Tag Archives: New Orleans

Feb26

Risky Whiskey by Lucy Lakestone – review

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This was a quick read with many things to like but also many things to wonder “what the heck?” 

First, the likes:

1. quirky, fun heroine with a unique view of life and a sad nuclear family history but an aunt who is supportive.

2. Hero who is strong and a rock for the heroine.

3. Unique premise with the cocktail convention location and bartenders as the main characters as well as the side characters.

4. Witty dialogue.

5. Wide cast of interesting characters.

6. Balance of danger and humor.

7. Good sense of place in descriptions of New Orleans. I’ve been there many times and the author was able to evoke the atmosphere well. 

The dislikes:

1. This reader figured out the culprit almost as soon as the person was introduced.

2. The red herrings didn’t fool this reader.

3. This reader was thrown out of the story by thoughts of how these people were functioning with the amount of liquor they ingested. I mean, they were at a cocktail convention in New Orleans and so drinking would be expected but they were also working and it seemed they were always buzzing.

4. Too much description of what everyone was wearing. Some is good but everyone’s outfit a number of times was too much for this reader.

5. The way the culprit tried to accomplish his crime was ludicrous. It would have been physically impossible. As someone who has experience with the weapon of choice (not that I’ve tried it on a person!), there is absolutely no way for someone to run and use that weapon. Can’t be done. I was laughing so hard at how insane it was. Definitely took me straight out of the story. 

In summary, good story with some issues but fun to read for the most part. Just be prepared to suspend your beliefs in that penultimate scene. 

Feb24

Why oh Why Ruin the Character of a House?

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I went to New Orleans last week and one of my friends who had read The Eisenger Element wanted to see the house I had previously taken a picture of as my inspiration for Linc’s house in the Garden District. This house is down the street from Anne Rice’s former home and I loved it the first time I saw it. We actually drove right past it this time as I didn’t recognize it.

We got out of the car when we saw Anne’s house and walked down the road. AND there was the house. Dull, drab and lifeless now. What were they thinking? It had so much character and now it’s awful. Yeah, maybe it’s more dignified but who wants to be vanilla pudding if you can be chocolate truffles with pecans??

What do you think? Improvement or disaster? Link to The Eisenger Element.

Before
After

Oct15

Pre-Order Now Up- The Eisenger Element

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Eisenger ElementI was thrilled to find The Eisenger Element up for preorder. It’ll pop right into your inbox on release day. How cool is that?  Here’s the Amazon link (which is the only one I’ve found so far).

A New Orleans trolley

A New Orleans trolley

I’m really excited to get this one out there. I love, love the city of New Orleans and the inspiration it gives me. I hope I’ve done the place justice as there’s really no place like it.

Oct5

Teaser – The Eisenger Element

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Here’s a teaser of The Eisenger Element (release date is Oct 24, 2015) and some more New Orleans pictures.

TEASER:

Wasn’t it bad enough his brother had been wrongly convicted? Now they were trying to hang a rap on him…

“You and your brother are very clever. He’s been convicted of murder himself—”

“Oh, so, in your esteemed opinion, the inclination to murder is something that’s in the genes?” Linc took a step in Emilia’s direction. “First of all, my brother was wrongfully convicted—wrongfully—and secondly, that’s one of the most inane things I think I’ve ever heard in my life.” Linc took another step toward her.

Emilia resisted the urge to back up, as she didn’t want Eisenger to know he’d gotten to her and that she was a bit frightened by the anger in his voice. She threw a grateful glance at Howard as he took hold of Lincoln’s upper arm.

“Hang on, man. No need to threaten the lady,” Howard said.

“She’s no lady and I didn’t threaten her.” Lincoln spread his arms and grinned but to Emilia it appeared to be more of a grimace than an actual smile. “I’m an innocent man standing in his own driveway being needled by an officer of the law. Maybe I need to make a call of my own to the police commissioner. Tell him all about the harassment I’m enduring based on the mere fact that I have a brother in Angola and I have a dead law partner who I couldn’t possibly have had a chance to kill. What do you think?” Linc glared at Emilia. “How do you think that phone call could affect that gold shield that I bet you have had for about five minutes?”

“You don’t have that kind of clout, mister. If you did, your brother wouldn’t be in prison now, would he?”

At that comment, Lincoln did lunge at Emilia. She whipped her gun up and aimed it directly at his chest.

Sep30

Blurb- The Eisenger Element

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Here is the official blurb for The Eisenger Element.  I’ll share a pic or two of New Orleans as well.

Blurb:

She thought she was ready for the hard cases, but that was before she met him…

Emilia Hammond recently earned her gold shield as a detective with the New Orleans police department and is working on her first assignment, eager to prove herself capable of handling her promotion. After a series of attacks on prostitutes in the French Quarter, she finds herself going undercover to investigate. In the process, she’s called to the scene of a murder at an attorney’s office. She has a good lead, a solid case, until her prime suspect turns the tables on her.

He’s trying to clear his innocent brother, and now he’s a murder suspect himself…

Attorney Lincoln Eisenger is from a prominent New Orleans Garden District family. His brother Myles is in Angola Prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Linc is determined to clear his brother’s name and bring him home. But when his law partner is killed, Linc becomes the prime suspect. Now he has to clear himself as well as his brother, all the while trying to ignore the sparks igniting between him and the spunky female detective he thought was a prostitute.

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Sep16

Cover Reveal- The Eisenger Element

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This one was hard to imagine an appropriate cover. Even the cover artist was at a loss since there is so much going on in this story. I knew I had no idea how to capture the essence of it and I’ve been thinking about it since I finished writing it a long time ago (this was my NaNoWriMo story in 2013)-  I knew a New Orleans Police Department badge was something I wanted somewhere since the heroine is a cop. The scales of Justice was also an idea since the hero is a lawyer. Jack, the cover artist, came up with the New Orleans musician in the corner to give the flavor of the city.

The first scene is the remainder of the cover. In that scene, the heroine is working undercover and the hero is leaning on a lamp post hoping to see her as he wants to assist her to get off the streets because he thinks she’s an underage prostitute. (The inspiration for this story was the Herman’s Hermits song, Leaning on a lamp post– LOL) Check it out here.

Eisenger Element

Sep9

Working on Edits- The EIsenger Element

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My second set of edits came in on my upcoming release, The Eisenger Element and I’m working through them. I’d forgotten how much I love these characters. The heroine, Emilia, is a smart-mouthed, sassy New Orleans cop from Algiers and she has a quirky side for sure. The hero, Lincoln Eisenger, is a lawyer who is trying to help his brother who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and is in Angola Prison.

It’s a fun story with lots of character, if I do say so myself. BUT how could it not since New Orleans is where it’s set. What a great city to place a story. There’s so much that can be done and so many unique individuals there that inspire me to really ramp up the characterizations. This tale has hookers, Garden District denizens, a Tarot card reader, a family of cops, and a mystery to solve as well.

Here’s the house I picture as the home of the hero. It’s a real home in the Garden District. Isn’t it lovely?1851

Aug26

Good News! The Eisenger Element 

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I turned in the first edits on this novel back in February and have been awaiting the second edits patiently. Finally broke down and asked for status again last night and I should have them shortly. There was a computer crash and lots of edits had to be recreated. So, I’m hopeful for a release date soon as well as a cover. I did also learn that the editor loved the story so yay for that. I confess, I was getting scared since it was taking longer than normal. I was thinking it must be a trash book. Writers have such fragile egos! Lol. 

I love this story. It takes place in New Orleans, one of my favorite cities. It has a lawyer and a cop as the protagonists and there is even a scene or two at Angola Prioson where they have a rodeo every year. I wanted to use that in a book someday and have now done so. I think it’s awesome that the inmates have something to do to also give back to the community. It’s a real thing and keeps them busy all year preparing. 

I hope the world loves this book as much as I do when it comes out. In fact, now that I’ve got it on my mind, I’m in need of a po-boy.