Mamma's Moon by Jerome Mark Antil - Book Tour + Giveaway
Mamma's Moon
by Jerome Mark Antil
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GENRE: Literary Fiction
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BLURB:
A bond that can only happen on a dance floor happened in a cafe off Frenchman Street among
four unlikely characters: a man who was about to die; his friend, an illiterate Cajun French yardman;
and two of the most successful women in New Orleans.
Aging Captain Gabriel Jordan, retired, was given two months to live, three months before he met
"Peck"--Boudreau Clemont Finch--a groundskeeper on the back lawn of his hospice on Bayou
Carencro, Louisiana. It was at the hospice that Gabe told Peck his dream of seeing the Newport
Jazz Festival before he died. They became friends, and Peck offered to help grant his wish by taking
him there.
And they began their journey.
It quickly became a journey with complications and setbacks. They saved each other many times,
but they were in turn saved by two extraordinary women: Sasha (Michelle Lissette), a real estate agent
in New Orleans's posh Garden District, and her best friend, Lily Cup (Lily Cup Lorelei Tarleton),
a criminal attorney.
Less than a year before the events in Mamma's Moon, Gabe and Peck wandered into Charlie's Blue
Note, a small jazz bar in a side alley just off Frenchman Street, where the music was live and mellow
and the dancing warm and sensual.
Here they encountered Sasha and Lily Cup, and amid the music, the dancing, the food, the flirting,
and the cigar smoke, the four formed an unusual and lasting friendship that would see them each
through a series of crises, disappointments, life-threatening situations, and moments of great joy
and satisfaction.
four unlikely characters: a man who was about to die; his friend, an illiterate Cajun French yardman;
and two of the most successful women in New Orleans.
Aging Captain Gabriel Jordan, retired, was given two months to live, three months before he met
"Peck"--Boudreau Clemont Finch--a groundskeeper on the back lawn of his hospice on Bayou
Carencro, Louisiana. It was at the hospice that Gabe told Peck his dream of seeing the Newport
Jazz Festival before he died. They became friends, and Peck offered to help grant his wish by taking
him there.
And they began their journey.
It quickly became a journey with complications and setbacks. They saved each other many times,
but they were in turn saved by two extraordinary women: Sasha (Michelle Lissette), a real estate agent
in New Orleans's posh Garden District, and her best friend, Lily Cup (Lily Cup Lorelei Tarleton),
a criminal attorney.
Less than a year before the events in Mamma's Moon, Gabe and Peck wandered into Charlie's Blue
Note, a small jazz bar in a side alley just off Frenchman Street, where the music was live and mellow
and the dancing warm and sensual.
Here they encountered Sasha and Lily Cup, and amid the music, the dancing, the food, the flirting,
and the cigar smoke, the four formed an unusual and lasting friendship that would see them each
through a series of crises, disappointments, life-threatening situations, and moments of great joy
and satisfaction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Did you murder the kid, Gabe?” Lily Cup asked.
The aging army captain, veteran of Korea and Vietnam, lowered his newspaper just enough to see
over the entertainment page.
The aging army captain, veteran of Korea and Vietnam, lowered his newspaper just enough to see
over the entertainment page.
“Close the door, honey, AC’s on,” Gabe said.
In a tight, black skirt with a tailored matching waistcoat and white Nike walking shoes,
she leaned and propped a black leather briefcase against the wall by the door.
She stood like an exasperated tomboy, adjusting and refastening the diamond brooch on her lapel.
she leaned and propped a black leather briefcase against the wall by the door.
She stood like an exasperated tomboy, adjusting and refastening the diamond brooch on her lapel.
“I heard you’ve been walking with a cane, dancing man. What’s that all about?
You’ve never carried a cane. You jazz dance for hours a couple of nights a week and Sasha tells me
you started carrying one everywhere you go when you don’t need one.
It’s smelling pretty premeditated to me, Gabe. What’s up with the cane thing?”
You’ve never carried a cane. You jazz dance for hours a couple of nights a week and Sasha tells me
you started carrying one everywhere you go when you don’t need one.
It’s smelling pretty premeditated to me, Gabe. What’s up with the cane thing?”
“Does Sasha know about this morning?”
“I haven’t told her anything. She’d have a canary.”
Gabe lifted the paper again to read.
“I need to know if it was murder,” Lily Cup said.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Gabe said.
He closed the paper, folded it in half, and in half again. Dropping it on the arm of the chair,
he stood and left the room.
he stood and left the room.
“Define murder,” he said from the kitchen.
She tossed a handbag and white driving gloves onto the other chair, lifted Chanel sunglasses to the
top of her head.
top of her head.
“Gee, I’ll have to think on this one. Hmmm…Oh, I know. How about the police have a cane with blood
on it and there’s a dead man.”
on it and there’s a dead man.”
“It’s a walking stick. My cane is over by the door.”
“Well now it’s a goddamned murder weapon. They checked for prints, and yours are the only prints
on it, and their guess is the lab will say the blood has his DNA.”
on it, and their guess is the lab will say the blood has his DNA.”
Gabe came out with a coffee urn in one hand and his finger and thumb through two empty cup
handles. He held the cups out for her to take one.
handles. He held the cups out for her to take one.
“No more,” Gabe said.
“You’re rather nonchalant for the spot you’re in. Why’d you clam up on me like that at the precinct?
It didn’t set well with any of them. The DA entered a charge of second-degree murder.
The police chief put out a warrant for you from lunch at Brennan’s.”
It didn’t set well with any of them. The DA entered a charge of second-degree murder.
The police chief put out a warrant for you from lunch at Brennan’s.”
He held the empty cups closer to her.
“Just made it. Chicory and cinnamon.”
“If you had television you’d have seen it—‘Daylight killing on St. Charles Avenue.’ It’s all over the news,
freaking out the DA and the Visitors Bureau. No telling how many videos from streetcars going by will
wind up on You Tube.”
freaking out the DA and the Visitors Bureau. No telling how many videos from streetcars going by will
wind up on You Tube.”
“That’s enough,” Gabe said.
“People can live with violence after dark. That’s expected in any city, but when it’s in broad daylight,
forget it. The DA pushed for an early docket with a magistrate and it’s Tulane and Broad for you at
nine a.m. tomorrow.”
forget it. The DA pushed for an early docket with a magistrate and it’s Tulane and Broad for you at
nine a.m. tomorrow.”
“What’s Tulane and Broad?”
“Magistrate Court. Congratulations, Gabe, you made the big time.
You have to appear before a magistrate to hear the second-degree murder charge against you.”
You have to appear before a magistrate to hear the second-degree murder charge against you.”
She took an empty cup in one hand, pinched his arm with the other.
“Look me in the eye and swear it wasn’t murder,” Lily Cup said.
“This some kind of technique they teach at Harvard Law, Miss Tarleton?”
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Guest Post
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Guest Post
Topic: Author's choice of topic
I always conduct in depth research before I start to write
anything. I've always said that my research writes my novels, not
me. Imagine what it was like researching the Southern Louisiana Acadiana
culture and history and discovering I was Acadian? My father's parents
immigrated from Normandy into Canada (St. Jean Por Jolie - in Quebec) as
'Anctil' in the nineteenth century. They ultimately moved to Minnesota
and changed their name to Antil. This is much the same route most Acadians took
- only most came to Southern Louisiana. I feel honored now that I'm
writing about the Acadian and Louisiana. I'm enjoying the culture, the
history. One More Last Dance was inspired by a true event. Mamma's Moon, its sequel is as well.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
JEROME MARK ANTIL writes in several genres. He has been called a “greatest generation’s
Mark Twain,” a “write what you know Ernest Hemingway,” and “a sensitive Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow.” It’s been said his work reads like a Norman Rockwell painting.
Among his writing accomplishments, several titles in his The Pompey Hollow Book Club historical
fiction series about growing up in the shadows of WWII have been honored. An ‘Authors and Writers’
Book of the Year Award and ‘Writer of the Year’ at Syracuse University for The Pompey Hollow Book
Club novel; Hemingway, Three Angels, and Me, won SILVER in the UK as second-best novel.
Mark Twain,” a “write what you know Ernest Hemingway,” and “a sensitive Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow.” It’s been said his work reads like a Norman Rockwell painting.
Among his writing accomplishments, several titles in his The Pompey Hollow Book Club historical
fiction series about growing up in the shadows of WWII have been honored. An ‘Authors and Writers’
Book of the Year Award and ‘Writer of the Year’ at Syracuse University for The Pompey Hollow Book
Club novel; Hemingway, Three Angels, and Me, won SILVER in the UK as second-best novel.
Foreword’s Book of the Year Finalist for The Book of Charlie – historical fiction and The Long Stem
is in the Lobby – nonfiction humor. Library Journal selected Hemingway, Three Angels and Me for best
reads during Black History Month.
is in the Lobby – nonfiction humor. Library Journal selected Hemingway, Three Angels and Me for best
reads during Black History Month.
Before picking up the pen, Antil spent his professional career writing and marketing for the business
world. In this role, he lectured at universities - Cornell, St. Edward’s, and Southern Methodist.
His inspirations have been John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway.
world. In this role, he lectured at universities - Cornell, St. Edward’s, and Southern Methodist.
His inspirations have been John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Jerome Mark Antil will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn
winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
6 Comments
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
Deletesounds like a good read
ReplyDeleteAlways fun to hear about another new great book. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWho is your favorite character from your book?
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting.
ReplyDeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.