Thursday, November 10, 2011

Guest Blog and Who Do, Voodoo? Giveaway with Rochelle Staab

The origin of the curse I created for WHO DO, VOODOO? dates back to 19th century New Orleans, an era when voodoo doctors and priestesses held secret moonlit rituals on river banks, and threw all-night orgies in the mansions of Louisiana politicians. Creole servants sold gris-gris from the kitchens of New Orleans’ wealthiest citizens. Cuckolded husbands snuck into graveyards to collect dirt for revenge spells on cheating wives and their lovers. And in the French Quarter, Callia—a half-French, half-Haitian, young mother desperate for money to feed her children—sold the powerful spells she secreted out of the mountains of her Haitian homeland. The spells Callia exchanged for money came with a sinister threat: death to the client who exposed Callia as the source of the voodoo. Callia passed her cursed spell book to her daughters, and they to theirs, until the female-to-female lineage brought the spells to 21st century Los Angeles.

***

In this excerpt from WHO DO, VOODOO? Liz Cooper, a down-to-earth psychologist with a cynical view of the supernatural, encounters Callia’s spirit at a séance:

Madame Iya’ rocked back and forth, shaking a small brass rattle. “We humbly ask you to send the spirit of our beloved Sophie to join us.” A full minute passed then Madame Iya’ spoke again. “Sophie is here.”

A candle popped. Shadows flickered on the walls outside of the circle. A draft swept across the floor and flickered the flames of the candles. I thought I saw a shadow move behind Jimmy and Tawny. I brushed away the sensation that someone else was in the room with us. I tensed up.

“Nola. Sophie wants you to publish her spell book.” Madame Iya’ let out a deep sigh. “She wants me to help you complete it.”

Linda’s body went rigid. She clenched her hand over mine and began to rock. She spoke in a deep and insistent voice; a voice I didn’t recognize. “No. I don’t want that. My secrets have to be protected. There will be danger. No.”

“What are you talking about, Linda?” Nola said.

Linda stared across the room. “Linda’s not here, my treasure.”

“Who are you?” Nola’s words came unsteady, searching. “Sophie?”

“Not Sophie. I’m Callia.”

The back of my neck tingled. Who was Callia? Linda gazed around the circle. She stopped when she got to me. Her face had changed: the softness drained from her features. She looked tired, older. Her eyes were vacant. A small terror edged my rational mind aside. I had a fleeting sensation that someone else’s eyes were staring at me from Linda’s face.

“You have to keep my secrets safe and with my family. Your question is answered inside.” She held her eyes on mine. “Promise me.”

I nodded warily, not knowing what she meant. “I promise.”

A door down the hall slammed shut with a force so hard it rattled the windows. Tawny screamed. I jumped.

***

WHO DO, VOODOO? is the first novel in Rochelle Staab’s thrilling new Mind for Murder Mystery series features no-nonsense Liz Cooper, a Los Angeles psychologist forced to embrace the occult to clear her best friend of murder.

When Liz Cooper’s friend Robin Bloom finds an unusual tarot card tacked to her front door, Liz writes it off as a prank. Robin refuses to ignore the omen—her late husband drew the same card, the three of swords, in a reading the night before he was killed in a car accident. As more cards and darker threats appear, Liz realizes someone very dangerous is upping the ante.

Liz turns to her brother’s old college roommate, occult expert Nick Garfield. As Nick leads her into the voodoo community to locate the origin of the deck, she can't ignore their attraction to each other. Then a woman is found murdered and Robin becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her friend, Liz joins forces with Nick to unravel otherworldly secrets and seek help from beyond—or risk being outwitted by a cunning killer.

PRAISE FOR WHO DO, VOODOO?

"The first in the Mind for Murder mystery series set in Los Angeles grabs your attention from the start with creepy tarot cards, voodoo priestesses and cursed spell books. A fresh and entertaining premise for a new series that is cleverly plotted and executed."
 —RT Reviews (4 stars)

Let Staab's debut cast a spell over your readers with its spirited pace, likable heroine, and Los Angeles backdrop. VERDICT: Staab sets her fairly sophisticated blend of the occult in a flashy West Coast locale for great escape reading. Fans of Juliet Blackwell and Rebecca M. Hale will get a kick out of this one. ~ Library Journal

"A spellbinding blend of voodoo and tarot traditions, Who Do, Voodoo? is a superlative supernatural mystery." ~ Cleo Coyle, author of the national bestselling Haunted Bookshop and Coffeehouse Mysteries

BLOG TOUR:

11/11 Get Lost In A Story http://getlostinastory.blogspot.com/

11/13 Lipstick Chronicles http://thelipstickchronicles.typepad.com/

11/22 Seeing Night Reviews http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

11/23 Dollycas's Thoughts http://dollycas.blogspot.com/

11/25 Pensfatales http://www.pensfatales.com/

11/28 Mysteries & Margaritas http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com/

12/13 Jungle Red http://www.jungleredwriters.com/

12/28 Under the Tiki Hut http://underthetikihut.blogspot.com/

APPEARANCES:

11/12 Book signing at Mysterious Galaxy/Redondo Beach, CA with Linda O. Johnston

11/15 WTMJ-TV/Milwaukee “Morning Blend” on-air interview

11/15 Book signing at Mystery One Bookstore in Milwaukee

11/26 Meet & Greet, 12-4p, Barnes & Noble/Westside Pavilion/Los Angeles



Rochelle Staab, a former award-winning radio programmer and music industry marketing executive, blended her fascination with the occult and a love for mystery in WHO DO, VOODOO? the first novel in her Mind for Murder Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime. BRUJA BROUHAHA, the second novel in the series will be released in August 2012.










Giveaway Time!

A copy of WHO DO, VOODOO? is being given away

1 winner will be chosen

Open to US and Canada only

To enter leave a comment on this post

Please include your email address


24 comments:

nightclub guest list said...

In today's life clubbing industry has been here for several decades, but the logistics and guest list management is still in many cases very “old school” and paper based. Zeguestlist a great tool that optimizes guest list management With an easy one touch check.

loves to dive said...

Wow that excert gave me the chills, would love to read the book.
lvs2dv (at) gmail (dot) com

SandyG265 said...

I enjoyed the excerpt. This sounds like it'll be a good read.

sgiden at verizon.net

Chrisbails said...

Wow, great excerpt. I have been following along with these reviews and they just get better and better. This is a new author for me and always looking for new books and authors to check out. Love the cover and would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
christinebails@yahoo.com

Rochelle Staab said...

Hi everyone! It's great to be here today at Fangtastic. Thank you for stopping by to comment. I hope you enjoy reading Who Do, Voodoo? as much as I enjoyed writing it. ~Rochelle

Jody said...

Looks like a fun read.
jecbib@k-state.edu

Rebe said...

This sounds like such an interesting novel! I love the concept and kudos to Ms. Staab for all the lovely reviews!

rwschwarz11ATgmailDOTcom

NoraA said...

You grabbed me as soon as the spirit showed up and shut down the medium. I want it, I want it in MY home library. LOL Pretty Please?

Bright Blessings.

NoraAdrienne (at) gmail (dot) com

Ammy Belle said...

First off - LOVE the title! Second of all - sounds like a great book! Thanks so much for the giveaway! :D

Thanks
Ammy Belle
apereiraorama @ gmail . com

Gillian Layne said...

Cursed spell book. How cool is that?? I love the entire concept of this book- and as I've said before, the cover is amazing!

Jen B. said...

First of all, I love the book name. It is really catchy and memorable. The concept for the book is really cool. It sounds like a fun read. Thanks for the giveaway.
jepebATverizonDOTnet

Anita Clenney said...

Hi Rochelle, great excerpt! Really pulls me in. I can't wait to read this book.

Rochelle Staab said...

Jody, Rebe, Nora, Ammy, Gillian, Jen, & Anita- I'm loving you all! Thank you for your comments. (Sitting here beaming & blushing.) ~ Rochelle

tetewa said...

I've benn hearing alot about this one, sounds good! tWarner419@aol.com

Barbara E. said...

I enjoyed the excerpt and I'm looking forward to reading Who Do, Voodoo? very much.

Barbed1951 at aol dot com

The Cowboy and Vampire said...

We've always been intrigued with voodoo, and we need to spend some time in New Orleans and the surrounding area. Until then, we can always read about it!

Debby said...

I imagine you found all sorts of interesting things with your research. Did you find a lot for your future books?
debby236 at gmail dot com

Rochelle Staab said...

Debby, yes! The best part about researching Who Do, Voodoo? was the people I met. Each had a very different viewpoint about the supernatural, the paranormal, voodoo, and a few belief systems new to me. People have been practicing mysticism for centuries. The more I learned, the more I wanted to explore. My second novel includes Santeria (Cuban voodoo.)
And I'm itching to get back to New Orleans. I hear the Ghost Tour is amazing.

Vanessa Barneveld said...

Fang-tastic excerpt, Rochelle! I agree with everybody here -- it sent a chill up and down the spine. I'm looking forward to reading the whole series. :)

Marata said...

What a great idea. Fun and scary.
I have never been brave enough to mess with anything voodoo...In New Orleans I stayed clear of those stores...Never know what will follow you around.
One rainy day in 1970, in Palo Alto,Ca I walked into a dark little book store with a cage full of books in the center of the store. I have never forgotten the atmosphere of the store and I have always wondered what books were locked in that cage....I always thought they were books for witches.LOL
Tamara
sewradical@gmail.com

Roxanne Rhoads said...

And the winner is:

Chrisbails said...
Wow, great excerpt. I have been following along with these reviews and they just get better and better. This is a new author for me and always looking for new books and authors to check out. Love the cover and would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
christinebails@yahoo.com

Roxanne Rhoads said...

BTW just finished this book and it's fabulous- what a great debut novel. I loved it

In Julie's Opinion said...

I LOVE books about voodoo, and this sounds like one of the best! I'm really looking forward to reading it! Thanks so much for the chance to win a copy:)

jwitt33 at live dot com

Luvdaylilies said...

Rochelle,
This sound so fascinating! I would just love to read 'Who Do, Voodoo'
Thanks for the peek=)
Lethea B
Luvdaylilies at bellsouth dot net

 
BLOG DESIGN FOR FANG-TASTIC BOOKS BY BARBARA.
RED CORSET © HALAQUINN ARCADIAS. GOTHIC NIGHT © ASHEN SHARROW.