever wrote. It needs a lot of work and that’s what I’m working on currently. I have the cover already done by the wonderful Lex Valentine of Winterheart designs.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?

Only that I grew up with a deep love of science fiction and adventure stories. Always the consummate artist, I traded in my paintbrush for a desktop to write breathless life-affirming novels that celebrate enduring love.

Year of the Cat

Morgan isn’t expecting romance when she accompanies her friend for a week of skiing, but when she meets Jared, all bets are off.

Haunted by the loss of his parents, werecat Jared Catterick earns his keep working for the Catclaw Clan. Jared has secrets that he doesn’t mind sharing with a special lady, and he hopes Morgan is that special someone. When his past and present collide, it’s worse than he imagined, and he’s forced to fight for his life.

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BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR MISTY SIMON

Today we sit down for a chat with cozy mystery, paranormal, and romance author Misty Simon,who writes the Tallie Graver Mystery series. Misty thinks there’s nothing better in the world than making someone laugh, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. Learn more about Misty and her books at her website. 

When did you realize you wanted to write novels? 

It happened on a rainy Saturday when I realized I was watching way too much Lifetime TV and took myself to the bookstore where I fell in love all over again with reading and decided to write.

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication? 

My first novel came out in 2005, about four years after I started writing. I had published in some magazines previous to that, but this was the Big Kahuna!

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author? 

I’m traditionally published and in a few indie published anthologies.

Where do you write? 

At my desk, in my big chair, on the couch, at a café…Really anywhere if the words are flowing.

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind? 

Oh, good question. It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I’m all about anything Dave Matthews and other times I want Epic battle music. Other times I have to have absolute silence except for my dogs barking.

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

Pretty much all of my characters come from my life but with modifications, of course, so I don’t’ get in trouble. And my main characters all have a facet of who I am, and then I blow them all up to make it interesting!

Describe your process for naming your character? 

I usually run through the alphabet and wait to feel that the first letter is the right one, and then I go to my trusty baby naming book and page through until one speaks to me. Names are so important and really nail the character down for me.

Real settings or fictional towns? 

I tend to use real locations and then rename them so I can play with where things are located just in case businesses close or move.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has? 

Tallie is completely aware of her flaws and owns every single one. She seems to always be in the best and worst place at the same time. Her quirk in this series is more that people either tell her their whole life story or don’t even realize she’s there. She uses that invisibility to the best of her sleuthing abilities.

What’s your quirkiest quirk? 

I can’t touch untreated wood. Please don’t ever hand me one of those Dixie cup ice cream things with the wooden paddle or I’ll gag! Not sure why, but it’s so bad that I have to ask dining companions or the wait staff to remove those toothpicks everyone seems to want to put in sandwiches to hold them together.

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why? 

Hmmm. If I could have written Discovery of WitchesI would have loved that so much. The imagination and heart in that series is astounding.

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours? 

I have to be honest; I don’t want a do over. I am right here, right now, doing what I love with people I love and everything that I’ve been through has led me to this point. If I changed a single breath ten years ago, things would be different, and I love where I am and what I’m doing too much to not honor that.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? 

My complete lack of comma knowledge! No matter how many books I read, I still don’t get it right!

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves? 

Music, my husband, and paper and pen (which only counts as one!)

What was the worst job you’ve ever held? 

Working in this one doctor’s office where I could not corner the doctor for answers no matter how many traps I set and sprang.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read? 

Belgarathby David Eddings

Ocean or mountains? 

Ocean but I don’t like sand

City girl/guy or country girl/guy? 

Country please

What’s on the horizon for you? 

I’ll be starting a new series as Gabby Allan, release dates coming soon. The books are set on Catalina Island off the coast of California and involve golf cart chases and a gift shop owner. My next book to come out will be in Oct. 2020, and it’s the last in the Tallie Graver series, Varnished Without A Trace.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books? 

I adore conversations with people of all walks of life about any number of topics, so if you see me, please don’t hesitate to engage me – I’m the one wearing the vintage 50’s dresses and yes, if you compliment the dress, I guarantee you I’ll say, “Thanks, it has a petticoat!”

Carpet Diem

A Tallie Gravers Mystery, Book 4

Live and let dust . . .

Now that Tallie Graver’s cleaning business is starting to shine, she’s ready to go squeegee to squeegee against Audra McNeal for a major contract at the Astercromb mansion. Tallie’s not afraid of a little friendly competition from the new cleaner in town. In fact, Tallie likes Audra, though she wonders how her glamorous rival manages to clean house and maintain her fancy manicure. Tallie has her rubber-gloves full staying one step ahead of her nemesis. Until she finds a well-polished hand poking out of a rolled-up carpet, rendering her competition . . . dead.

Though it lands Tallie the big job, there’s nothing tidy about Audra’s death. So between polishing and scrubbing, Tallie’s determined to find the killer. Hopefully the police chief doesn’t mind her cluttering up his investigation with the filthy dealings she discovers. Turns out Audra was not as squeaky clean as she appeared. And confronting her killer could bring Tallie to a very foul end indeed . . .

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AUTHOR LOIS WINSTON'S NEWEST ADDICTION--CROSSWORD PUZZLES

Author Lois Winston, she who writes about me, stops by today to talk about her latest addiction. Maybe she’ll write me an addiction like this and forget about dumping dead bodies at my feet? A reluctant amateur sleuth can only hope…

I’ve recently become hooked on crossword puzzles. With everything else I have to squeeze into the twenty-four hours of each day, this seems rather puzzling to me—pun intended! After all, I have a book to finish writing, and contrary to Anastasia’s hopes, I have no intention of refraining from dumping dead bodies at her feet. My readers would be extremely upset.

I also have a staggering number of unread books piling up on my bookshelves and in my Kindle. At this rate I’ll need to live well past the century mark before I get to them all. And yet, I keep buying more books! Then there’s life in general, including family responsibilities, and of course, the need to sleep at least several hours a night.

So why am I devoting nearly an hour each day to the crossword puzzles in my two daily newspapers? (Yes, I still read newspapers. It’s where I get many of my ideas for my novels and all those dead bodies Anastasia complains about.)

I think my new addiction must be attributed to my dear friend Janice. She passed away recently after an eight-month battle with Stage 4 cancer. I spent much of that time taking her to doctor appointments and chemo and visiting with her during her many hospitalizations. Janice always carried around crossword puzzles with her. As a retired R.N., she knew the importance of keeping her mind sharp, and she did so by exercising her brain in two ways: She was a voracious reader of mysteries and romances and a diehard crossword puzzle fan.

Having sat with her during hours of chemo, I know how difficult it is to concentrate on a book during these sessions, given the constant chatter from fifteen other chemo patients, their accompanying friends or family members, and the nursing staff, all filling one fairly small room. In addition, a TV was always blaring in the background. So Janice passed the time working her crossword puzzles when she tired of conversation.

I sat down to work my first crossword puzzle after returning from her memorial service. It had been an extremely emotional day, especially since, as her oldest friend, I was one of the speakers. Perhaps she was somehow sending me a subliminal message from Heaven that day. She had always believed in angels, ghosts, and premonitions. I’ve always pooh-poohed the supernatural. Was this her way of telling me she was right and I was wrong? Maybe. Because now I’m working crossword puzzles each day to honor her memory and our lifelong friendship. Hopefully, it will help keep my mind sharp. After all, there are more Anastasia books to write and all those books to read, especially if it’s going to take me decades to do so.

How about you? Have you ever had an experience that caused you to rethink how you felt about something?

FAVORITES, FAILURES & FRUSTRATIONS--AUTHOR ALICIA DEAN ON KID ANECDOTES

Alicia's Three Kids All Grown Up

Alicia Dean is a suspense and paranormal author who wrote her first romance (featuring a hero who looked just like Elvis Presley) at age ten. She still has the tattered, pencil-written copy. Learn more about Alicia and her books at her website. 

Favorites: Kid Anecdotes

My three children are grown now, my son, Presley is twenty-three. My daughters, Lana and Lacey, are thirty-two and thirty, respectively. Although I know raising kids is a tough job, looking back, I mostly remember the joy, the fun. My kids were adorable, smart and so funny. I’m sure most parents feel that way, but mine really were. ;) I decided I’d share a few cute things they’ve said over the years in today’s post.

I pulled out an old spiral notebook where I’d written down some things so I wouldn’t forget them. What I didn’t recall was that I’d actually journaled for a little while in 1991. I’d read a book on writing and it recommended that if you want to write, you should journal. I’m not much of a journaler, and it was another ten years before I really pursued writing seriously, but I found a treasure trove of memories from what I’d written all those years ago. This was before my son was born, so it was mostly about the girls. I won’t bore you with tons of anecdotes, but I’ll share a few. These aren’t necessarily my actual favorites, but they are a few that made me laugh. Some are the ‘you had to be there’ kind of stories. I have a few to share from my son as well; they just weren’t in this particular notebook.

Lana

Lana: When she was three, my then husband worked for Coca-Cola. I was driving downtown, with Lana in the car, and we stopped at a light where a Coca-Cola sign sat on the street corner. A couple of bums were hanging around, one was leaning against the sign. Lana pointed at the sign and said, “That’s where Daddy works.” I said, “Yes, it is.” She curled up her nose and said, “Daddy sure works with some gross people.”

Lacey

Lacey: When she was about three, she said, “Momma, if Jesus is in your heart, what does he do when you drink milk?” And, another when she was about the same age: We were going through the drive-through at a bank where the tellers were enclosed in their outside cubicles. She said, “What do bank people do when it’s time to go to sleep?”

Presley

Presley: When he was two, I put him in a “Mother’s Day Out” program where he could socialize with other kids. He wasn’t thrilled with the prospect and was always reluctant to go. One day around Easter we were on our way and I was trying to pump him up about going. I said, “Presley, it’s going to be fun. You get to hunt Easter eggs!” He said, “Well, see, I can’t go. I didn’t bring my gun.”

What about you? Any funny little things your kids said when they were little? If your kids are still little, I encourage you to jot down the adorable things they say. You’ll cherish them in the years to come.

Devil’s Promenade, *A World of Gothic: United States

Amidst a blizzard, paranormal debunker Camille Burditt arrives at Devil’s Promenade in Oklahoma to research a supernatural 'spook light' phenomenon for her latest book. There she encounters a ghostly being, which she dismisses as a figment of her imagination. But as the apparition becomes too persistent to deny, Camille realizes the woman’s ghost is quite real—and that her demise was not accidental. 

Declan Rush—the inhospitable, reclusive owner of the inn where Camille is staying—is linked to the deceased woman, but he is less than forthcoming. Despite his unfriendliness, Camille is oddly drawn to him, even though she suspects his connection to the spirit might be that of killer to victim. 

When another suspicious death occurs, Camille intensifies her investigation. She has precious little time to ferret out the truth. Not only is her book deadline looming—she's desperate to discover if the man she’s falling for is a murderer. 

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*A World of Gothic is a Gothic Mystery Romance Series by authors from all over the world. For information on other titles and for interesting tidbits on mysteries and the authors, check out A World of Gothic Facebook page. 

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST AUTHOR JOANNE MYERS

JoAnne Myers is both an artist and a writer. You might remember her from her visit back in June when she shared images of her paintings with us. Today she returns to tell us about her love of monster stories. Learn more about JoAnne at her website.

When it comes to fiction writing, almost anything goes. That is why I love writing fantasy stories. The author can go completely over the edge and make something unbelievable seem believable. My love for monster stories came from my childhood, from watching Count Dracula and Wolfman movies. Legendary monsters and myths inspired most of the stories from my anthology, Loves, Myths, and Monsters. I used my love for monster movies to contrive a collection of unusual tales of mystery, danger, twists and turns.

Loves, Myths and Monsters-11 fantasy tales entwined with the human world

Welcome to Anna came from my love of the Twilight Trilogy. Instead of the leading lady pursued by a vampire and a werewolf as in Twilight, a Chupracabra pursues the leading lady in Welcome to Anna, a large hideous creature that transforms between being a coyote and a beast that kills at will. What happens next is a series of chilling mysteries, and unsuspecting friendships and love.

The Hunter's Bride-This story derived from searching the Internet on various legends and myths from different countries. 

Moon People came from my imagination of how I believe Mermaids came to exist. Since they are part human, I imaged superior beings living on the Moon, and one fell off, landing in the Earth’s ocean, and was swallowed by a passing fish.

The Pack-This story depicts my version of how werewolves evolved.

The Bidding I got from watching an episode of The Twilight Zone as a child. It takes place in Circleville, an actual town in Ohio, close to my home.

The Agreement-Roseville, an actual small town in Ohio, is where this story takes place.  I thought it would be interesting to find out what happens to an arrogant city slicker when he meets a no-nonsense country sheriff.

For The Love of Ginnie-My love of American history and the Civil War, conjured up this time travel tale of adventure, leading to a roller coaster ride of joy and perils for hero and scientist Alex Anderson, to rescue his beloved Ginnie from a sniper’s bullet.

Is It Only A Myth? - With the legends, myths, movies made of it, and reported sightings of this elusive but deadly creature half man/bat/rat, I had to write about the Mothman.

The Proposition-I wrote this tale of love conquers all, because I love cowboys, and strong-minded women.

The House on Shady Lane-historical facts of a family from 1873 believed to be the country’s first serial killer family inspired this grisly tale. Even the famous Pickerington Detective Agency was hot on their trail.

Love's Curse takes place in a real town famous for local resident John Holmes, the King of Porn, and of the local college’s actual mascot.

Therefore, the next time you get Writer’s Block, or need a new idea, try switching on the television, open a newspaper, delve into history or simply look and listen. You will find something to stimulate your muse.

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TRAVEL WITH SERENA--GUEST AUTHOR KAREN McCULLOUGH AND A VISIT TO ENGLAND

Stonehenge

Award-winning author Karen McCullough’s wide-ranging imagination makes her incapable of sticking to one genre for her storytelling. As a result, she’s the author of more than a dozen published novels and novellas, which span the mystery, fantasy, paranormal, and romantic suspense genres. A former computer programmer who made a career change into being an editor with an international trade publishing company for many years, she now runs her own web design business to support her writing habit. Learn more about Karen and her books at her website and blog.

Inspiration in the Details

I recently made a trip to England. A few years ago, my only son went to graduate school in Wales, met his future wife there, and later got a job with Osprey Press in Oxford. Two months ago, he and his wife welcomed a new member to the family, a baby daughter, so of course we had to head over there to meet her. We had a great visit, enjoyed being with them, and delighted in getting to hold and cuddle the new grandchild.

Oxford is an interesting place to visit. Millions of tourists can’t be wrong—and they’re not. Despite the crowds of tour groups and visitors that pack the city in summer, it’s fun just to walk the streets and soak in the history, but there’s also the wonderful Ashmolean Museum, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Bodleian Library, the Museum of Science, the Children’s Story Museum, and all the various colleges, some of which are open for tours at various times. For a writer, there’s all sorts of inspiration.

For me, it’s generally specific things that spark ideas. It’s not that long since I got back, so I haven’t had time to develop any of these into stories yet, but they will be. Here are a few things from the trip that are going to be part of my stories some day.

The Story Machine

One of the more fascinating items I saw was the Victorian Story Machine that resides in the Children’s Story Museum in Oxford. This incredible, steam-punkish item supposedly harnesses the power of a child’s imagination to generate new and unique stories. I have no idea how or even if the thing was supposed to actually do anything, but the possibilities… Oh, my goodness, I already have several story ideas!  Suppose someone could invent a story machine that actually worked? What effect would it have on the kids?  The adults who heard those stories? The whole publishing industry?  Or perhaps someone created some other interesting invention in the process of trying to make this work?  Or it was put there by an alien culture trying to figure out what makes us humans tick?  I like to take my story ideas in any direction they’re willing to go, no matter how absurd. I never know when one idea might rub up against another and spark an explosion of…story!

The Ashmolean Museum of Oxford is home to one of the most interesting, mysterious and beautiful items from Anglo-Saxon English history: the Alfred jewel. More about this unique item here, but what struck me was how sophisticated the design was for the time period and just what a beautiful piece of art it is. We think of that time period as being part of the “Dark Ages,” but clearly an appreciation for design, color, and form was already well-developed, and certain crafts were already being practiced at a high level of skill.

The Alfred Jewel

There are so many things you could do with something like this. An historical romance about the jewel’s creation. A mystery where a second version of the jewel showed up and was judged just as legitimate as the one in the museum. A heist from the museum. Of maybe a fantasy where items like this were created for magical purposes. So many possibilities!

This one may seem a bit obvious, even trite, given the number of stories it’s already inspired, but I have to mention it anyway: Stonehenge. I’ve seen pictures of it all my life and I’ve read plenty of books and stories in which it, or other stone circles, figured. But even so, I was stunned when I saw the actual thing.  It’s not the thought of the work involved in building it without modern tools and transport or even speculation about the function. It’s just the sheer physical impact of it. Although they have almost nothing else in common, seeing it with your own eyes has some of the effect as seeing the Grand Canyon. No picture can quite convey the scale of it, the sheer monumentality of size and grandeur.

Do I actually have to talk about all the possibilities?  So many books have already been done using Stonehenge and other stone circles – historical romances, time travel, mysteries, etc.

When people ask me where I get my ideas, I tell them ideas are all around us. You just have to set your imagination loose on everything you see, do, hear, and experience.

In going through some old books that my husband had gotten from older members of his family, I found several ancient tomes with hand-written pages. Some of it was barely legible. At about the same time, I needed to write a gothic novella for an anthology and the book came to mind.  I’d been visiting my daughter recently and she has a cookbook she refers to as her Grimoire. The ideas began to jiggle against each other, and Guardian of the Grimoire resulted.  A year or so ago, I got back the rights to the story and have re-released it as an ebook. It’s just $1.99.

Guardian of the Grimoire

Magic, mystery and romance combine in a gothic story that sees a peaceful, small-town library turned into a supernatural battleground. In the library’s basement a dangerous book lies hidden somewhere in stacks of old crates, and librarian Jess O’Rourke is caught in the middle of a battle between a demon and the book’s mysterious guardian for possession of it...

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CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--GUEST AUTHOR AND ARTIST JO ANNE MYERS

Jo Anne Myers is both an author and an artist. Learn more about Jo Anne, her art, and her books at her website. 

Never Give Up by Jo Anne Myers

For as long as I can remember, I have had an artistic flare—whether that be for writing, painting, sewing or drawing. I recall as a child how much I enjoyed drawing. The writing came later.

My seventh grade English teacher was Mrs. Henderson—a young mother and wife. She gave us a writing assignment and after gifting me with an A+ told me I should consider writing as a career. She meant as a journalist. I did not take her advice and become a journalist (one of my many misgivings.) My mind went toward other things as many young girls dream of—a husband, home, and family of my own. I put my love for writing and painting on hold for years. 

I unfortunately married a man who like my mother never encouraged me to be artistic. It was not until my children were grown and I no longer had a husband that I went back to my first love-art. I got a late start, but always encouraged my children and others to partake of artistic endeavors. 

I now have seven books under contract with three publishing houses. So my words to you all, is that no matter what road you choose, never forget your passion, and always keep it close to heart. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from enjoying your natural talents. You might need to put art on a temporary hold, but never, ever give up.

Wicked Intentions, 7 bone-chilling paranormal tales

Blood Ties

After the mysterious disappearance of twenty-six year old wife and mother Lisa Smalley, her twin, Audra Roper, begins having dark and disturbing visions of Lisa’s disappearance. Trying to survive while looking for Lisa, Audra’s life becomes a roller coaster of risks, heartbreak, and intrigue.　

　

The Haunting of Barb

Even as a child, Barb Marie saw dead people. This took an unhealthy toil on her throughout her childhood and young adulthood.

　

Summer Wind

When twenty-nine year old Ginger discovers the old mansion Summer Wind, she is mysteriously drawn to it. . Immediately, the haunting’s have a negative and profound effect on the family.

The Truth Behind the Lies, laying the Norfolk ghost to rest

Solving the brutal murder of American born Ruthie Geil becomes a gauntlet of attacks and more murders for Federal Police Inspector Ian Christian. Between the victims family, ex-lovers, and ghostly occurrences on Norfolk Island, the killer is closer than anyone realizes.

　

The Legend of Lake Manor

For the young psychic Cassandra Lopez, coming to the infamous and haunted mansion Lake Manor, was more like a mission.

The Apartment

When young newlyweds Bill and Gayle move into their new apartment, their lives are plagued with sightings of evil ghosts that threaten their marriage and lives.

Dark Visions

When Carrie Reynold’s starts having nightmares on her twenty-sixth birthday, she believes her “dark visions” can solve the twenty year disappearance of her father.

　

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TRAVEL WITH SERENA--NEW ORLEANS WITH AUTHOR ELAINE CALLOWAY

Jackson Square, New Orleans
photo by Sami99tr

Paranormal/fantasy author Elaine Calloway was a guest back in February when she discussed her Elemental Clan series. Today she joins us to talk about New Orleans, a city that has become a go-to setting for all things paranormal, not to mention it’s amazing cuisine. To learn more about Elaine and her books, visit her website. 

New Orleans – A City of Seafood & Paranormal

New Orleans is more than just a city. She’s a melting pot that hosts an array of sights, sounds, flavors and spices for those with yearning taste buds. And she never disappoints.

Cemetery in New Orleans
photo by Falkue

Beneath a canopy of live oaks, there are paranormal treasures. Historic cemeteries can be found throughout Mid-City. On a sunny afternoon, walking on the fresh-cut grass of a city cemetery can lead to a variety of treasures, including the grave for Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau. Or walk through Jackson Square at night, where the fortunetellers speak their visions by candlelight.

As you can imagine, New Orleans is idyllic for a book setting--especially anything paranormal. For the first book of The Elemental Clan Series, Water’s Blood, I included not only the tourist destinations but the local places where people frequent. Another thing you will notice about the book is I use local seafood places and describe the flavors. Readers tell me that the book sometimes makes them hungry! LOL.

Long associated with delectable food and drink, New Orleans is a place where millions return so they can get their crawfish etouffee fix, purchase hot sauces not available anywhere else, or enjoy beignets and café au lait.

While there are more fantastic restaurants than I can possibly list, below are some of my favorites. Each one is a different price range, so you can budget your trip and dining excursions accordingly.

Casual and Affordable:

Café du Monde – popular place for beignets and coffee in the French Quarter. This is a tourist must-see. Go early; there are often long lines. Tip: You can get your order to go and it’s quicker.

Beignets at Cafe du Monde
photo by Infrogmation

Morning Call – less crowded than Café du Monde with the same menu. This is where the locals go, whereas tourists go to Café du Monde. There are several locations around the city.

Zea’s Rotisserie & Grill – Great place for lunch or dinner, at less than $15 per person. Best Red Beans & Rice on the planet!! Be sure to order sides of Red Beans & Rice and the Corn Roasted Grits. Both are heavenly! Zea’s also serves gourmet salads, rotisserie dishes, and seafood. Anything you could possibly want, all for a reasonable price. There are locations throughout the city.

On the Pricier Side:

Crescent City Brewhouse – located right near Jackson Square. This is an ideal seafood, hamburger, salad, whatever you want restaurant that also serves homemade brews. It’s close proximity to many sightseeing things in the French Quarter, and the atmosphere is nice and laid back. Website is http://www.crescentcitybrewhouse.com/

Tujague’s – located near Jackson Square in the French Quarter. On the definite pricier side, but one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Great for special occasion dinners, not to mention the place is the 2nd oldest restaurant in New Orleans. Seafood, cocktails, crawfish etouffee to die for.  Website is http://www.tujaguesrestaurant.com/

Water’s Blood

Brooke, a Water Elemental stationed in New Orleans, broke the rules once--she mated with a human. For her indiscretion, she is forbidden to share a life with her loved ones: NOPD officer Alex and their half-breed daughter, Ella. Now Ella is about to turn sixteen, and the local clan of fallen angels is determined to snare her soul by Halloween. Brooke broke the rules once by allowing love to interfere with her mission. Now she and Alex must put consequences aside to break the rules again--if they wish to save their daughter's soul.

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