Who Do That Voodoo?

A lot’s going on as August winds down. Of course, there’s the usual: school, work, write, walk the dogs. (They’d be very sad if I left them out of my “Important Things To Do” list.) But with September comes a host of new tasks for me to tackle, mostly on the writing front. Several people have asked, “Where can I get one of your books?” Well, you can’t- at least not yet. So, in the meantime, I’ve decided to do a blog novelette, that way people who are interested in reading my stories can get an idea of my writing style. Mondays will still be my normal blog post, but every Thursday in September I’ll post a new chapter in the novelette. Of course, this will be as time permits. I don’t want to detract from Voodoo Dolls, so we’ll see how it goes. 

The other thing people have been asking is why I chose to write about Voodoo (I think the idea creeps them out). Well, there are several reasons. One: everything else YA paranormal has been done to death- no pun intended. Two: I love, love, LOVE Marie Laveau. I think she is the most amazing woman (besides my mom, of course) who ever walked the face of the earth.  Born a free woman of color, she amassed a fortune and a following, and though she wasn’t the first Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, she’s the only one people seem to remember. Three: I love New Orleans. I love everything about it from Bourbon Street and beads to mask and Mardi Gras. The history, the culture, the food, (don’t get me started on the food!) I love it all… including Voodoo.

The practice is dark and mysterious, yes, but also very misunderstood. It’s not all about snakes and skulls and human sacrifice. In fact, it’s not really about that at all. Well, not in New Orleans anyway. I could give you a history lesson on one of the world’s oldest religions, which predates Christianity by over three thousand years, but I’ll refrain. Read my book instead!!! Suffice it to say, New Orleans Voodoo is a mixture of Haitian Voodoo (yeah, the human sacrifice kind) and Catholicism. Yep, that’s right, Peter, Paul, Michael, and all the other saints play a huge role in New Orleans Voodoo. And if J.K. Rowling can incorporate witchery into her Middle Grade turned YA novels, then I don’t see the harm in a little Voodoo magic!

Creak! That’s the sound of me stepping off my soap box. Sigh… sometimes I get short of breath being up there! So, Voodoo it is, because it fascinates me, because it’s fresh, because vampires and werewolves and shape-shifters are so eighth grade.

Now that I’ve gotten all of that out of the way, we can get to the fun stuff! September’s blog contest!!! Ok, so this one is going to be a little different than the last. There are no characters to name, so anyone can enter. Anyone can win. I’ll be giving away a wonderful Café Du Monde gift basket which includes beignet mix, chicory coffee, and a souvenir mug. I’ll have a special blog post Saturday, September 3 with details on how to win! So be sure to check in on that, and, of course, Thursday’s first novelette blog post.

Until then, happy writing,

P.K Dawning.

And The Winner Is...!

Lanette!!! Congratulations! You've won! Drystan Crowley is the newest character in my book-to-be, Voodoo Dolls! To claim your prize, you can message me on Twitter, follow me on Facebook, or find me on AQ.

Thanks again, everyone. All the names were really awesome! I hope y'all had fun, and will continue to follow me on my writing adventure. I promise my September contest is going to be even better!

P.K. Dawning

Name That Character Contest

Okay, so this is the first time I’ve done anything like this, but I’m stuck and thought this could be fun! After my insane writing session last night, I realized I needed another character, but I am so out of good names at this point. So, I’ve decided to hold a Name That Character contest. That’s right; I want you to name my next character! The winner will be decided at random- you know, the old names in the hat gig- and receive a $25 Amazon gift card. Or something of the equivalent. (I’m open to suggestions)
I’m looking for a cool name, something edgy but not too out there. I need first and last, please. I’ll give a brief background of the character, so y’all can come up with some good ones.

So here goes: He’s definitely an antagonist (the bad guy), seventeen, dark, and enigmatic- a senior at Jackson Hill Prep School. He’s kind of grunge, but not emo, and drives a black vintage Camaro. He’s also a clandestine member of the Secte Rouge- an ancient Voodoo sect trying to regain strength in New Orleans. Of course, Shay Abshire will have to defeat him… even if that means death. I can’t say for certain whether or not he lives or dies, but he definitely gets put through the wringer, so to speak. So if you need to vent your wrath on someone, this might be a fun way to do it. I promise I won’t let this scumbag of a character get off easily.

I’ll run this competition until Monday, August 22. The winner will be announced in that week’s blog post. I would like to have at least 20 entries, so it may run longer if necessary. To enter, simply post your suggestion in the comment section of my blog. Facebook won’t work, folks. To be considered for the contest your name must be on here.

Thanks for all the help! Hope y’all have fun with this. I look forward to reading your names. Good luck!

P.K. Dawning