It goes without saying, I had a fabulous trip to New Orleans. Even the black screen of death on my computer in the middle of my visit couldn't ruin my trip or my website being hacked again. Both are working again now...

I've mentioned that I'm working on a new series that I'm now thinking will be categorized as Southern Gothic Romance, that takes place in New Orleans. Visiting the city has gone a long way to help with the sights and sounds and vibe. I hope I do it justice when I write about it. 

I worked on sharing some of my adventures in New Orleans on my Instagram, if you'd like to check out the photos: @JennaHarteAuthor

I went to New Orleans for Bouchercon, a mystery book conference. I bought a few books and almost needed to buy a new suitcase to bring everything home.

Books I Picked Up at Bouchercon

(We got tickets for 4 free books, and then I bought a few)

Blood Moon by Sandra Brown (one of my free choices) - I'd been eyeing this one for some time. I like Sandra's twists.

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn (free choice)- She wrote Killers of a Certain Age about retired female hit women for the government who end up being burned. It's hilarious. 

To Catch a Spy by Mark O'Neill (bought) - This is book two, with book one being...you guessed it, To Catch a Theif. Set in the 1950's it seems to have the vibe of the movie. It seemed like a fun read, so I bought it. 

A Killer Get Away by Sienna Sharpe (paid $1 when I ran out of free tickets) - It's pitched as Elle Woods meets Dexter...lol. The FMC is a serial killer of bad people and she falls for the law enforcement man who's hunting her. Can't wait to see how this resolves!

Black Thorn by J.T. Geissinger (free ticket choice)- This is an ARC (book due out in November). I enjoyed the mafia romance I read of hers and when I saw this, I grabbed it. Not sure why it was at Bouchercon except perhaps for the suspense. Can't wait to read.

Legacy of Blood by Heather Graham (free choice)- This is part of the Blackbird Files, which I think is related to Krew Hunters. It's set in Paris and looks fun. 

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke - (Bought at Bouchercon) She just won the Anthony for this book. Our sleuth is an elderly ghost who has to use a living gen-Z resident of her apartment to help her solve the crime. 

The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden - I picked up this YA involving New Orleans folklore in an independent bookstore on Frenchman Street. The author lives nearby and I loved the idea of a New Orleans book by a New Orleans author that I could support. The bookseller said the author started writing on Wattpad and now she's with a small press. Can't wait to read! 

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan - I grabbed this at the Charlotte airport. If I bring it back, I can get a 50% refund through their Read and Return program. Since I'm flying through Charlotte at the end of the month, I figured it was a good deal. I have one other book by Kennedy. I find her writing really interesting. 

Beat the Bots by Jane K. Cleland - I bought this at Bouchercon curious about how she'd instruct writers to differentiate themselves from AI writing. I'm not sure in the long fun her tips will work in terms of "beating the bots."  But her writing tips are good. 

Have you read any of these books? I'd love to know your thoughts.