Eerie Ghosts and Vampires of the New Orleans French Quarter

FIRST STRETCH GOAL UNLOCKED!
almost 2 years ago – Tue, May 31, 2022 at 10:43:24 AM

Well, y’all have gobsmacked us yet again!

Less than a day after asking our marvelous backers to spread the word about our Dark Side of New Orleans campaign, we crossed the $3,000 mark – meaning that, with your assistance, we’re now able to unlock our very first stretch goal! Woohoo!

So, as promised in our last update, we’ll now be including a bonus haunting in The Dark Side of New Orleans (ebook and paperback) – this one featuring Antoine’s Restaurant, America’s oldest family-run eatery.

Established in 1840 and offering scrumptious French-Creole cuisine, Antoine’s is still one of the Big Easy’s finest dining establishments. It’s home to several culinary inventions, including oysters Rockefeller, as well as several resident spirits. (Not surprising perhaps, given the French Quarter’s haunted reputation.)

In addition to this extra ghost story, we’re also thrilled to be presenting a webinar-style, ask-us-anything session (via Zoom) to any backer who’s pledged $10 or higher. Although we have yet to schedule the live Q&A, it will likely happen sometime in July. We’ll let you know the exact date and time once the campaign has ended – and if you’re unable to join us then, rest assured that we’ll provide a recording of the fun.

Of course, now that we’ve reached the first stretch goal, we’re looking forward to hitting the others as well. Here are the ones we’ve planned so far:

• If we reach $4,000, we’ll host an online watch party of a New Orleans-based movie for anyone who pledges a minimum of $10 or backs the DARK SIDE EBOOK tier or higher. We’ll also include a bonus haunting (Hotel Monteleone) in The Dark Side of New Orleans (ebook and paperback).

• At $5,000, we’ll schedule an online hangout session with us (via Zoom) for anyone who pledges a minimum of $10 or backs the DARK SIDE EBOOK tier or higher. In addition, we’ll include another bonus haunting (The Cornstalk Hotel) in The Dark Side of New Orleans (ebook and paperback).

• And if our campaign really takes off – and we reach $7,000 – we’ll prepare and send a bonus ebook to anyone who pledges a minimum of $50 or backs the ALL-IN PACK tier or higher. Complete with photos and maps, this ebook will feature a mini-tour of our favorite local graveyard, the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, situated in the Garden District of New Orleans. Founded in 1833, this iconic “city of the dead” lies near the world-famous Commander’s Palace – and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Diaries.

Naturally, Dan and I would be delighted to offer all of the above, but no matter what happens in the final weeks of this campaign, you’ve already helped us extend our project’s funding well beyond our expectations – and for that, we will always be grateful!

Until next time… have fun, be safe, and watch out for the dark side!

Sincerely,

Laura Martone

LEARN TO TALK LIKE A NOLA FOODIE!
almost 2 years ago – Tue, May 31, 2022 at 10:43:04 AM

Howdy to our wonderful backers! I hope you’re all having a terrific weekend so far. Dan and I sure are!

That’s because, since our last update, you’ve helped us more than double the funding for our Dark Side of New Orleans campaign – and we couldn’t be happier – or more grateful for your support.

As of this moment, we’re less than $280 from our first stretch goal. So, now seems like the perfect time to share the good news: If our campaign reaches the $3,000 mark, we’ll present a webinar-style, ask-us-anything session (via Zoom) to anyone who backs the DARK SIDE EBOOK tier (or a minimum of $10) or higher.

Additionally, we’ll include a bonus haunting (featuring Antoine’s Restaurant, which was established in 1840 and now serves as America’s oldest family-run restaurant) in The Dark Side of New Orleans (ebook and paperback).

To thank y’all for helping us exceed our wildest funding expectations, we’re offering you a sneak peek of our NOLA glossary and pronunciation guide, a digital goodie that all backers are eligible to receive. Given that it’s a fairly exhaustive list of helpful terminology, we’ve decided to focus on one of the most celebrated aspects of New Orleans culture: the cuisine.

So, here are just some of our favorite Big Easy delectables – and how to pronounce them:

ANDOUILLE (an-DOO-ee): a spicy, smoked pork sausage prepared with garlic and Cajun seasonings and used in dishes like red beans and rice, gumbo, and jambalaya

BEIGNET (ben-YEY): a squarish, fried pastry made from doughnut batter and sprinkled with powdered sugar

CAFÉ AU LAIT (KAF-ey oh LAY): a hot drink made equally of coffee (usually coffee with chicory) and steamed milk

COURT-BOUILLON (KOOR-boo-YAWN): a Creole-style, tomato-based bouillabaisse, or seafood stew, the most popular version being redfish court-bouillon

JAMBALAYA (juhm-buh-LAHY-uh): a Cajun or Creole rice dish usually containing celery, onions, tomatoes, and spices, plus chicken, sausage, and/or seafood

MUFFULETTA (muhf-uh-LET-uh): a round, oversized sandwich made from Italian bread, ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, and olive salad; also spelled muffaletta

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little taste of New Orleans – there’s certainly more to come during the next three weeks! Until then, if you’d like to help us make our first stretch goal happen, please spread the word about our campaign.

And if you’re reading this update as a follower, please consider becoming one of our treasured backers. The more help we receive, the more extras we can provide – and we’re so excited about all the goodies we have planned.

Naturally, we hope you are, too!

Well, that’s all for now. I’ll send you another email soon – with a few details about our other stretch goals as well as our next set of backer perks. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. And to my fellow Americans… Happy Memorial Day!

Sincerely,

Laura Martone