RELEASE DAY! Meet the Characters: River Road by Suzanne Johnson (& G*veaway)

Happy release day to me! River Road hits the bookstore shelves today, and I’m beyond excited. Royal Street was my love letter to New Orleans, but River Road is in many ways the first real book of the Sentinels of New Orleans series. We know the characters, the hurricane is gone, and things are settling into a new normal that, well, isn’t normal at all. Weregators, anyone?

Before I introduce you to the characters of River Road, a few announcements.

IN THE WILD. Email me a photo of River Road on your local bookstore or library shelf, and I’ll send you a great bookmark and one of DJ’s special gemstone bracelets. Tell me where the photo was taken, and I’ll put it up on Facebook and my website. No limits on the number of photos you can send in, although each one needs to be taken at a different place. As soon as the book releases in the UK on Nov. 22, send ‘em in!

THE RIVER ROAD VIRTUAL TOUR. Big prizes (Nook, Kindle, $$ gift cards) are available as the tour continues. Enter for the tour prizes, and comment for special prizes. The prize breakdown can be found in the righthand column of this blog page, below the buy links.

Here are today’s stops on the River Road tour. There are prizes galore—check the column at the right for Tour Prizes. Today, you can find me at:

***DJ herself is at Night Owl Reviews today, talking about the hazards of dating outside one's species. Enter for the exclusive signed set of both Royal Street and River Road (if you already have the US versions I will substitute the UK versions on request). Also comment for a chance at the $25 gift card and a mystery book prize.
***Kimberly at Kimba the Caffeinated Reviewer is reviewing River Road today. Comment at this blog for a chance at the $25 gift card and for a mystery book prize.

*** I’m doing a quick promo at the Romance Magicians blog today. This is the blog of my local RWA chapter and the nicest bunch of authors ever. Comment at this blog for a chance to win a signed copy of River Road.
*** There's a quick promo-only stop at Booked and Loaded today as well. Here, you can enter for the tour-wide Kindle/Nook giveaway and one of the 5 $10 gift cards.
*** Badass Book Reviews has a review of River Road today! Comment at this blog for a chance at the $25 gift card and for a mystery book prize.
*** Pure Textuality has a release-day review today...Comment for a chance at the $25 gift card and a mystery book prize.
***Not prize stops, but the Heroes & Heartbreakers website has a great "First Look" on River Road, and Tori's review is also up at Smexy Books today. 

Okay…who will you meet in River Road—or who will you meet again?

DJ JACO. DJ’s now co-sentinel of the South Louisiana/Gulf Coast region along with her partner, Alexander Warin, whom we met in Royal Street. DJ’s grown up a bit since Katrina. She’s more self-confident. She’s more comfortable in her job. She’s also still prone to lead with her heart rather than her head, and she’s learning there might be some unexpected consequences to using Charlie, the elven staff.

ALEX WARIN. DJ’s co-sentinel. Maybe more? Alex is also more comfortable in his role, although he misses his enforcer days. He’s less likely to shoot first, then ask questions. He finds Jean Lafitte extremely annoying.

JAKE WARIN. Jake’s had problems adjusting to the changes that happened to him at the end of Royal Street, but he’s now trained as an enforcer and will be working with DJ and Alex. But he may be having more adjustment issues than anyone knows.

JEAN LAFITTE. Our favorite undead pirate is still prowling after DJ, but Jean’s motivations are never simple. Sure, he thinks she’s beautiful. But the pirate always has an angle. Always.

NEW CHARACTERS INCLUDE:

Quince Randolph, aka “Rand.” Rand is the sexy hippy-dippy guy who’s bought the building across the street from DJ’s house and is opening a nursery and landscaping business. He’s also dating Eugenie, DJ’s best human (i.e., clueless) friend.

Rene and Robert Delachaise (pronounced “REN-ay” and “ROW-bear” DELLA-shay). Rene and Robert are twin mermen who work in the fishing industry in Plaquemines Parish, outside New Orleans. Rene is head of the Plaquemines branch of his mer clan.

Denis Villere (pronounced “don-EE VILL-er-ee”). Head of a rival mer clan that’s recently moved into Plaquemines Parish, feuding with the Delachaises.

Libby the Nymph. She’s tall, she’s redhaired, she swivels when she walks. She’s a nymph.

There are also lots of minor returning and new characters.

Want to win a  River Road poster? It has the cover of the book (art by Cliff Nielsen), plus the line “There’s more than gators in the Louisiana swamp.”

Up to five entries possible: +1 for comment, +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow, +1 for a Tweet or RT about the contest, +1 for a Facebook follow. Contests end at midnight CDT U.S. on Saturday.