New Orleans native Colleen Mooney highlights unique side of city in her 'Go Cup Chronicles' mystery series

Today’s guest blogger to Louisiana Book News is the prolific Colleen Mooney of New Orleans. Mooney is the USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of “The New Orleans Go-Cup Chronicles” and founder of the city’s Sisters in Crime chapter. Her latest book is "Politicians, Potholes and Pralines." She's also an author who diligently raises money for animals.

First, I’d like to thank Chere Coen for asking me to be a guest on her blog. 

“Politicians, Potholes and Pralines” is book six in my series, “The New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles.” It was quite a few years ago I got the idea for the first book, “Rescued By A Kiss,” when I lived in New York. I started it, then I moved back to New Orleans, started a new job, and then Katrina came along delaying me finishing the first book. When I was close to completing it, the second one popped into my head and it’s been going like that ever since. New Orleans, where my books are set, is a never-ending source of entertainment and inspiration. Recent collapses in tunnels dug throughout New Orleans in the 1960s gave me the idea for this story.

All my ideas come from unusual people and situations I experience in New Orleans on a regular, if not daily, basis. I pull ideas from the small things we, as natives, tend to overlook. When I lived and worked in New York, I had a King Cake delivered to my office during Mardi Gras. I was explaining about the doll in the cake when I noticed everyone looking at me like I was crazy until someone got the doll in their piece. Then, they looked at me like I had two heads. I decided not to tell them about the Drive-Thru Daiquiris shops.

It was while answering questions about Mardi Gras or some of the traditions we have here that gave me the idea of writing a story about what we take for granted and the world sees as unusual. I decided to use the kiss/flower exchanges the gentlemen walking clubs are known for in Mardi Gras parades and taking it one step further. I added the gentleman asking the pretty girl to meet him at the end of the parade. She does, and the adventure begins.

One of the first things I do when a friend comes to visit me in New Orleans is take them to a drive-thru daiquiris shop. Many don’t believe it until they are holding drinks, sitting in the car and driving away.

There are more fun things to do in New Orleans than anywhere else. I have lived in other cities — New York City, Atlanta and Birmingham — but I am a New Orleans girl, born and raised. I like writing about what we do differently here to share with fans for a fun read. Several readers have emailed me asking for recommendations for places to go in New Orleans for a good crawfish boil or Crawfish Monica because they plan to visit. I love hearing from readers. They gave me the idea to add a page on my website for the places I enjoy visiting and why. Check it out at www.colleenmooney.com.

Follow Colleen Mooney on Facebook and join the fun at Louisiana Ladies of Mystery Facebook page.

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.