Favorites: Louisiana Longshot

Having grown up in a small town, I love reading about the quirks and eccentricities of small towns, real or fictional. It's always fun to hear about a greased poll climbing competition or the Sunday mad dash for Banana Pudding. (That first one is from my own home town :-)

While Sinful is maybe a little more unique than some people may think is possible, DeLeon makes it feel as real as if you had lived there your whole life. Everyone has a history in the town. There are secrets. There is intrigue. There are plots. 

Sinful is such a fun place to set a book. On the surface, it seems like a great place to hide from a pack of goons looking to kill you. Who could guess that this tiny town was a hotbed for murder, gun-toting old ladies, and mystery? This is one small town that's hard to forget. 

Louisiana Longshot is available now from Amazon in paperback and ebook. 

You can also enter to win a $25 eGiftcard to Amazon for Barnes and Noble courtesy of Jana DeLeon!

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Interview: Jana DeLeon

Let's find out more about the inspiration behind this very funny story of a CIA agent in hiding turned Sinful Ladies Society co-conspirator came from!


1. What was your inspiration for "Louisiana Longshot?" I don’t really think it was one particular thing. I love fish-out-of-water stories, and the idea of making a tough girl morph into a girly girl appealed to me. I loved the movie Miss Congeniality, and I’m sure that contributed to my storyline. I have also always wanted to be an assassin. It sounds like a really cool job. 

2. The main character's nickname is "Fortune." Can you tell us about this nickname? Groups of “tough guys” – firemen, military, cops, etc. – often assign nicknames to each other based on something they’ve done while on duty. If you’re lucky, it was something you did well and not something embarrassing. Fortune claims her nickname came from Soldier of Fortune magazine, but that’s not all there is to the story. Over time, readers will learn more about Fortune’s secrets.

3. Sinful is a great town for a book to be set in. What inspired this unique town? People who have never lived in a small town often have this Hollywood idea of beautiful landscaping and women baking pies that they share with neighbors. There’s no crime, divorce or sadness in them and people even iron their bed sheets. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. People in small towns are no different than people in cities except that in small towns everything you do is more noticeable, so people go to greater lengths to hide their less-than-desirable behavior. I thought Sinful was the perfect name, especially since a lot of the day-to-day conflict surrounds the two rival church congregations.

4. Anyone who reads this book will find themselves wanting banana pudding when they're done. What made you decide to center the town conflict around pudding? I was raised Southern Baptist-which pretty much answers the question for other Southern Baptists. One of the favorite things to do in SB churches is covered dish lunch/supper. And the staple of all covered dish suppers is the banana pudding. I’ve actually heard a preacher do a sermon on obesity, but provide an “out” clause for banana pudding. 

5. The Sinful Ladies Society is made up of an interesting group of women. Without giving too much away, can you tell us about this group? In order to be a member of the Sinful Ladies Society, you have to be an old maid or widowed at least five years. The Sinful Ladies believe that cohabitating with men causes the brain to fog and it takes a decontamination period to return to the naturally occurring sharpness that a woman who’s not entangled with a man has on a daily basis. The Sinful Ladies Society has been overtly running the town since Vietnam.

6. The main character, Fortune, is hiding out in Sinful, but ends up in a whole other mess. Can you give us the basics of how she gets tangled up in a Sinful murder mystery? Fortune is assuming the identity of a librarian/ex-beauty queen who is supposed to be in Sinful to take care of her late aunt’s estate. Along with the house and furniture, she inherited an ancient hound dog named Bones, who digs up a human bone in her backyard her first evening in town.

7. Can you tell us a little about the deputy and his role in the book? Deputy Carter LeBlanc is young, sexy and a former Marine. For reasons yet unknown, he returned to his hometown of Sinful when his military service ended. He has a keen eye and seems to run into Fortune at the worst possible times—for Fortune.

8. Who are your favorite authors? There are so many! But my tried and true favorites are Agatha Christie, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Stephen King. I’m not sure what anyone will make of that combination, but there you have it.

9. Do you have any interesting rituals or habits when you write? First thing in the morning, I write in a local café. I’ve been writing this way for years. I have a favorite waitress, who has become a close friend, who serves as food delivery and secretary as she reminds me when it’s time to eat so that I could make my day job on time.

When working at home, I have to have the television on. I am accustomed to writing with noise, but can’t listen to music. I’m a classically trained violinist and find that music distracts me because I start listening for the different instruments. I always play something on television that I’ve already seen, so I have no compulsion to spend all my time watching it. Netflix on demand movies is perfect for this. I think I’ve been through every season of the X-Files at least 20 times. 

10. Can you tell us about any other books or future projects? In addition to my single title humor, I write for Harlequin Intrigue. I have a 3-book related series releasing right now—Oct, Nov, Dec. I have another 3-book related series releasing with Harlequin next summer/fall. 

I will release the second in the Miss Fortune series (a follow-up to Louisiana Longshot) Spring 2013. In good news, November 2nd was my last day of full-time employment so I hope to release at least four single title humor books next year. 

Louisiana Longshot is available now from Amazon in paperback and ebook. 

You can also enter to win a $25 eGiftcard to Amazon for Barnes and Noble courtesy of Jana DeLeon!

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Introducing: Jana DeLeon

Get to know more about Jana DeLeon and where the ideas for her funny and entertaining books come from. 

"Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Jana spent thousands of childhood hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat and even more reading books in a giant rope hammock at the end of the pier. She’s never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world."

Louisiana Longshot is available now from Amazon in paperback and ebook. 

You can also enter to win a $25 eGiftcard to Amazon for Barnes and Noble courtesy of Jana DeLeon!

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New Book: Louisiana Longshot

We're heading to Sinful, Louisiana this week for a mystery that will keep you guessing AND laughing! Read on to find out more about Fortune Redding, the Sinful Ladies Society who pull her into a mess she never expected, and a deputy that is determined to keep things quiet. 

"It was a hell of a long shot.... CIA assassin Fortune Redding is about to undertake her most difficult mission ever—in Sinful, Louisiana. With a leak at the CIA and a price placed on her head by one of the world's largest arms dealers, Fortune has to go off-grid, but she never expected to be this far out of her element. 

Posing as a former beauty queen turned librarian in a small bayou town seems worse than death to Fortune, but she's determined to fly below the radar until her boss finds the leak and puts the arms dealer out of play. Unfortunately, she hasn't even unpacked a suitcase before her newly inherited dog digs up a human bone in her backyard. Thrust into the middle of a bayou murder mystery, Fortune teams up with a couple of seemingly sweet old ladies whose looks completely belie their hold on the little town. 

To top things off, the handsome local deputy is asking her too many questions. If she's not careful, this investigation might blow her cover and get her killed. Armed with her considerable skills and a group of elderly ladies the locals dub The Geritol Mafia, Fortune has no choice but to solve the murder before it's too late." 

Praise for Louisiana Longshot

 "Southern wit at its best!" - NYT Bestselling author Gemma Halliday "Sinfully funny!" - NYT Bestselling author CC Hunter/Christie Craig

Louisiana Longshot is available now from Amazon in paperback and ebook. 

You can also enter to win a $25 eGiftcard to Amazon for Barnes and Noble courtesy of Jana DeLeon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winter Book Blast Event

Stock up on these great new books for your holiday reading! 

No matter what genre you read, you're bound to find a fabulous new book to read during our Winter Book Blast Event! 

Starting December 15th through the 23rd, I'll be hosting a variety of authors every day. Each day will feature a specific genre. You'll get a chance to read a little about each book, and if you're interested, click on the link below each summary to get your own copy in time for the holiday season! Check out the schedule below to find your favorite genre. 

Dec 15th: Action Adventure

Dec 16th: Drama

Dec 17th: Crime

Dec 18th: Romance

Dec 19th: Young Adult

Dec 20th: Historical Fiction

Dec 21st: Mystery/Detective

Dec 22nd: Fantasy

Dec 23rd: Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal

Along with the daily features, you'll have the chance to win FREE books! 

One Grand Prize Winner will win a prize pack of books! 

In addition to the grand prize, many of the authors featured will be offering either a paperback or ebook copy of their books during the book blast. To enter, scroll down to the Rafflecopter widget and start entering! 

And don't forget to visit each of the blogs on the Linky list below for your chance to win individual books! 

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** Giveaway Rules **

US residents can enter giveaways for either paperbacks or ebooks. International residents can enter ONLY for ebook giveaways. International residents can enter the grand prize giveaway, but they will only receive ebooks listed, or listed paperbacks will be exchanged for ebooks due to high shipping costs.

Review: The Last Best Hope

When a great occurrence in history is determined by a few key events, many wonder how history might have changed had those key events not happened, or happened differently. Such is the case with the Civil War. In David Parrot's, The Last Best Hope, this question is turned into the fictional story of Ezekiel Edwards and Chastity Stottish. 

One of the interesting tactics of this book the mixture of both historical figures and fictional characters. Lincoln himself plays a role, and it is interesting to see Parrott's view on how Lincoln may have handled defeat. The morose, sullen, and often cranky man is far from the Lincoln most of us picture, but was portrayed in a way that felt believable. The same could be said for many of the other notable historical characters like John Wilkes-Booth and The Pinkertons. The research done on these men showed through, and the creative license taken to incorporate them into this story brought them to life. 

The main characters, Ezekiel and Chastity, are both interesting characters. Ezekiel was more of a standout for me than Chastity, due partly to his larger bulk of the chapters, but also because of his deeper backstory and the confusion he is faced with after the war when he must struggle between making his fortune in this new world or standing up for what he once fought for. Chastity plays a smaller role as a willful daughter of a local tycoon. She is spirited and a lively character, but I didn't feel as though she had as much depth as Ezekiel, which made it more difficult for me to get into her character. The relationship that develops between the two was enjoyable. Their irritation at each other early on was a fun aspect, especially knowing that they really were fairly well suited for each other. 

This was an interesting take on what the United States (turned Confederate) might have been like. I felt like Parrot did a good job of creating a realistic alternate history. My main issue with the book as a whole was the pacing. For those who enjoy detailed historical novels, it may not be a problem. I had been hoping for a little more excitement and struggle and less of the workings of the oil business. I found myself only becoming seriously invested in the story about halfway through the book when Lincoln's life is in danger and Ezekiel steps in to give warning and help. If there had been more of this earlier on it would have held my attention better through the first half of the book. 

Would I recommend this book? Yes, but selectively. It's not going to be for everyone. 

Who would I recommend this book too? I think it is mainly going to attract serious historical and Civil War era readers. Those looking for an action or adventure story may not get what they were after. Those looking for a serious romance won't be pulled in as much by Ezekiel and Chastity's story as more passionate romances. Readers who are willing to invest the time into this book will find it to be an interesting take on what might have been. 

The Last Best Hope is available now from Amazon. 

Favorites: The Last Best Hope

When writing a historical novel that takes and alternate view to what has really happened is undoubtedly a big task. There has to be a careful balance of fact and fiction. 

David Parrott manages this balance very well. He pulls in characters from history that played important roles in the Civil War and gives them new histories in this book. I liked the air of familiarity this gave the story, but at the same time was something quite new. 

Of course, telling this story with only historical characters would be very difficult, so a few new characters were needed. Even though the main character, Ezekiel, was based on several real people, his unique story was able to pull this alternate history right where the author wanted it to go. It created a well rounded and interesting story. 

The Last Best Hope is available now from Amazon.