*Vous pouvez trouver une traduction de ce post en français ici*
We’re very happy today to have on the blog a new author: Suzanne Johnson. Her first Urban Fantasy book: Royal Street was realeased on April 10th. It’s a fascinating novel featuring a heroine like no one else and some famous characters. Suzanne wrote for us a little something to present you some characters of her story. I hope it will make you want to discover the series. The second book: River Road will be released on November 2012. If you want to read my review about the first one you can find it here.
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Character Central: Meet the Cast of Royal Street
First, thank you to Melliane, for the opportunity to be on your blog!
Royal Street, the first in a new urban fantasy series that comes out April 10, is about a young female wizard who encounters challenges of the supernatural kind in New Orleans after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. Here’s a quick introduction to the major characters!
New Orleans.Yes, it’s a setting but in Royal Street, the city is also a major character. When Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29, 2005, its winds and storm surge pushed the waters of Lake Pontchartrain into the city of New Orleans, which sits below sea level and is ringed by a series of levees. The levees gave way, so the city filled with water. Many places were flooded for more than two months, and more than a thousand people died. So the characters in Royal Street must not only deal with their supernatural problems—they also have to worry about having no electricity, no drinking water, no working red lights, and parts of town they can only reach by boat. I was living in New Orleans at the time of Katrina, so a lot of the characters’ experiences were my own—well, except for the supernatural parts!Drusilla Jaco, known as DJ. She is a junior-level wizard who specializes in ritual magic—potions, spells, and charms. When Royal Street begins, DJ doesn’t have a lot of experience, so when her mentor goes missing during Katrina she’s thrown in situations that are way over her head. Luckily, she’s determined and stubborn so she keeps plowing through. DJ’s kind of a snarky, sometimes grumpy person—but her heart’s always in the right place.
French pirate Jean Lafitte.The handsome “gentleman pirate” Jean Lafitte was an extremely powerful figure in New Orleans history, plundering Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico and bringing their treasure back to Louisianeto trade and sell on the black market. He had as many as a thousand pirates, gypsies and ruffians who pledged loyalty to him and lived in his empire south of New Orleans. In Royal Street, Jean is a member of the “historical undead,” formerly famous humans given immortality by the magic of human memory. The big, handsome pirate is fascinated with DJ. Sometimes that is a good thing. Sometimes, not so good!
Alexander Warin.Alex is an enforcer, one of the elite assassins who work for the wizarding Elders and also is an agent for the FBI. After Katrina, he’s assigned to be DJ’s partner. Alex and DJ are opposites in many ways—he follows the rules, while she works her way around them. He is practical; she works by instinct. And their agendas after Katrina are very different. (Alex also has a secret, but I can’t tell you that without a spoiler!)
Jacob Warin. Jake is Alex’s cousin (their dads are brothers), and he owns a bar in the French Quarter called the Green Gator. He’s also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was injured in Afghanistan and came home with a torn-up leg and some ghosts of his own. DJ is attracted to Jake because he doesn’t even know about wizards or magic, so he has no agenda. Gerald St. Simon.Gerry is DJ’s mentor, with whom she has lived since she was seven years old and her magic got too much for her family to handle. Because of this, DJ has abandonment issues, and when Gerry goes missing after Hurricane Katrina, she’s determined to find him so she doesn’t lose yet another person in her life. But, like Alex and Jake, Gerry is much more complex than DJ realizes.
And there you have it! There are other characters and historical figures from New Orleans’ past, but those are the ones you’ll see the most of in Royal Street. To learn some of the background of these characters, there are free stories on my website at http://www.suzanne-johnson.com. “Pirate’s Alley” takes place about a year before Royal Street and features Jean Lafitte. “Intervention” also takes place about a year before Royal Streetand features Alex and Jake Warin. And a novelette, “Chenoire,” takes place after the events of book two in the series, River Road (which comes out in November), and features merman Rene Delachaise.
Bienvenue à Royal Street. Happy reading!
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Thanks to Suzanne for this little introduction to her world.
She also gives the possibility to win her first book: Royal street for one lucky winner. For that you just need to fill out the rafflecopter form. The contest in international.
a Rafflecopter giveaway<a href=”http://rafl.es/enable-js”>You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.
deasuluna
This book looks so good, I always love books set in New Orleans, now there is a city with a great magical background!
miki
i follow Suzanne blog and i can’t wait to read her book after all i learned. Thanks you a lot for this opportunity to win it
all the best
Dovile
I’ve never heard of these books, but they sound interesting. Thanks for the chance!
Disincentive
I heard a lot of good things about this bookso I’d love to read it!
Disincentive @ (read, watch, listen) – reviews
Imel Cullen
this book sounds interesting, I really want to read that ^^
thank’s for giveaway 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things)
NOLA? French pirates??? So many good characters! I am crossing my fingers! Sounds like a great series to be read!!
Sullivan McPig
This book is so cool. I look forward to book two.
Mimi Valentine
I was reading through the post and smiling, thinking that this book sounded so cool because I love books about wizards and I love books about pirates (which they’re aren’t that many of)! But it was when you mentioned the “gentleman pirate” that was the selling point for me LOL! I’ll probably end up pledging my loyalty to him along with those tons of people too x)
Thanks for the introductory post, Suzanne! 🙂 <3
Missie, The Unread Reader
NOLA is one of my favorite places to visit, and I love reading about it so. It’s really the perfect setting. And funny, you don’t typically think of the practical guys as sexy, but I’m already smitten with Alexander!
Thanks for the introductions and giveaway.
Elodie
Thank you so much for this amazing giveaway Melliane 🙂 !! Royal Street sounds amazing .. I love that it set in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina !! Oh we have a castle here in Bordeaux that products wine that is called Lafitte, what a coincidence !! I really look forward to meet this gorgeous gentleman and al the other characters of course !! Thank you so much for bringing Royal Street to my attention because it sounds great, I also love the cover !!
BookaholicCat
Great introduction to the characters, my favorite is French pirate Jean Lafitte. Thank you for the giveaway.
Tasnim
Thanks for the giveaway! And for making it INT 🙂
Zendastark
These informations are great! Thank you Melliane and Suzanne for them!! 🙂
I don’t enter this wonderful giveaway cause I received it last week but good luck to everyone!
Unknown
Really looking forward to this! I’ve been reading about it for months on Tor.com and can’t wait to see it for myself!
Teawench
I’m always looking for books that take place in NOLA. Add a pirate and how can you get any better. Grats, Suzanne!
Diana_Dimovska
This book sound intriguing, would love to read it. Thanks for the chance to win it. 🙂
Rachel at thejeepdiva
I also follow the author’s blog and I would love to read this book. It sounds great and I love the cover.
Linda
Haven’t read a good fantasy book in ages & this one looks really good. I like that it has magic, a strong heroine & gosh even a pirate!
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
Oh I love the sounds of this book, and now after this post… WOW! I need to get to this series. Amazing how close together the books are being released. 😀 Thank you!!
marybelle
I would love to read ROYAL STREET thank you. It looks amazing.
Afrae
Merci pour ce concours =)
Suzanne Johnson
Thank you for the great comments, everyone, and “Merci” to Mellianne for hosting me!
@Elodie…There is conflicting information about where Jean Lafitte was born, but most theories point to Bordeaux, so perhaps the current winemakers are Lafitte family members many times removed!
JoAnna
I am very excited to read Royal Street. Congrats to Suzanne on her release!
bn100
I enjoyed meeting the cast. The book sounds very good.
Angie
I trust you so much that I enter happily.
Thank for the contest. 🙂
books4me
I LOVE strong heroines! Sounds like a great read!!
Moonlight Gleam
Another wonderful guest post and giveaway! Thank you for the opportunity!
Denise Z
Thank you for the awesome character introduction and giveaway opportunity. I have had this one on my wishlist and I am really looking forward to reading Royal Street and getting to know this interesting group 🙂
Tim
I would love to win this book. Thanks for the guest post. C’est tres bien!
Darlene
I think Royal Street sounds amazing and is on my Wishlist! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
My keeper shelf
I managed to get a copy via Net galley, I loved it to bits!