Southern Horror

When I worked at the bookstore back home, a local writing group would meet monthly in the back corner. I never attended or really worked one of their meetings (I think that I was in the store during one such meeting but still never crossed their path). 

Anyway, one of the members of the group was a soon-to-be-published horror author named Deborah Leblanc. Her debut title, Family Inheritance, had such a fantastic reception at our store that I, of course, had to buy it. I mean c'mon, I'm a horror fan from Louisiana, no way was I going to pass it up. But, I had to wait because WE SOLD OUT! Yep, the line for her signing wrapped around the inside of the store. No worries, though, I have the whole collection by now.

I wasn't there for the following event, but if I remember hearing correctly, there was a zydeco band and food being passed around. Can't believe I missed that one. 

Leblanc, for those of you who haven't read her, sets each of her books in Louisiana and uses just about everything around her as an influence. Voodoo, ghosts, even gypsies, you name it, its in there, along with a healthy dose of Cajun culture and food. In fact, I get super homesick whenever I read her work, even if I'm not homesick for haunted houses and such : )

Here's my review of one of Leblanc's earlier titles, A House Divided, straight from the BB archives (because even my memory is not THAT good anymore):

Sometimes a terrible event can leave a stain on a place, the evil soaking into every nook and cranny just waiting to be awakened. Laura Toups and Matt Daigle are about to learn this the hard way. Both Laura and Matt have just moved their respective businesses into two halves of the same house. Keith Lafleur, a building contractor in the area, bought the house at a steal but could only move it in pieces. Lafleur made each half into a building on its own with business space on the bottom floor and apartment space upstairs. What no one realizes is that the house has a dark and sinister past. Neighbors say that Morgan Devilier was already a sick woman but the death of her fifth child pushed her over the edge. She killed her own family in that house years ago. Now, Lafleur’s decision to split the house has unleashed something terrible in their small Louisiana town and no one will be safe until the house and it’s spirits are once again reunited. Deborah Leblanc is no longer a rookie in the horror business. With three titles under her belt and another three set to come, she is a force to be reckoned with! Her macabre creations are sure to keep you up all night. This is a must read for fans of the horror genre.

Now, Deborah Leblanc is nothing if not generous and productive. Her latest title, Water Witch, hit shelves last September and now she has a HUGE contest extravaganza going on. It involves fabulous weekly prizes between now and April 8, culminating with a weekend getaway in the Big Easy (ugh, I'm already jealous of whoever wins). To enter all you have to do is purchase Water Witch and send your confirmation to Leblanc. Here's the link to all the specifics. 

Good luck and happy reading!