Book tour - Mary Ann Loesch - Giveaway

I'm on my second Book Tour Hop and today I am reviewing and setting up a giveaway for Bayou Myth by Mary Ann Loesch.  Today you will find a summary of her novel, my review, an interview and at the very bottom the rafflecopter for the giveaway!


As a sixteen year old voodoo queen in the making, Joan Renault just wants to be like all the other girls in the small town of Monte Parish, Louisiana—obsessed with boys and swamped with social lives. If the other kids would quit calling her “hoodoo hag,” she might have a small shot at normality. It would also help if Joan’s weekend outings with her secret crush, Dave, weren’t always being interrupted by her dead Grandmere, the legendary Marie Laveau. After all, it’s hard to make out with your best friend when your grandmother is watching! But when you come from a long line of voodoo priestesses with dried gator heads decorating the wall of their huts, normal doesn’t come easily. 

When Joan witnesses the brutal sacrifice of a child to a tree Druid, she learns her Grandmere’s scandalous past has come back to haunt those living in the present. Hera, a vengeful voodoo priestess is determined to use the residual energy of Pandora’s Box to revive a sleeping voodoo god and declare war on the descendants of Marie Laveau, especially Joan. Suddenly, Greek myths are being re-enacted all over town, and Joan has her hands full trying to sort it all out. With the approach of Samedi’s Day—the voodoo day of resurrection—Joan must learn to accept her destiny in order to stop the approaching threat to her family and friends


I was immediately in love with the topic of voodoo- it's new. It's fresh. It has not been beaten to death by a whip. There were some many elements of this story that I liked. My first one - the parents - who doesn't want free- spirited parents like that? They were unfailing in their love for their family. They supported their daughter's ability withOUT question. A perfect set of parents in a world where you don't typically have that.

I was gripped into the plot almost immediately. Joan and her Grandmere witness this horrific event with a young boy. Joan doesn't know if it is for real, part of the dream world, or why she wakes up with mud on her shoes (which is explained later). Not that I like what happened to the young boy - I like that the horrible event being depicted was actually horrible -not sugar coated. WELL DONE!

Dave - hmm, hottie - yes. Perfect - no. Which what he pulls on Joan - I'm not completely sure I'm sold on him, but I get why he did it. I understand the insecurity of it all.

Grandmere - is bossy and pushy - but loving.

As for the tying in of the Greek myths - I would like to have seen more of them. I am fascinated by mythology and would have liked to have seen more of that.

I thought it was a great book!

INTERVIEW!

What inspired you to write this Bayou Myth?

Bayou Myth came from a short story I published called Bayou Scars. It was about my main character, Joan Renault, but as an adult who worked as a psychic for the New Orleans PD. I really liked her character and thought I would write a novel featuring her, but as I started writing her back story, I started thinking about what it would be like to grow up with someone like Marie Laveau as your spirit guide. How would you cope with voodoo and curses when the rest of your friends are dealing with prom, boys, and fashion? What would it be like to know that you were destined to be a most powerful voodoo queen? As a result, I started writing about Joan's life as a teenager and now have two more novels in the series ready to go. Someday I want to continue with my original idea of writing about Joan as an adult, though.

When and how did you start writing?

Sometimes I think I was born with a pencil in my hand! I definitely started young and this was because my parents took me to see plays. I was intrigued by the stories on stage and wanted to create my own. I started writing really awful, over the top, dramatic plays when I was in third grade that the neighborhood kids were kind enough to act out! As I grew older, I stepped away from writing for a while, picking it up again about eight years ago. I've been at it ever since.

Can you tell me one of the best moments you have had in the publishing world?

The day my first book, an urban fantasy called Nephilim, was published is probably one of my best moments. Suddenly, it all felt real to me. Even though I'd published short stories and won many writing awards, having my book out there made me think, "Wow. I'm a writer."

When it comes to social networking, which one do you think has been most helpful in getting your name and title out there?


Facebook and Twitter are the most useful tools for me, next to the two blogs I run. Loesch's Muse is my personal blog and where I talk about whatever tickles my fancy. All Things Writing is a blog for writers and has really helped me connect with lots of people.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

Keep writing no matter what, but sometimes it's okay to step back and take a break.

Tell me five non-writing things about yourself.

1. I am an elementary theatre arts teacher. Yes, elementary theatre. I work with Kindergarten thru 5th grade.
2. I love dirty martinis.
3. My favorite dog breed is the dachshund because they just want to be loved and have mastered the soulful look.
4. I really wish that the sci/fi show Farscape was still on TV.
5. I hate doing the laundry and every week there appears to be more and more of it gathered in the laundry room.

I love Joan - so Mary I really hope you continue on up until she is an adult! And I will have to check out that blog! Thank you for stopping by!

Ladies and Gents - here is the giveaway!



a Rafflecopter giveaway