CHERIE CLAIRE

I teach a life writing group in South Louisiana and love hearing the unique Cajun words and phrases of my students who grew up speaking French. And then there's William Thibodeaux, a genealogist and historian and an all-around nice guy who is a wealth of information. I'm sharing William's list of words and phrases that he recently gathered for the Lafayette Genealogy Club. Cajun French Words and Phrases 1. Année = year D’une année à l’autre. From one year to the other. 2.

This short story was originally published in The Times of Acadiana, Lafayette, Louisiana. You can read more about Blue Moon Bayou in the second book of my Viola Valentine series, "Ghost Town." Legend has it that in LaSalle, Louisiana, the first person you see upon the rising of a Blue Moon will be the one you will love forever. Old Eraste Simoneaux married Marie Landry following his rendezvous with Eros, moon dust still fresh on their eyelashes. Sheriff Tate always had eyes f

Happy National Pralines Day. Not sure who came up with this national holiday but it's a sweet one. Here's a recipe for Dark Sugar Pralines, darker than most because of the brown sugar, but creamy as well. It's from "Cooking in Cajun Country," a cookbook-travelogue by my twin Chere Dastugue Coen and "Cajun" Carl Breaux of Lafayette, Louisiana. It's out of print now, but still available as an ebook. Note: When making pralines, remember that humidity will affect the consistency.

In addition to writing novels, I work as a food and travel writer. Tough life, I know. And like most writers, I have specific interests. So, as I travel and eat my way throughout the South — my particular region of expertise — I look for great ghost stories and odd and unusual places, people and things. Then, I blog about them. If you're interested...here are my blogs: Weird, Wacky and Wild South. The South is one of the craziest places on earth. We eat well, pass a good time

Last Saturday I was honored to be the guest on Louisiana Road Trips Radio with host Rick Godley on The Peach 99.3 in Ruston, Louisiana. We talked about my travel writing, fun places I have visited in Louisiana recently and my books. Some of the places we discussed were the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain across from New Orleans, the newly renovated and gorgeous Hotel Bentley in Alexandria and Forest Hill, Louisiana, a small town in the center of the state that's home to a mu

For those of you who live outside Louisiana and the day before Ash Wednesday is just another Tuesday, here's a 10-point primer on everything Mardi Gras. 1. Mardi Gras is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, a day to live it up before you give it up. In 2019, Mardi Gras is Tuesday, March 5. The bulk of parades and other festivities occur the two weeks prior with most happening on the weekend prior. 2. Carnival is the season that begins on Twelfth Night or Jan. 6 and culminates at

A short story about the love of Mardi Gras parade watching in New Orleans.

I visited the quaint, historic town of Franklin many times to research my historical romance, "A Cajun Dream." The book is set in the town named for Benjamin Franklin, a unique American city in the midst of French South Louisiana. The novel deals with the merging of several cultures, centered around René Comeaux, my Cajun hero, and Amanda Rose Richardson, the daughter of the town's American judge. There's more that meets the eye in this Romeo and Juliet story, but you'll have

Many people have asked me where exactly in Louisiana does the Cajun Series take place. Since the family saga begins in 1765, many of the towns in Louisiana no longer exist. Most, however, do. And some are confusing. Take Natchez, for instance. In Emilie, the family travels to the Spanish fort at Natchez located miles upstream from New Orleans. When I first learned about this site in my historical research, I had assumed it was Natchez, Mississippi, on the other side of the ri

In 2014 Lafayette, Louisiana, was named the Happiest City in America by the Wall Street Journal's Marketwatch.com. I wasn't surprised. My town is filled with people who love to dance, enjoy our excellent cuisine and, as we say in French, laissez les bons temps roulez or pass a good time, chèr. We are happy and we know it. Needless to say, I love living here. You'll also find this joie de vivre in my Cajun novels. #lafayette #lafayettetravel #cajun #joiedevivre #acadian #acadi

From Delphine, Book Four in The Cajun Series 1. Never lose control. 2. Always be prepared. Never go anywhere unarmed. 3. Always sleep with one eye open. 4. Know thy enemy. 5. Avoid too much spirits. It fogs the brain. 6. Never turn your back on an enemy. 7. Never let them see you sweat. 8. Never give up. #pirates #cherieclaire #historicalromance #romance #louisiana #neworleans #france #privateers #cajuns #acadians #cajun #cajunseries