I’m a longtime fan of the WWL Eyewitness Morning News with Eric Paulsen and Sally Ann Roberts. I was super excited to appear on the November 30th show to discuss Concierge, A Black Raven Novel, with Eric Paulsen. Despite my nerves over appearing on live television, I managed to get these behind the scenes photos to memorialize the occasion.
The photos are: a peek at Sally Ann Roberts as she prepares for a segment; standing in position for a quick introduction; a pre-interview chat with Eric Paulsen; the station’s official television, with news about Concierge; sitting on the interview couch; and the chef’s segment that followed my segment. The interview went by so quickly, I couldn’t believe when it was over.
Here is the video:
Here is a transcript of the interview:
Eric Paulsen: Alright, the fourth installment of the Black Raven series is here. Author and New Orleans native Stella Barcelona is in! And she’s ready to talk about her new book and where you can get a signed copy today.
Well, the latest installment in Stella Barcelona’s Black Raven series is here. Concierge has just been released and Stella Barcelona, I know Laurie very well. She’s here to talk about her book signing at the Garden District Book Shop tonight. And first of all, do tell everybody a little bit about you. You are actually a lawyer in real life.
Stella Barcelona: Yes, I am.
Eric: Your last name is Barcelona.
Stella: Yes, it is.
Eric: You’re Laurie Barcelona in your personal life and in your fantasy life, you’re Stella Barcelona.
Stella: Yes! And sometimes it feels like the fantasy life is taking over and then sometimes I have to jump right back into the real life.
Eric: And, we said this is your fourth novel, I mean, that takes a lot of time! Because you know, I’m sure your career is very intensive. How do you find the time to do it?
Stella: I’m determined. I wake up really early in the morning, perhaps even earlier than you, Eric, and I find time to write when I have a book going every morning for a few hours before work and then I go to work and then I come home and I pass out.
Eric: And this book is a thriller?
Stella: Yes.
Eric: And you like a thrilling story to run through the book. And then, as you say, there’s a little heat in there. Because sometimes, there’s a lot of heat in your books.
Stella: Yes, there is.
Eric: And heat meaning, it gets kind of juicy.
Stella: Yes, it does. I call them thrillers with heat and heart. And the heat, not only comes from the romantic aspect of it, it also comes from the conflict. I like really big villain-driven stories. When I was a kid, I read everything! Romance, and Stephen King. So, I like to put all kinds of chills and thrills in my stories.
Eric: And where does your inspiration come from? Are these things you’ve seen in your life as an attorney? Or do you just make up these stories? Or a little bit of both?
Stella: I think it’s a little bit of both. I do a lot of research and then there’s always one thing that grabs me. There’s some “something” that makes me want to write an entire novel. And then I follow that thread and research a little more and try to put the pieces together and work it out and then hopefully, nine months to a year later, I have a novel.
Eric: And you put a bit of erotica in these things?
Stella: Yes!
Eric: And is that something to sell books, or is it part of the plot?
Stella: Oh, it’s all part of the plot. Whatever goes into the book, it has to be part of the actual story. If there’s romance, well then it has to be related to the characters and it has to flow logically.
Eric: And it’s all set in New Orleans too?
Stella: This one, Concierge, is set in New Orleans, yes.
Eric: Alright, you can get a copy of Concierge and there’s a book signing tonight at the Garden District Book Shop on Prytania Street, a neat place if you haven’t been there. It goes on from six to seven thirty and you’ll be there signing the book.
Stella: Yes, I will!
Source: WWL Eyewitness Morning News, Thursday, November 30, 2017.