July 16, 2012

#AADNOLA Author Spotlight: Erin Kellison + Giveaway!




Hello everyone and big thanks to Damaris for inviting me here today. I am thrilled to be attending AAD in New Orleans this year. I had so much fun at AAD last year, and I have a special place in my heart for New Orleans because I went there on my honeymoon. Actually, I surprised by poor fiancé (I say poor because we were utterly broke) by charging plane tickets and a B&B reservation to our credit card. We are still probably paying it off. We were twenty (had met in high school) and so over-the-moon in love.

Flash forward almost 20 years later, and here I am getting ready to return to New Orleans for the AAD conference. I love AAD because everyone, readers and writers alike, have the same kind of crazy.  I get to hang out for several days with the coolest people in one of the most intriguing cities in the world.

I write books where the supernatural collides with the contemporary world, where magic (what I call Shadow) is real and present every day. New Orleans has a rich history of paranormal and supernatural activity, so I have a natural interest in the city. Here are some of the paranormal stories of New Orleans that resonate with me:

Jacques St. Germain – a mysterious, wealthy man in New Orleans society in the early 1900s, St. Germain held wild parties at his estate while not eating a thing and drinking only “wine” (later found to be blood by police). St. Germain was never apprehended but was later believed to have been the Count de Saint-Germain, a wealthy man of Europe’s high society in the 1700s, and who was still seen roaming the continent even after his supposed death.

The Gardette-Laprete House – site of brutal murders that were never solved. It is said that you can still hear the sounds of the victims and the music they were playing on the night they were killed.

The Axeman of New Orleans – a series of grisly axe murders in the early 20th century had the city on edge. The “Axeman” eluded police for almost a year, eventually publishing a sort of manifesto in the local paper in which he/she claimed to be a demon from Tartarus who loved jazz music, so much that he/she promised to spare any household that had a jazz band playing. The Axeman was never caught or heard from again.

The St. Louis Cathedral – According to legend, on some rainy nights before dawn, the voice of a man can be heard singing a Christian hymn in the air between the St. Louis Cathedral and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. The man was Father Dagobert de Longuory, aka Pere Dagobert, a local 18th century priest who looked after everyone in his diocese with care. One night, a group of rebels were killed by Spanish soldiers, and denied a Catholic burial. Dagobert somehow managed to steal the bodies away from the Spanish, give them their proper rites, and bury them in the cemetery. It is believed that the spirit of Pere Dagobert still watches over New Orleans.

I can hardly wait for AAD—the con is all good things at once.  New Orleans is a sentimental favorite of mine and I get to share it with fantastic people.

Please come find me at:
Erin’s website: www.ErinKellison.com.





Giveaway


Erin Kellison is giving away a copy of her latest release in her Shadow series -- Fire Kissed!

Fae Fire

It is Kaye Brand's power to wield. But outcast from her kind, she's been selling herself to the highest bidder—money for her survival in exchange for a magic glimpse into the flames of the future.

Angel Ice

One of the angelic Order, Jack Bastian has no use for a female like Kaye, as provocative and unexpected as her blazing beauty. Yet he has no choice but to hire her to uncover the secrets of his sworn enemy and her former fiancé, Ferrol Grey.

Magekind

War is inevitable between the defenders of the Order and the mage Houses who threaten to engulf the world in Shadow. For Jack, mage-born Kaye is off limits, no matter how hot the impossible attraction between them. But in the coming darkness, beset by danger and desire, everything is about to change...


This giveaway is open INTERNATIONAL and will end one week from today! (Or a little after since I've been super busy lately :0) ).

To enter all you have to do is simple leave a meaningful comment below. Make sure to include a way for me to reach you if you should win!

HUGE thank you to Erin, for stopping by Good Choice Reading today!!! <3

Good luck everyone!




34 comments:

  1. Hey Erin, I'm headed to AAD and I can't wait to see you there! New Orleans is so rich in history tat you can almost hear the past as you walk down the streets. Thanks for the giveaway!
    jlkg102961 AT yahoo DOT com

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  2. So envious! New Orleans is too far away from West Virginia. So it's a no go for me. Though, *Evil grin * if money was no option and I had a place for my three sons to stay and I asked hubby, he would have gone down with me just for the sea food.

    Have fun at AAD. Have extra fun for those of us that can never go!!

    Raonaid at gmail dot com.

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  3. Erin, I am so Jealous, ADD, you and the wonders and mysteries of New Orleans would be a wonderful way to spend the weekend. Enjoy!

    gunn dot carole at yahoo dot com

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  4. Your books sound great! I would love to visit New Orleans, have a great time!

    luranker@hotmail.com

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  5. I´m so envious, =) i´d love to see New Orleans. Living in Sweden makes that a bit difficult and expensive, so it´ll have to wait a bit longer *sigh*
    Looking forward to reading your latest release!
    best wishes, Linda xo

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  6. All of your books look amazing. I hope to be able to read them all one day. I would love to go to New Orleans one day and look at all the mystifying things there. Have a good time!!!
    smiley317537@yahoo.com

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  7. Congratulations on a book that is being so well received by all the blogs I've seen it posted on. Can't wait to read it.
    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. Sounds really good! Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

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  9. I love your books. I love reading books centered around New Orleans. That place just seems to be a hot bed of paranormal activity. Good luck on your new book. Can't wait to read it.

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    1. Oops, forgot my email. peeweeanita@roadrunner.com

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  10. You'll have to report back if you have any paranormal encounters!

    books4me67 at ymail dot com

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  11. We were two days away from visiting New Orleans when Katrina hit. Still have not gotten there on a trip. Have a great time.

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  12. Have a great time Ive always wanted to go to New Orleans hopefully in the next year my husband and I will take that trip:)Your book sounds amazing I cant wait to read it .Have afantastic week.
    flanagan@mebtel.net

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  13. Sounds like AAD is going to be a lot of fun... can't wait til I actually get to attend one. Have fun in New Orleans, Erin!

    yadkny@hotmail.com

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  14. I think New Orleans is a fantastic place for a book to be set in, and I hope you enjoy AAD in NOLA. Fire Kissed sounds like another great book in this wonderful series, I'm looking forward to reading it.

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com

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  15. Hope you have a great time :)! Sounds awesome!

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  16. Interesting sounding book. I have never been to New Orleans, came close one time, but never actually made it to the city. Would love to visit it sometime.

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  17. I love books and movies where magic is a part of this world, so Fire Kissed sounds quite interesting to me. Thanks for the chance!

    spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

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  18. I've never read any of your books but I love to read anything with magical elements. Fire Kissed seems like it's the kind of book that I'd love. Interesting plot and thanks for the giveaway!

    peppiedoodle@gmail.com

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  19. That's sooo cool that you and your husband (or is he still your fiance?) have been married/together since high school. Your book sounds wonderful! Thanks for the giveaway! :]

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  20. New Orleans is the perfect place to get inspiration on the paranormal and magical elements! Your so lucky to be going! Thank you for the giveaway and enjoy yourself!

    volta2173 at sbcglobal dot net

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  21. I can imagine all sorts of stories surround New Orleans. I'd love to visit one day.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  22. I am not one hundred percent sure where this book is going but I am interested enough to find out.

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  23. Fantastic city!! Can not wait to read!! Thanks so kindly for an opportunity to win your book!! Wonderful writing!!

    bbleon62@yahoo.com

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  24. Is it true there are a lot of haunted houses in New Orleans?
    Have a great time!!!

    dsadler53 at yahoo dot ca

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  25. Congrats on the release! AAD sounds like its going to be great looking forward to hearing all about it.

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  26. Thanks for sharing the stories. Sounds like a fascinating place. The book sounds good.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  27. I'm jealous! I can't go to New Orleans, I'm INT! Well, hope you have a nice day :) Thanks for the giveaway

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  28. Thhank you so much for sharing...I have always wanted to go to New Orleans....at least I can go through books...

    ronnkelly3@aol.com

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  29. So wish that I was going. Looks like it would be so much fun. Maybe on of these days. Thanks for the contest and I really love the cover.

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  30. This book sounds like a great read! I can't wait to get the chance to meet you down in NOLA!! Thanks for the chance.

    sariahwalters at gmail dot com

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  31. Hi i wish i was going with all of ya'll thats going to New Orleans what a wonderful place to go. Just think if i was a writer what i could write living in that city. Thanks for a chance to win the book i really want it. Joannie jscddmj [at]aol[dot]com

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