Tracy Wolff’s newest contemporary (or contemporary erotica as I like to call it) is out and it’s hawtness. Today Tracy is here to talk about where Tease Me takes place.
When I sat down to write this blog, I was unsure of what I wanted to write about—or how I wanted to write it. But as I started thinking about Tease Me, my third erotic suspense from NAL and the third book to be set in and around New Orleans, I decided that I wanted to write a little about the Big Easy itself—and what it was like to come of age there and to write there.
New Orleans is a city for artists and for those who love art—of all kinds. In the four years I lived there while going to graduate school, I spent more time than I could ever imagine listening to music—at clubs and the world famous jazz festival, on the streets and at small, impromptu gatherings. I learned the names of jazz greats and the music of brand new artists destined to be great. And I stood on street corners feeding dollar bills into hats and Coke cans and guitar cases as I listened to the sounds of the streets.
I roamed Jackson Square, with its huge statue of Andrew Jackson and its borders of the Cathedral on one side and Descartes on the other, spoke to the street artists there and filled up my small, one bedroom apartment with black and white sketches and glorious watercolors of the New Orleans of the past—and the present.
And I wrote. God, did I write. There was something about that city that made me more prolific than I’ve ever been (except for maybe write now). I sat in Café du Monde, drinking café au lait and eating beignets and penning tales of life and love. I wandered down Bourbon Street to Jean Lafitte’s Old Blacksmith Shop, the oldest building in the French Quarter and where all the writers liked to write, and sat for hours sipping cranberries and vodkas and writing my heart out—more than once next to New Orleans’s most famous writer, Anne Rice. I scoured the old bookstore on Pirate’s Alley for rare and exciting tomes that would inspire my writing—and my imagination.
I spent four years in New Orleans. It’s the city where I finally grew up, where I turned 21, where I fell in love, where I got married, where I had my first child, where I got my graduate degree, where I got my first short stories published, where … There are very few of my important firsts that didn’t happen in this city.
So as I wrote Tease Me, a story of the darker side of New Orleans, I worked hard to capture some of the Crescent City’s style and grace. I tried to capture a little bit of its elegance along with its gritty reality. I can only hope I’ve succeeded.
How about you? What city has influenced you the most in your life? I’m giving away a copy of Tease Me, so comment for a chance to win.
We’re going to add in an additional two copies to keep with our three year birthday. Leave a comment to Tracy’s question to be entered!
San Francisco has definitely been an influence since it’s been there my whole life and there have been mnay wonderful memories made there.
lilazncutie1215 @ yahoo.com
I would have to say Lafayette, LA/NYC/San Diego…the combo of the three are where I have grown into an adult, found love, and found professional success. All very influential things in my life.
I would have to go with Ottawa (my current city of residence)…it’s the place where I’ve lived the longest in my life and let me tell ya after moving all over the world from the time I was little…stability means everything to me. I find serenity, peace and hope in this city of mine.
hugs,
Anna
s7anna@yahoo.ca
I would say the little town I live in now—Coquille, OR. I moved here in my late 20’s and raised my children here. I love the small town, laid back life.
I currently live in Las Vegas and boy has it influenced me. Coming from Cleveland, I thought I was a big city girl . . . well I was, but from a different kind of city. Vegas is very eclectic and I have learned a lot living here. LOL!
Hmm This is a hard one. I don’t think any ONE city has influenced me.
My country has for sure, I know I would be a different person if I didn’t live where I do.
I do have to say though that Las Vegas completely changed my life as I came home married the one time I went 😀
Tracy,
I have to agree with you about New Orleans. I do not live there, but it is one of the closest cities to my home.
New Orleans influences a very large area.
I live in Lincoln, NE right now. I have thought many times about moving to a bigger city outside of the Midwest, but I like Lincoln so much that it would be really hard to leave.
Hi Tracy
Congrats on the release of Tease Me. I don’t travel much. I was born in Niagara Falls (Canadian side)but grew up in Toronto. Only left for 4 years when I met my hubby who lived out of town. I didn’t appreciate TO until I moved away to such a small place. I guess there’s no place like home.
When we were younger we went to visit relatives in Pennsylvania every siummer. It’s so beautiful there. Don’t enter me BTW.
the place that influenced my life is where i currently live: maui. on my first trip to the mainland (which was the east coast) i was so surprised how flat everything was, how i couldn’t see the seemingly endless ocean, there were no palm trees in sight, there was red brick every where… i wasn’t used to that and it was a total culture shock.
I’ve lived in Adelaide South Australia all my life so I guess, for me, it’s Adelaide!
It doesn’t have Mardi Gras like New Orleans or Times Square like New York or the Harbor Bridge like Sydney, but it’s home and I love it. (plus it does have some cool things too).
Since i live most of my life here, Batam, Indonesia. so this city has influenced me the most 🙂
I’m from Southern Indiana, lived here all my life. So, I guess that would be it. New Orleans is one of my favorite settings to read about.
I grew up in the Appalachian mountains devouring Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour so for me everything good in life (adventure, exotic sites, the wild west) was San Antonio, TX. I headed there as soon as I graduated high school and after twenty years, San Antonio is even more wonderful and exciting as Zane and Louis made it out to be 🙂
I would have to say it is more of a state than a city. I live in Kentucky and I think living here has been a big influence on who I am.
Umm I’d have to save Panama City, FL and Orlando, FL – I love the beach and Disney World ;).
Pam S
pams00@aol.com
Unfortunately, I haven’t been anywhere therefore I haven’t really been influenced. Though I was very influenced to enter this giveaway!
tradingaddress at gmail dot com
I am a California girl, so San Francisco is where I first experienced my first Broadway musical productions and big city night life. It’s a city that taught me both about tolerance and intolerance, big city fashions, people watching, and that I am really a country girl at heart.
caity_mack(at)yahoo(d0t)com
I would say my hometown Baltimore City, influenced me. But not in a good way, it influenced me to move away. I do love to go to New York City every now and then. I just love everything about it. The sights, sounds, and just the bustle of everything going on.
First I want to say I LUV reads set in New Orleans!! I def plan on picking up this series. I lived in a small farming community once and owned a business there. It showed me what life was like in a small town and I learned I’m a city girl. Thanks for the great contest!! Sue
I love to read books with a New Orleans setting (I have always wanted to visit) or anywhere exotic!