New Louisiana releases to be read, given as gifts

We get a lot of emails from readers and writers and many let us know about new books on the market. Here are a few to mention, the first two you need to mark on your calendar as good Carnival stories.

Gerry Schmitt, writing as bestselling author Laura Childs, has a new mystery out titled “Glitter Bomb” that involves a murder at a Mardi Gras parade. The novel is part of the New Orleans Scrapbooking Mysteries and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela's ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus' float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed. Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe-member's death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder....and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.

Childs is also the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries and the Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show.

Stayed tuned for we will write more about this mystery after the holidays, when Carnival rolls around.

Sally Asher imagines mermaids living inside the Mississippi River and, with illustrations by Melissa Vandiver, has published “The Mermaids of New Orleans” with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press. These mermaids are citizens of the sea much like their land counterparts, culturally and ethnically. Many New Orleans mermaids play in brass bands, eat snowballs in the summer, live in narrow trident houses and have their own parades (with floats that really float). And true to mermaid lore, the mermaids are allowed on land one day a year. New Orleans mermaids, of course, choose Mardi Gras, where they can blend in with the vibrant and decorative costumes.

Robin Caroll has published “Strategem,” a Christian adult novel with Shiloh Run Press. Here’s the book description: “Deep in the gritty underbelly of New Orleans, psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux loses everything when his wife leaves him to climb her company’s corporate ladder. He buries himself in his job of creating mind-bending adventure games for businesses as team-building explorations. When his ex-wife’s company hires Grayson’s to create an elaborate game, he doesn’t see how things can get worse. Until she dies during the course of the game he created…making him the prime suspect for murder.”

Charles Gramlich teaches at Xavier University in New Orleans and has had a number of books published in science fiction and fantasy under his own name. His latest book, however, is a western novel under the pen name Tyler Boone, published by Sundown Press. Here is the official blurb for the book:

“Scarred by a mysterious fire that killed his parents when he was seven, Trenton Banning grew up in a San Francisco orphanage. Ten years later he fled to the freedom of the Rocky Mountains. Now, he’s come to the town of Sun Falls, Wyoming, where a silver strike has triggered a boom. He isn’t after riches, though. He’s there for Jonathan Hunsinger, a ruthless businessman who may know something about the fire that orphaned Banning.”

You can read more about Gramlich at his blog is at http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com

Lana Downing of Franklin has published a new book perfect for ages 12 and up titled “T-Garçon of Grand Isle,” set on the barrier island of the 1920s when the community was accessible only by boat. Signed copies are available in the shops on Main Street in Franklin and on Lulu.com, Amazon, and other online platforms. Want to read more about the author? There's a wonderful story of Lana Downing at StMaryNow.com.

Stephen Estopinal grew up in the swamps and bayous of Louisiana in an area settled by Canary Islanders in 1778. Calling upon family oral history and research he was woven a tale of adventure and intrigue in South Louisiana with “Solitario: Bootlegging on the Bayou.” Other books include “El Tigre de Nueva Orleáns,” “Anna,” “Incident at Blood River,” “Escape to New Orleans,” “Mobile Must Fall” and “Pensacola Burning.”

Louisiana Book News is written by award-winning author Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her first book in each series is FREE to download as an ebook, including "Emilie," book one of The Cajun Series, "Ticket to Paradise," book one of The Cajun Embassy series and "A Ghost of a Chance," the first Viola Valentine mystery.