'G' is for my awesome guest Danica Avet, telling creepy Cajun swamp critter tales

In the A to Z blogging challenge, 'G' is for my very special Guest, Danica Avet. This is an exciting day, having a dear friend visiting my blog! I love Cajun legends and since she's from bayou country, I asked her to write about her experiences. It's a great post I know you'll all enjoy!

People frequently ask me “why do you write paranormal romance”? There are so many factors in answering this question, I usually just respond with “I like it”. However, because I have a chance to pontificate, I’ll give you an idea of what made Danica Avet the paranormal lover that she is.

Ready? Sweet!

I was born and raised in south Louisiana. You got it, swamps, swamp monsters, ghost stories, creepy cemeteries, and lore has drenched this area. I’m sure the first settlers here tried to explain the strange happenings off the best they could. Those growling, snarling sounds in the swamp? Obviously it’s the rougarou. Contrary to popular belief, my family never called the werewolf/monster loupgaru. We were threatened with, “If you’re not good, the rougarou is going to come get you!” Thanks, Mom, I won’t have any trouble sleeping now!

Then you get to the ghost stories and omens of death. Again, thanks to my mom and the stories she used to tell us, I do believe in ghosts. I couldn’t begin to tell you how many different ghost stories she’s told me throughout my life. A lot of the stories she told were of a house she used to live in when she was young. The rest were different instances in her life. I have to say, when it comes to ghosts, I doubt there’s one single family in this area who hasn’t experienced something unexplainable.

Next are the death omens. Owls, crows, black dogs, all of those are supposedly omens of death, but there was one story my mom told me that always stuck in my mind. It apparently happened to one of my great-great uncles. He was sitting on his porch when he saw a black coffin float through his yard. The family lore goes that he died the next day. So yeah…you know I’m always on the look-out for floating coffins.

The stories I’ve been told only made me more interested in the paranormal world. Add a love of paranormal romances and it seemed perfectly natural that I’d want to write about it. I like to think that my books are like a paranormal romance gumbo. I take a little myth, a little history, a lot of poetic license, and a dash of my Cajun culture and stir it up until I have a steaming hot love story.

What draws you to read, or write, paranormal romance? And more importantly, do you believe in ghosts? Leave a comment for a chance to win a hand-painted Mardi Gras mask and a set of romance trading cards (www.romancetradingcards.com).

It isn’t every day a fairy gets an assignment with only one outcome: her death. As an assassin with the Eturian army, Noelani “Shade” Fayard has killed more than her share of traitors, but for the first time in centuries, she hesitates to take out her target. The Halfling marked for death makes her wonder what life would be like if it weren’t for the blood staining her hands and soul. He makes her feel for the first time in centuries.
 
Malachi Cromwell, a former Eturian general, wants to reclaim his place in The Veil, not fall in lust or love. He knows better than to let his heart take the lead, especially when he discovers Lani was sent to kill him, just like she’d killed the very people who held his fate in their hands.
 
Can they overcome their distrust and bitter pasts to forge a future together?

Danica can be found all over the web!

Website

Twitter: @danicaavet

Facebook

Blog