Valentine’s Day Blog Hop!

Feb11

****UPDATE****

Contest Closed! I’ll announce the winner on Thursday, 2/16. Thanks for all of your thoughts on Mardi Gras! It was fun reading them. Laissez les bon temps roulez!

This weekend, the Carnival parades begin to roll, which means that I won’t write at all between now and Feb. 21, or Mardi Gras Day. Too many people visit, too much food to prepare, and too many rooms to keep passably clean as the craziness begins here along St. Charles Avenue.

I know that everyone has her/his own idea about what it means to Carnival and what New Orleans is like on Mardi Gras. Most of you are probably wrong as to what the reality is, but that is the beauty of Mardi Gras. It can be a day of seeing friends and no parades, or you can be the parade yourself in some crazy, glittery costume as you wander from your neighborhood to the center of it all–Le Vieux Carre. You may know it as The French Quarter.

For this Valentine’s Day blog hop (Click on the graphic to see the event page with all the other authors participating. There are tons of prizes.), I’m giving away a $20 Amazon.com gift card. It’s going to be a random drawing, and all you have to do is tell me what you think of when someone says Mardi Gras.

I write about contemporary New Orleans and some fictional denizens. Dani and Guy met at a festival, and my next three releases (Bascially Bad is out Feb 17th!) feature characters from New Orleans as well. We’re a diverse lot, but we all, at some time, let the good times roll.

So, what do you think of when someone says Mardi Gras?

80 thoughts on “Valentine’s Day Blog Hop!”

  1. I have never had the opportunity to visit New Orleans but when someone mentions Mardi Gras I always think of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. I have been there and had a great time.

    THanks for the giveaway and have a great Valentine’s Day.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

  2. When someone say Mardi Gras, I think of New Orleans, and a party, party, party, party, party,party, you see what I mean. Happy Valentine’s Day!

  4. When I think of Mardi Gras, I think of the costumes and gorgeous masks that everyone wears to hide their true identy so they can be truly free to do whatever thwey want!!

  5. I think of Jazz and throngs of people and masks and costumes and beads and public drunkenness. Nope – I’ve never had the pleasure.

    wis mom works (at) gmail (dot) com

  8. Although I’ve never been I think of great food, parties,parades and awesome music. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

  9. Every time I think of Mardi Gras, I remember my 2yo nephew’s excitement over catching a Zulu krewe coconut! Also: king cakes!!!

    SavannahB @ chasingmybees .com

  13. Happiness. I have never traveled very far, nor do I know a lot about where I haven’t traveled, but I would like to make it to Mardi Gras one day. It makes me think how happy people must be to have such a celebration.

  15. I’ve never been to New Orleans but I’ve always wanted to go to Mardi Gras. I tend to think of the parade and floats. The costumes are gorgeous too.

    Thanks so much for the giveaway!

    geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

  19. My husband and I took our 1st vacation in New Orleans and I have many fond memories of the city. No, we didn’t go for Mardi Gras, but we celebrate Fat Tuesday with lots of good food!
    mcv111 at hotmail(dot)com

  20. When I think about Mardi Gras I think about our carneval in Cologne, parties and some crazy costumes 🙂

    Marin Garde

  24. I never been to Mardi Gras but what I understand is it’s a street party with colourful parade.

    monica

    moniqee @ hotmail.com

  27. These are great, and I knew someone would say flashing! That doesn’t happen at all where I am. The cops don’t let it. Keep that in the Quarter! And, you don’t need to put your email at the end of your comment unless it is different than what you put to make a comment. Keep it coming, y’all.

  28. Happy Valentine’s Day. Thanks for the giveaway. When I hear Mardi Gras I think of New Orleans and a really big party!

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

  30. Happy Valentines Day – When I think of Mardi Gras, I think of the food, fun, dancing, and just enjoying life

    stardf (AT) gmail.com

  31. I immediately think of Binche and it’s carnaval ^^ ( belgium just in case someone is wondering) it’s a holiday here and it also remind me that my birthday is approching because often the carnaval in my city is around my birthday because in my city it’s at the ” Laetare”

    ( in my country after mardi gras there are perhaps one carnaval each week in a different city ( some taking place at the same time also)

    thanks you a lot for the giveaway

    isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

  35. I think of the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, too 🙂 And the crazy costumes 😀
    Would love to go there one day, or to the one in New Orleans.

    Happy V-Day!

    cayce006 at yahoo dot com

  36. I think of New Orleans! I was lucky enough to go last year and participate in my first Mardi Gras! What fun it was! Lucky for me I stayed with locals who knew just the right places to go! I would love to go again sometime! Maybe next year………

  42. Thanks for the giveaway contest. I’d love to enter.

    When I think of Mardi Gras I think of scantily clad bodies, floats and lots of colorful beaded necklaces, lol.

    My email addy is in the form that was provided. I hope that is what you need.

  43. I think of beads. I remember how disgusted I was when I was told as a kid that women flash people to get ugly bead necklaces lol.

  44. I think of staking out a spot on the parade route with lawn chairs, coolers and picnic baskets. Shrimp Po’Boys, muffelettas, potato salad, king cake, beer, wine, beads, coins; goodness I could go on and on. Oh how could I forget music and the best people watching anywhere. I used to live in NOLA and miss it all terribly. It’s amazing how wrong some people’s idea Mardi Gras is, isn’t it.

  47. I have not been to Mardi Gras but when someone mentions it I think of a huge, loud party throughout the city. Lots of colors, masks, beaded necklaces. Floats, drinking, flashing, etc. It almost gives me a panic attack imagining it (crowds do that to me, probably why I have never been, lol)
    Thanks for the great giveaway & congrats on the upcoming release.
    Have a good V’day!
    June
    manning_J2004 at yahoo dot com

  48. Mardi Gras brings to my mind masks, lights in the night, dancing, parties. People doing crazy things, strangers meeting and clicking at once. Nights full of heat and passion…

    LOL, I’m packing my bags and flying to New Orlean

    Joan
    kasjopejaUK(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

  51. Gotta admit, I think of beads and confetti. Not that I’ve ever been to Mardi Gras or anything. 🙂

    ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com

  54. Mostly I think of parties, vampires and beads, well there is music too and some crazy things people do after consuming big amounts of alkohol…

  56. Never been to Mardi Gras but it reminds me of the Rio hotel in Vegas. They had a show that had music and beads and dancing. That sounds like what Mardi Gras is like.
    lexie.bookbug at gmail dot com

  57. I think of New Orleans, fun, food, parties, floats and costumes.
    Have always wanted to go and try some of the great food always hear about.
    Jean
    skpetal at hotmail dot com

  58. To me, when someone says Mardi Gras, all I can think of is a huge party in New Orleans and lots and lots of beads! I want to go someday 🙂
    Thanks for the great giveaway! Happy Valentine’s Day!
    Ashley A
    ash_app@hotmail.com

  59. Mardi Gras?
    Dancing, New Orleans, a big party and lots of beads. I would love to see it someday .
    Happy Valentine’s Day ^_~

    Anzu
    AnzumerlinATmailDOTru

  60. Happy Valentine’s Day!
    When someone says Mardi Gras, I immediately think of New Orleans, Bourbon St, Beads and Booze. LOL
    I love these hops. What a great way to discover new authors/blogs and visit with old friends.
    Thanks for being part of the hop and for the chance to win such a fantastic prize!
    reneebennett35(at)yahoo(dot)com

  64. When someone says Mardi Gras, I think carnivale, purple and green masks with feathers, and lots of parties and dancing. Thanks for the post!
    Jennifer

    jenni [at] jenniferlynne.com.au

  65. I think of the beads and the colors. I have never been during carnivale, but I have been to N.O. once. Would love to go again 🙂 thanks for the post. sstogner1 at gmail dot com

  66. Mardi Gras? Hmm… well, it always reminds me of beads and girls flashing their boobies. hee hee! 😉 Seriously though, I’ve never been to New Orleans but have always wanted to check out Mardi Gras in person. Not to flash of course. haha!

    ~Rhonda~
    sanddanz at gmail dot com

  72. OMG this is terrible, I think of Beer, Beads, and Boobs. haha thank you for the opportunity and the giveaway!! Happy Valentines Day. tkisastarATyahoo.com

  76. When I think of Mardi Gras….I think of St. Louis, MO. This is where I am from and we have a celebration that is 2nd in the country (New Orleans is 1st obviously!). But we do a damn good job. The one exception is that is can be so cold in February up here. Yesterday we had 3 inches of snow. Makes for an interesting Mardi Gras!!
    Mel
    bournmelissa@hotmail.com

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