Friday, April 24, 2015

Bitten by The Crescent City Muse

 It’s been some time since my last blog entry. So, I thought it was high time I check in to let everyone know what I have been up to in my absence.  Upon releasing Awaken, the first book in my new trilogy, The Priestess and the Warrior, and finishing up Accept, book two of same trilogy, I decided to take a small break and write a fun little short story about vampires.  Tons of research goes into The Priestess and the Warrior series, and I have been overcome with a longing to write a small story for my own entertainment before I finish the final book, Avowal.

St. Louis Cathedral
Right before the rain.
Satisfyingly gloomy and mysterious.
          
   
My original plan involved writing a quick little read which I could share for free on various media sites.  I love vampires. For those of you that know me, you know I have been a closet vampire fiction girl since I was 9 years old.  Naturally, my “just for fun” short story would be about what else but vampires.  On this one topic, no research was needed.  Again, since I was 9 I have consumed every single piece of vampire literature I could grasp with my hands.  I’m practically an expert; I thought.

 Errr…

 326 pages later…




              

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  Short story, hah!  Only this week I finished up the final chapter of the fun little vampire story, and lo and behold, it’s 326 pages and 36 chapters.  That’s right! It’s the longest short story in history.  It’s a freaking novel.  AND I have done more research for this book than any other I have ever written.  The only part that I had right about this entire project is that it has been very fun to write.  The atmosphere is dark and lush.  The vampires are moody and beautiful.  What’s not to love?

Lone Sousaphone
The promise of music to come

Needless to say, I should have known before I put pen to paper that I could not possible write only a few pages about vampires, especially when the entire story takes place in none other than New Orleans, my favorite city in the entire world.  So, now the titled book, Bound by Blood, is a working novel that I shall release sometime in the near future as I continue to finish up the final book of The Priestess and the Warrior trilogy to be titled Avowal.
 
Panoramic of one of the Easter parades we attended.
The corner of Bourbon and St. Philip.
              

In the meantime over Easter weekend, I took a much awaited sabbatical to the beach for a few days, and then crowned the trip with the perfect outing on Easter Sunday to New Orleans for a little lunch and a couple of Easter parades!  It seems that whether I am attempting to write a short story that takes place in that beautiful, vibrant city, or whether I’m stopping by for a little lunch and adventure, I cannot seem to shake New Orleans from my soul. 



        


 If you are interested, available in both paperback and for Kindle, you can purchase a copy of Awaken here: bit.ly/AwakenTPATW.
                
Clearly, I have been bitten by the Crescent City Muse. New Orleans is the spark to my imagination and the song in my heart.  What inspires you?

Elaborate Mardi Gras Indian Costume
We met this man on the corner of Jackson Square.