Get ready for a Mardi Gras literary party

I love it when Mardi Gras happens late in the year — this year it's Tuesday, March 5, can you believe it? Nothing like a long stretch of king cakes, balls and parades to move a person from the festivities of Christmas all the way to spring. (I always tell people we don't stop partying here in Louisiana.)

But it's also a chance to get a lot of reading in. And I have plenty of great suggestions for you this Carnival season.

First, let me tell you about some amazing cozy mysteries to choose from and a party to boot. 

Cozy authors Ellen Byron, Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran, and Colleen Mooney will celebrate Mardi Gras night beginning with a Mardi Gras Party at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central with fun posts and giveaways. There will also be a special guest appearance by yours truly, talking about my romance novella, "Carnival Confessions" under the pen name of Cherie Claire.

Click here to join the party.

So here’s some info on us Carnival gals.

The fourth book in the Cajun Country Mystery series falls on the Big Day with “Mardi Gras Murder” by USA Today bestselling author Ellen Byron. Southern charm meets the dark mystery of the bayou as a 100-year flood, a malicious murder and a most unusual Mardi Gras converge at the Crozat Plantation BnB.

New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran offer “Glitter Bomb,” the 15th book in the Scrapbooking Mystery series. An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered.

Colleen Mooney of New Orleans is the author of the popular Go Cup Chronicles and it's the most fun involving Mardi Gras that doesn't include a hangover! “Rescued By a Kiss” is the first novel, where a New Orleans girl receives a mysterious kiss at a Mardi Gras parade which gets her in a whole lot of trouble. The book was the winner of two Southern Louisiana Romance Writers awards and proceeds from the book will benefit animal shelter rescue. 

And then there’s my "Carnival Confessions," a short romantic novella of mistaken identities at a Carnival ball that results in some fun confessions. The book's only 99 cents to download at all online bookstores. You can access their links on my website here.

Other Mardi Gras-related books:

“Behind the Mask” by Louisiana author Linda Joyce follows former model Chalise Boudreau who returns to Louisiana after 10 years and must face entrepreneur Chaz Riboucheaux who, years ago, stood Chalise up and left her brokenhearted. The two come face to face at a Twelfth Night party.

Lynn Shurr of New Iberia has published romances “Courir de Mardi Gras,” “Mardi Gras Madness” and “Queen of the Mardi Gras Ball.” Check out her books at www.lynnshurr.com.

One of Allemand Parish’s wealthiest men staggers and falls following a Mardi Gras parade, only to be found murdered with a gris gris bag tied to the knife in his chest in A.C. Mason’s “Mardi Gras Gris Gris.” The Baton Rouge author’s full name is Anne Clayre Mason and you can visit her website at www.anneclayremason.com.

Other novels include: “Fat Tuesday” by Sandra Brown, “Cake on a Hot Tin Roof” (A Piece of Cake Mystery Book 2) by Jacklyn Brady and “New Orleans Mourning” (Skip Langdon Book 1) by Julie Smith.

Lafayette artist Vergie Banks has one for ages 3 and up titled “The Journey of the Little Red Tricycle, Zoe Meets Gumbo.” The book centers around a young girl named Zoe who can speak three languages, English, French and Spanish. Zoe dresses in costumes and enjoys a country Mardi Gras with zydeco music, chasing chickens and a gumbo at day’s end, even though the chicken she brings home becomes a pet.

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.