A Tribute to Anne Rice

In the mid-nineties, I was a creative, angsty, depressed teenager living on a steady diet of grunge and existentialism, feeling perpetually misunderstood—something familiar to many, I think, especially in my Xennial generation. Books were my only effective outlet in a childhood with shifting stability, and they shaped new worlds for me, ones I could escape to when needed, which was often.

When I came upon Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat, subsequently devouring everything else available that she’d ever written, that escape took on more substance. Here were characters who were also perpetually misunderstood, but had found acceptance and clarity as lovable misfits. They were imperfect, sometimes evildoing, and often sympathetic in spite of their choices. Anne’s use of language as a lyrical journey painted the backdrop to a world I wanted to live in. I’d never wanted to trade places with anyone real, but I often dreamed of being a Mayfair.

Anne led me down the path to my writer’s voice. Though I had been writing since I was seven (saucy little shorts that were ahead of my time, but that’s another story, for another post), in her bold choices I saw a path I was meant to take; a place for my own dark and strange heart to find voice and audience.

Anne introduced me to New Orleans. A lush, wondrous world that sits within ours but somehow exists entirely separate of it. An old soul of a city, with a pulse that ripples through the live oaks and the upturned sidewalks, and the cities of the dead. Where second lines sing and dance the background of the culture of celebration, of the living, of the dead. A place where dreams are born, and live on forever, long after the dreamer is gone.

My House of Crimson & Clover series was a love letter to Anne, in many ways. I found my own words, my own voice, but both were birthed from her courage, her daring. I sought to bring New Orleans to a new generation of readers, as she once had with me, and for those who already knew it well, to feel as if I’d done their beloved city justice. That though I’d never lived there myself, I understood it to be a living, breathing thing that would outlive us all.

Anne gave me community. I was extremely fortunate to have been invited to be a featured author at her Halloween-time Undead Con event two years in a row, of which her long-running Lestat Ball was part of. It was there that my world blossomed, meeting even more wonderful people, people who I bonded with because of our love for Anne, but who became something more than that, bigger than that. I discovered my best friend Shawn through this community. I met my soul sister, Raven. My co-writer and dear friend Becket, and his lovely wife Stina. Anne’s son, Christopher. I met the people who I would come to know as my family. They are too numerous to name, but they know who they are. We’ve all been holding each other extra close through this loss.

Anne gave me mentorship. Indirectly, as a result of this community, where she was so generous with herself, and her time, and her wisdom that could be summarized, quite simply, as “to be a writer, just write.” Directly, in the treasured moments I got to speak to her one-on-one, to try (and fail) to articulate the impact she had on me, and why I could never repay that.

Anne saved my life as a teenager. She gave it meaning as an adult. Now, coming into my middle age, these impressions have offered me the path I want the rest of my life to take.

The loss of Anne Rice is devastating. It’s total. It marks the end of an era that meant so much, to so many.

But, as a dear friend of mine said, Anne is timeless. She is bigger than the eighty years she gave us, and her work and impact will transcend whatever comes next.

This same friend also referred to Anne as my “Literary Mother,” and that felt right. Anne had many, many literary children, who are all feeling orphaned and unmoored at the loss, but we’ll find our way. We have each other. We have her words, which will live on forever, in all of us. Beyond all of us.

If you have ever enjoyed my books, know that they would not be here if Anne hadn’t opened my world up to new possibilities, almost three decades ago.

Thank you for reading.

Anne and I at St. Alphonsus Church in 2015

House of Crimson & Clover Redesign

The House of Crimson & Clover turns eight this fall. It’s really much older than that, if we’re tracking from the point of inception, 1999, but September 26^th, 2011 was the date of the first publication in the series.

The books have come a long way since then. The last book came out on the series’ 6th anniversary, in 2017. Some of the books have hit the Top 100 (and even Top 20) on Amazon, and rose to the top of the charts on Apple Books, Nook, and Kobo as well. A couple have been reedited. They’ve all been through multiple iterations of cover designs. The decision to introduce readers at The Storm and the Darkness or The Illusions of Eventide has gone back and forth.

I’ve come a long way as well since 2011. I’d like to think I’m a better writer. I’m definitely a better designer, and if you didn’t know, I’ve designed all the covers for this series—the good, the bad, and everything in between.

What I’ll be introducing over the next week or two, slowly as I take the necessary time to change what’s required, is the culmination of all of those designs, and of my skills as a designer (which are still, always, evolving).

Without further ado, here are the new covers for the twelve books of The House of Crimson & Clover:

In addition to cover changes, I’m taking this opportunity to provide final clarity on the reading order by renumbering the series. Instead of The Storm and the Darkness and Shattered both being listed as prequels, they have been renumbered to Volumes I and II. This puts The Illusions of Eventide, previously Volume I, to Volume III. Labeling the first two books as prequels, I believe, caused confusion in readers who believed they were optional to the reading order. The true first book in The House of Crimson & Clover is The Storm and the Darkness. 

I’m working to get these updated at all the retailers, but in the meantime, if you’re in love with the existing covers, now’s the time to grab them before they change!

Here’s a trip down memory lane, on the design progression of The Storm and the Darkness:

I’ll end by giving a quick rundown of what’s in flight for me writing-wise:

• Finishing The Seven Series. 1975 just released, and 1976 is coming July 31. I’m getting ready to start the first draft of
• The second Midnight Dynasty Series book, A Storm of Revelations, comes out Tuesday! This one’s a wild ride, and I think you’ll love it.
• I’m working on a somewhat secret project, but I’ll tell you this: it’s bigger and more ambitious than anything I’ve ever done, and it’s a fantasy series. The world-building alone has taken me many hours, and I’ve just started writing in the world. Once The Seven is truly done, this will be my main focus for the time being.

 

Happy Reading!

Sarah

Myths of Midwinter is HERE!

MYTHS OF MIDWINTER, the sixth volume in the bestselling Paranormal Southern Gothic series, The House of Crimson & Clover, is now available on all major online retailers.

Amazon | BN | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Goodreads 

Quillan Sullivan lost his twin brother two decades ago, a tragedy he never fully experienced due to his unusual ability to see and talk to Riley when no one else can. He believes this “gift” is a fluke, until the haughty, vainglorious love of his life, Estella, returns after several years abroad, and rips his world apart.

Estella Broussard loathes Quillan. He’s the last person on Earth she’d ever bless with her presence. To her great dismay, he alone holds the key to achieving her deepest desire. She will do anything to reach her aims, no matter the warnings… no matter the cost to Quillan.

Nerys guides Finn and Aleksandr on their mission to find Anasofiya and bring her home. Finn accepts her help, on the condition she keep no secrets. She relays what she knows… all except the visions her old companion has sent her, regarding a terrifying menace to the Deschanels back home: A necromancer has emerged, and this ominous knowledge has fallen into the wrong hands.

The threads of fate weave the Deschanels and Sullivans down perilous paths, as a centuries-old warning emerges: Seduction to sinners. A legacy in splinters. Beware, the myths of midwinter.

________

Need to catch up on the series first? The series prequel THE STORM AND THE DARKNESS, is on sale for $.99. This is a fantastic chance to start this bestselling paranormal series by picking up the book New York Times Bestselling author Christopher Rice calls, “modern gothic with fierce smarts.” **SALE ENDS TODAY!**

Amazon | BN | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Goodreads 

Ana Deschanel made a terrible mistake. The only chance of protecting the other people involved is to flee New Orleans, the only home she has ever known, for the quiet solitude of Summer Island.

Summer Island, Maine (population 202) is not the tranquil escape Ana imagined. The locals are distant and cold, especially her neighbor, the reclusive veterinarian Jonathan St. Andrews. Her only lifeline is the kind but odd caretaker, Alex Whitman. Showing up at all the right moments, he warns her she is completely unprepared for a Maine winter. As the first seasonal storm approaches to whispers of an island shutdown, Ana realizes she may soon be cut off from the rest of the world.

After a surprising encounter with Jonathan’s brother, Finn, Ana finds herself braving the storm to return something to him. Unprepared for the Maine storm, she slips and falls onto the jagged rocks along the shore. The St. Andrews brothers find her in the nick of time, but she remains unconscious. As the storm worsens, the St. Andrews brothers learn there are other, more sinister forces at work closer than they ever imagined.

With no help from the outside world, they must find a way to protect themselves from both the storm, and the growing darkness that looms across the island.  

Sale ends 10/20.

House of Crimson & Clover Renumbering

Earlier this year, I redesigned the covers and branding for The House of Crimson & Clover. I could not be happier with the result, as it both tonally and thematically captures the essence of the books and series.

With ten titles in, it was time, now, to take a look at organizing the titles in a more meaningful way. And so, I have worked to re-align the numbering so that new readers will come in at a more logical starting point, and existing readers can explore peripheral titles at the right pace.

All of these changes have been reflected on retailers, covers, and my website. See below for an explanation of changes.

The Changes

1. Series now begins with The Illusions of Eventide. This is where the central story-line of the series takes root and is therefore the most natural starting point.
2. The Storm and the Darkness and Shattered have been relabeled as Prequels.
3. All progression books are now labeled as Volumes and there are no longer any “.5” books in the numbering. If the story is labeled Volume 1, 2, 3, etc., then it is part of the main progression story-line, whether it is a full-length book or a novella.
4. All non-progression books/shorts fall into two new categories: La Famille Lagniappes and Crimson & Clover Lagniappes.
   1. La Famille Lagniappes tell the story of a specific character. In this group you’ll find stories such as Flourish: The Story of Anne Fontaine (previously titled Beyond Dusk: Anne).
   2. Crimson & Clover Lagniappes are bonus stories that complement the series. St. Charles at Dusk was moved to this group. Surrender: The Story of Oz and Ana, is also a part of this category.
5. The word “Beyond” was removed from all titles.

 

Volumes

 Volume 1: The Illusions of Eventide

Nicolas Deschanel was betrayed by the only two people who matter to him. Their disloyalty stung and an overwhelming sense of loss lingers. Nicolas has lived the high life professing to not have a care in the world, and now this illusion is calling his bluff.

Determined to take control of an existence now devoid of purpose, he sojourns to his family’s holiday home on the Gulf of Mexico. Resolved more than depressed, he plans to privately say goodbye to a world which no longer needs him. Of questionable fortune, he finds a woman, Mercy, sitting alone on the shore at eventide. Nicolas is conflicted between an obligation to help, and annoyance at her intrusion.

Mercy has many layers of secrets. Deepest of all, she cannot tell this Child of Man she is thousands of years old and very powerful. In her presence, Nicolas’ own dormant powers begin to surface, triggering a sequence of events that cause both of their lives to spiral further out of control. When old friends from both sides come to help, together they all learn a painful truth: new life can only begin once you’ve set free what means the most.

Volume 2: Bound

Finnegan St. Andrews has lost everything. His perspective on the world is forever changed.

Anasofiya Deschanel no longer knows who she is…or what. She longs both for what she has, and all she has left behind.

Aidrik the Wise has vowed to do anything for his evigbond. As he watches her life force slowly ebb, he begins to understand the sacrifice he must make to save her.

All three individuals are bound by love, promises, and the undeniable threads of fate.

Volume 3: Midnight Dynasty

The Deschanel Curse, dormant for a decade, has returned with a vengeance.

Seers across the family are coming together, hopeful the Deschanel Magi Collective can solve this malediction that has plagued the family for nearly two centuries.

But how do you combat the blood oath of a grieving mother?

As the body count rises, it becomes apparent that strength, love, and ancient power provide no protection from destiny’s cruel hand..

Volume 4: Asunder

Broken and dispirited, the Deschanel family reels under the weight of a family curse. Lives were torn asunder, as their numbers diminished.

Amidst their pain, another prophecy takes shape. One laid by the ancient druidic Quinlan clan, in a time long forgotten. Seers across the family have borne witness to fragments. Distraught by the loss of her soul’s true love, Amelia begins to dream of an unknown man and a woman, designated by fate to live their story over and over again, throughout time.

Now, destiny reaches across the centuries.

In the family’s darkest hour, a reckoning with the Empyrean Senetat is fast approaching. Hope becomes the necessary consolation for grief, as the Deschanels come together to make their loved ones whole, in order to face this uncertain future as a united clan.

Prequels

The Storm and the Darkness

Ana Deschanel has made a terrible mistake. The only chance of protecting the other people involved is to flee New Orleans, the only home she has ever known, for the quiet solitude of Summer Island.

Summer Island, Maine (population 202) is not the tranquil escape Ana imagined. The locals are distant and cold, especially her neighbor, the reclusive veterinarian Jonathan St. Andrews. Her only lifeline is the kind but odd caretaker Alex Whitman. Showing up at all the right moments, he warns her she is completely unprepared for a Maine winter. As the first winter storm approaches to whispers of an island shutdown- Ana realizes that she may soon be cut off from the rest of the world. After a surprising encounter with Jonathan’s brother, Finn, Ana finds herself braving the storm to return something to him. Unprepared for the Maine storm, she slips and falls onto the jagged rocks along the shore. The St. Andrews brothers find her in the nick of time, but she remains unconscious.

As the storm worsens, the St. Andrews brothers learn there are other, more sinister forces at work closer than they ever imagined. With no help from the outside world, they must find a way to protect themselves from both the storm, and the growing darkness that looms across the island.

Shattered

Anasofiya Deschanel fled to Maine to escape her mistakes. She learned quickly, and violently, you cannot run from what’s inside you.

Following a series of unfortunate events, Ana finds herself drowning in the consequences of actions which left her heart cruelly divided between the St. Andrews brothers. Jon’s embrace of darkness soon turns to dangerous cruelty, while Finn’s kind heart offers a promise of love she does not feel she deserves. Between all three of them lies a secret with the potential to change everything.

When the truth comes crashing down, Ana is forced to face the same demons she once ran from. As she learns more about who she is, and the situation she’s created, these realizations drive her to a desperate decision that will change everyone’s lives, forever.

La Famille Lagniappes

Flourish: The Story of Anne Fontaine

Following the death of her dominating mother, Anne Fontaine decides to leave the bayou to reconnect with her estranged half-sister, Adrienne Deschanel. Her hope is to forge a relationship with Adrienne that was not possible when her mother was alive. Secretly, she also hopes to find out if her extraordinary supernatural talents are shared by anyone else.

When Nicolas Deschanel gets wind of Anne’s presence, he suspects that she is one of many con artists after his sister’s money. Not knowing that her story is true, he engages in a game of cat-and-mouse with her, deciding to have a little fun.

Eventually, circumstances find both of them back at the Deschanel family seat, Ophélie, where secrets and stories come to life.

Crimson & Clover Lagniappes

St. Charles at Dusk

A father’s threats. A tragic accident. Unanswered questions. Oz Sullivan has finally moved past the tangled web surrounding his brief, but intense, relationship with the young, impetuous Adrienne Deschanel. Through his family, and successful career as an attorney, he has forged a tranquil predictability.

Then Adrienne unexpectedly emerges, with no memory of the life she once led. Her desperate attempt to flee the confusing and dark influences in the bayou instinctively propels her to the one face for which she has a name. Oz’s world is once again turned upside down, as he must decide how to help her without losing himself entirely.

Set amidst the lush and vibrant backdrop of New Orleans, St. Charles at Dusk tells the story of Oz and Adrienne; of forbidden love, and startling heartbreak.

Surrender: The Story of Oz and Ana

At sixteen, Anasofiya Deschanel is terrified at the notion of sharing herself with anyone. Rather than face that fear, she hides behind her books and imagination, where her heart feels safe.

Secretly, Oz Sullivan’s heart has always belonged to Ana. Fearful of scaring her, he chooses instead to pursue girls who are nothing like him, leaving him empty and unfulfilled.

Circumstances find them miserable at their junior prom, after problems with their respective dates. Ana and Oz must decide if they’re willing to surrender their fears, and leap forward into the unknown.

Dive into this Crimson and Clover Lagniappe, and indulge in this flashback story of first love.

(Note: This story was originally published as part of the All Our Love Anthology by Novel Grounds)

Fire & Ice (Remy and Fleur)

As featured in From the Ashes, a Dauntless Indies Anthology

Dark Blessing (The Landry Triplets)

As featured in Face the Music, a Dauntless Indies Anthology

 

For more information about the series, including upcoming releases, please visit my website.

Anne Rice Undead Conference – New Orleans 2014

All official and stuff.

This year, I was invited to be an author panelist at the Anne Rice Undead Conference. I could play it modest and act like it was no big deal, but… huzzah! Even before I left for New Orleans, I knew it was going to the trip to remember. An important moment in both my personal life, and my writing career.

Now, if you read my books you’ll know I’m no stranger to New Orleans. Quite the opposite: I am obsessed with this strange, decadent, architecturally and culturally incredible city. Really, all of South Louisiana, from the Quarter to the many beautiful bayous. I owe my writing inspiration to every smell, sound, and sight in that corner of the world. I make an effort to visit as often as I can, usually annually. Usually with my bestie, Laura.

I very nearly chained myself to one of those glorious columns.

With four days worth of amazing events, I knew we had to pack in some R&R&R (Rest, Relaxation, & Research) time, so we added two days to the front of the trip, and two days after.

To start, we spent two luxurious nights at Houmas House Plantation & Gardens. We didn’t do a whole lot, and that was the point. Mimosas, bathrobes, good books, and the sound of cicadas set against a backdrop that could inspire any novelist. Oh, and this backdrop did inspire this novelist, as HH is one of the original inspirations for the fictional plantation in my books, Ophelie. *~The More You Know.*~

My brave and daring companions through the rest of this whirlwind adventure were my two dearest friends: Laura and Shawn. I seriously could NOT have done this without either of them. I am a very lucky gal.

My #authorposse, prepping to keep me sane for the next few days.

Thursday morning, we packed up our tiny rental car with enough luggage for a royal progress, and headed into NOLA for the Meet & Greet at St. Alphonsus Church. Anne and Christopher Rice would both be there (Anne promoting her latest Vampire Chronicles book, Prince Lestat, and Christopher his new supernatural thriller, The Vines. Both excellent reads by the way), as well as Christine Feehan. Those of us invited as panelists were also guests, and were gathered near AR and CR.

L to R: Raven Quinn, Becket, KL Bone, Me, Greg Wilkey

First off: if you’re a Rice fan, you already know how beautiful St. Alphonsus is purely from her vivid descriptions. But seeing it in person was absolutely stunning. On a prior trip I’d walked past it, but this was my first time inside.

As authors, we were among the first to meet Anne and ask her a few questions. I was relieved to have a question that was not entirely ridiculous. Honestly, I was surprised I could still speak English when sitting right in front of my dang muse.

❤

Also awesome was meeting and spending time with fellow authors, panelists, and friends, like Becket, Raven Quinn, K.L. Bone, Greg Wilkey, Alys Arden, CM Michaels, and more. We spent a lot of time posing for pictures, and looking otherwise glamorous.

After the Meet & Greet, we closed the night out with some vino at Patrick’s Bar Vin in the Quarter. Great choice, by the way.

Of course, we couldn’t stay out too late. Friday was scheduled to be RI-DIC-U-LOUS.

The first of several botched selfies of Christopher Rice and me.

First off, we watched the panel with Christopher Rice, Eric Shaw Quinn, Christopher Buehlman, Christine Feehan, and Paul Koudanaris. So much entertainment (and talent!) in one tiny table.

So many faves! Becket & I; our panel; CR and I; Greg Wilkey and I

Next up, was our panel. Becket, Raven Quinn, Greg Wilkey, KL Bone, CM Michaels, and yours truly. For as nervous as I was starting, I was quickly reminded how easily I’ve always found talking to crowds (a strange trait for an introvert, I know). The time flew by, and it was a blast. What an honor to be surrounded by so much diverse talent.

Brilliance happening.

With both Halloween panels complete, that only meant one thing: Lestat Coronation Ball!

Well, no. First, we spent four hours getting our hair and makeup done. It may be enough to say that none of us had been this fancy since prom.

KL Bone and I

The Lestat Coronation Ball was an event I’ll probably have trouble describing. From the music to the decor to the elaborate costumes and dresses, it felt like stepping into another time and place. And as an author, it’s absolutely stunning to witness the impact a character and a series can have on so many.

That smile is me trying to keep my sh** together.

And the moment of the trip for me: taking a moment to sit down and thank Anne for the impact she has had on my writing. I suppose I could have asked her a thousand questions, but all I wanted to do was say thank you. And I did.

After the ball, we took a few spins around the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, and met a unicorn flirting and drinking his heart out. #Halloween in NOLA

Eating lunch with “Adele.” RIP Adele.

We kicked off Saturday with a tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 for All Saints Day, which included LITERALLY EATING FOOD ON TOMBS. I was skeptical, but this is apparently a tradition, and I love me some good NOLA traditions. We then hopped over for a late breakfast at Cafe du Monde, an afternoon in the Garden District (where we visited the location of my Oz Sullivan and narrowly avoided a restraining order) riding the streetcar, and then a fabulous dinner at Galatoire’s, our New Orleans favorite. Sunday was equally nice, from our jazz brunch at Commander’s Palace, to spending the last couple hours of the UC weekend saying goodbye to the other authors at the cocktail party.

By Monday, all our excitement caught up with us and we lazed about. We had a wonderful lunch with Christina “Stina” Barnett, and then dinner with new friends Alys Arden and Alex Rosa.

As with anytime I leave NOLA, a piece of me stays behind. But the rest of me is ready for next year!

Beyond Midnight: Asunder is NOW LIVE!

Destiny reaches across the centuries.

Beyond Midnight: Asunder, Book 3.5 in the House of Crimson & Clover, is now LIVE across all major retailers!

Broken and dispirited, the Deschanel family reels under the weight of a family curse. Lives were torn asunder, as their numbers diminished.

Amidst their pain, another prophecy takes shape. One laid by the ancient druidic Quinlan clan, in a time long forgotten. Seers across the family have borne witness to fragments. Distraught by the loss of her soul’s true love, Amelia begins to dream of an unknown man and a woman, designated by fate to live their story over and over again, throughout time.

Now, destiny reaches across the centuries.

In the family’s darkest hour, a reckoning with the Empyrean Senetat is fast approaching. Hope becomes the necessary consolation for grief, as the Deschanels come together to make their loved ones whole, in order to face this uncertain future as a united clan.

 

Midnight Dynasty Act III: Omega is NOW LIVE!

For most, death is a fact of life. If you are a Deschanel, it’s a way of life.

Midnight Dynasty Act III: Omega, the final act in this devastating serial, is now LIVE across all major retailers!

ACT III: OMEGA

“There is a price and Charles and his children will pay it. As will their children, and their children, and all children who attempt to profit from anything Charles has built. This midnight dynasty will fall, as Ophelie fell, and there will be no more. This I promise, on my mother, and on my beloved Ophelie.”

 

Midnight Dynasty, Book 3 in The House of Crimson & Clover, was released in three dramatic acts over the 2014 Summer. Click here to read the Press Release.

  

Midnight Dynasty Act II: Convocation is NOW LIVE!

For most, death is a fact of life. If you are a Deschanel, it’s a way of life.

Midnight Dynasty Act II: Convocation is now LIVE across all major retailers! The Deschanel Curse has struck a devastating blow, leaving the lives of the entire family changed forever. Will they come together and stop it, finally?

ACT II: CONVOCATION

The Curse has claimed its first victim. The Deschanel Magi Collective must bring the whole family together, to fight this as one.

 

Midnight Dynasty, Book 3 in The House of Crimson & Clover, will be released in three dramatic acts over the 2014 Summer. Click here to read the Press Release.

  

Guest Author: Leslie Fear

Please welcome author Leslie Fear to the blog today. I am always happy to feature another writer who writes about my beloved New Orleans. Check out her interview!

If you are interested in being a Guest Author, please check out this page.

Becket (Assistant to Anne Rice) Reviews St. Charles at Dusk

So, something incredibly cool happened to me this week. And its just Monday!

See below for the full size version.

It started a few weeks ago when Becket, who is the endlessly interesting and endearing assistant of Anne Rice, posted on his page that he was interested in knowing what other indie authors were working on. He is getting ready to publish his own stories, and has been very supportive of the indie community as a whole. I responded with some info about my novels, and a link to my Amazon Author Central profile. He replied that he had read the sample offered by Amazon (you can’t adequately imagine my surprise at that), so I offered to send him a copy, and he accepted. He was incredibly kind and gracious about the whole thing, and of course I was completely useless to the world for the rest of the day.

This morning, he posted on his page his final thoughts, and review of the book. I supposed I should say that, as kind as nice as he is, I never expected him to finish it. Or love it. Who am I, really, but just some random indie author in a sea of them?

Is this that small self-conscious jerk that still lives in my thoughts, coming out to play, telling me I am not good enough? Probably. Because Becket did enjoy it. Enough to tell his page about it. Enough that he compared me to a young Anne Rice, and that my characterizations where Dickensian. Enough that I have been just floating on cloud 9 all day, and not even the fact that I chose the wrong day to wear heels can bring me down from it.

You see, Anne Rice is my favorite author of all time. My favorite wordsmith, world-builder, and the queen of the visceral reading experience. Becket is not just her assistant, but is also her biggest fan. Like me, he credits Rice for gifting him with a lifelong love, and discovery, of New Orleans. Like me, he walked down the streets of the Garden District, dreaming of her characters and novels. So if this is the experience he took from my book, then I can think of no greater compliment, and no more meaningful endorsement. Humbled is the word I will use, for lack of a bigger, crazier, more descriptive alternative. This is the best writing gift anyone has ever given me.

Here’s the direct link to the post as well: Becket’s Review of St. Charles at Dusk

By the way- review excitement aside-if you are not following Becket, you should be. He is charming, real, insightful, and has put his heart on the line to share his experience as a monk in New Orleans. He is also a Whovian, and and all-around geek lover. Oh, and he gets to hang out with Anne Rice.

He’s pretty okay in my book.