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| Cheré Dastugue Coen is a journalist who has worked for many newspapers and magazines in her 20-plus years in the business. Publications have included Variety magazine, Gambit New Orleans, The Advocate in Baton Rouge, the Glendale News-Press and The Bakersfield Californian. She currently freelances for a variety of publications including TravelAge West magazine, The Times of Acadiana free weekly, AcadianaMoms and several online sites. In addition, she teaches novel writing, works in hurricane recovery and is a multi-published author. Her book column, Louisiana Book News, is published on Sundays in The Daily Advertiser of Lafayette. | |
Attention Authors: If you have a book you would like reviewed or written about in my weekly Louisiana Book News column, send an email to bacoen@cox.net and please include title of book, your background, date of publication and publishing house. |
To contact Cheré, email her at bacoen@cox.net or Chere@LouisianaBookNews.com. |
| Writing under the pseudonym of Cherie Claire, her historical romance novels have included A Cajun Dream, Snow Angels anthology and The Acadians series of Emilie, Rose, Gabriel andDelphine.
Cheré has also ghost-written home and garden books, contributed to a writing anthology and produced an original play titled ZeZe's Waltz at the inaugural Hub City Theatre Festival in Lafayette in the summer of 2007.
She is currently working on a Cajun Country cookbook with Karl Breaux to be published by Gibbs Smith.
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“The Acadians:
“Author Cherie Claire masterfully blends the challenges of history, love and loyalty in ‘Delphine.’ From the grand mansions of the aristocrats of France to the marauding dangers of the high seas, this rich plot combines intrigue, treachery, and traitorous love in a riveting novel readers will not be able to put down.”
— Cindy Penn, Wordweaving.com
“Ms. Claire shows you a love of family that will touch your hearts.”
— Carol Carter, Under the Covers
| “A Cajun Dream”:
“ ‘A Cajun Dream’ will bring a smile to readers’ faces. Ms. Claire has captured the sweetness of falling in love the first time with the gentleness of Dorothy Garlock and the tenderness of Pamela Morsi.” — Maria C. Ferrer for Romantic Times magazine
“What a marvelous debut! Cherie Claire is sure to earn a bevy of fans with this charming and heartwarming tale.” — Rexanne Becnel, author of “Blink of An Eye"
| “The Letter” novella (“Snow Angels” anthology)
“Cherie Claire is a new voice in romance from the heartland of Louisiana. I found ‘The Letter’ enchanting, original and lyrical from beginning to end. Catch this star rising - her talent is a gift of the Goddess!” — Eileen Charbonneau, author of “Rachel LeMoyne”
“This is a well written and enjoyable story that will appeal to all fans of good fiction, not just romance readers.”— Greg Langley, The Advocate newspaper, Baton Rouge |
To read articles by Cheré Dastugue Coen, visit:
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For authors, Cheré can help you with:
- Organizing
thoughts and getting ideas down on paper
- Formatting
your work to send to agents and editors
- Editing
copy
- Explaining
the publishing business, from magazines to manuscripts
- Marketing your product
| For editors, Cheré's expertise includes:
- 20
years as a features writer and editor
- Extensive
experience as a travel writer
- Knowledge
of the entertainment industry
- Speciality
articles in Home & Garden, Parenting, Food, Books
| For publishers/producers:
Cheré has published five historical novels and one anthology
and has plenty more to share. Looking for a great family screenplay involving Cajun
culture and music? My spec script, ZeZe's Waltz, won first place in a
screenwriting contest and was partially adapted for the stage for the inaugural
Hub City Theatre Festival in Lafayette, Louisiana.
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The
Dastugues came from the south of France, near the Pryrénées, to New
Orleans where my great-grandfather became a butcher and owned the
Dastugue Meat Market on Esplanade where the old Whole Foods used to be.
Pierre Firmin Dastugue married Delphine Brezina Perez, whose father was
from the same region in France and whose mother escaped the Irish
Famine. Their son, Paul, married Regina Morano, whose family hails all
the way back to the beginning of the Louisiana colony. Ancestors of my
grandmother fought in the American Revolution battles at Baton Rouge
and Manchac and in the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans. My
mother was raised in New Orleans but her family traveled the Southern
migration route of Georgia to Alabama to Mississippi and then the
Crescent City. Her family names include Taylor, Smith, Powell,
Drummond, Knight, Hilderbrand and Staehling. If you're wondering why
I'm explaining all this, I'm always looking for answers to puzzling
genealogy questions. If you think we might be related, let me know.
The following are part of a book I wrote on my family titled "The Dastugue-Morano Family of Louisiana." Each chapter is a PDF available for download. Please respect copyright if used in your genealogy. Thanks! |
So what's with the accent and how do you pronounce my name? I get asked that a lot. My father wanted to name me Chèrie, which means dear in French. Since my maiden name — and now my middle name — is Dastugue, it seemed fitting that I would have a French first name to match that mouthful. My father wanted me to be different and, I have to add, he didn't know how to properly spell chèrie, so he spelled my name Cheré, hoping that bug on the end would prompt Americans to say Cher-ee and not Sherry or Cher. Alas, they do just that, not to mention that French people call me Cher-A because that's how it is pronounced in French, with the accent aigu over the last e making it an A sound. However, my name is Cher-ee, regardless. I like my strange little bug and no one can call me Chèr unless they are Cajun.
On a side note, many people have asked why we live in an area of the country prone to hurricanes and below sea level. I doubt anyone visiting a Louisiana book site would doubt our love for this region, but just in case, consider this. My father's family has been in this state since 1719. I am the 9th generation Louisianan. Does that tell you something? |
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| The cast of 'Guys & Dolls' at Lafayette High School, Lafayette, Louisiana. My son, Josh, is Nathan Detroit dressed in red. |
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