My original Louisiana romances now as ebooks

When you write a novel the terms of the contact usually pass on the book’s rights to the publisher for a certain amount of time. Once the book runs its course, the rights are returned to the author. The rights of my historical romances set in Louisiana, originally published by Kensington Publishing Company, have been returned to me and I’m in the process of posting these stories in ebook form to online publishers. My first two books — “A Cajun Dream” and “The Letter” novella under my pen name of Cherie Claire — are now available online at Amazon.com.

NOTE: "The Letter" may be downloaded free from Amazon until Monday, Aug. 17!

Both stories are set in South Louisiana.

 “A Cajun Dream” is an award-winning heartful romance between a very proper American heiress and the proud Cajun who is determined to win her love. I wrote it as the novelization of the Cajun national anthem, a song known as “Jolie Blonde.”

“A Cajun Dream will bring a smile to readers’ faces,” wrote Maria C. Ferrer for Romantic Times magazine. “Ms. Claire has captured the sweetness of falling in love the first time with the gentleness of Dorothy Garlock and the tenderness of Pamela Morsi.”

Best-selling romance author Rexanne Becnel said of the book: “What a marvelous debut! Cherie Claire is sure to earn a bevy of fans with this charming and heartwarming tale.”

            In “The Letter,” a sequel to “A Cajun Dream,” Irish immigrant Fiona Riley promises a dying friend that she will raise the woman's child as her own. But without a job and a roof over their heads Fiona fears for their lives. When a letter arrives announcing that relatives in a bayou town are searching for their long-lost cousin, Fiona finds the answer to her prayers, even if it means deceiving others in the Cajun town of Loreauville to survive, especially handsome Emile Dugas.

“Cherie Claire is a new voice in romance from the heartland of Louisiana,” wrote Eileen Charbonneau, author of “Rachel LeMoyne.” “I found ‘The Letter’ enchanting, original and lyrical from beginning to end. Catch this star rising — her talent is a gift of the Goddess!”
            Greg Langley, book editor of The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge said this of the novella: "This is a well written and enjoyable story that will appeal to all fans of good fiction, not just romance readers."

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She also writes Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire, “A Cajun Dream” and “The Letter.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.