Diary Of A Blues Goddess

Diary Of A Blues Goddess
Erica Orloff

A diary from a lifetime ago. A ghost from the past. And an infatuation long forgotten.Wedding singer Georgia Ray Miller dreams of becoming a "blues goddess," but her own doubts keep getting in the way. Besides, she's got enough to keep her occupied, living in a huge haunted (former) brothel with her hippie grandmother, her surrogate boyfriend, Jack, and the Big Easy's most infamous drag queen. Still, she can't help being mesmerized by stories from an old blues pianist. When she discovers a diary from a long-lost aunt, she finds out the blues is truly in her blood.But before Georgia gathers the courage to sing the Delta blues, she must first figure out the affairs of her heart. Does she remain in the comfortable relationship she's found with Jack? Does she run off with the love of her life, a man from her past with a roguish reputation? Or strike out on her own? She thinks she has it all figured out, but the ghosts of the past have a way of intruding on the present….

DIARY OF A BLUES GODDESS

ERICA ORLOFF

resides in south Florida, where she enjoys spending her free time with her extended “family” of friends and relatives, as well as several unruly pets. She confesses to being virtually tone-deaf, but does adore jazz music and the blues, particularly the music of Django Reinhardt.

Erica is also the author of Spanish Disco, as well as the upcoming Divas Don’t Fake It. She can be reached at her Web site, www.ericaorloff.com.

Diary of a Blues Goddess

Erica Orloff

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Dedicated to my father, Walter Orloff,

who taught me about jazz

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to, first and foremost, thank my father, Walter Orloff, who provided advice, ideas and historical background about jazz and the blues. As far as I am concerned, he is the world’s greatest jazz expert, and his extensive—some would say exhaustive—record and book collection helped greatly, as did our e-mails and conversations. I’d especially like to thank him for reluctantly giving up several of his Django Reinhardt albums.

I must, as always, acknowledge my wonderful agent, Jay Poynor, who remains my greatest supporter. We talk daily, and it truly helps to know he is in my corner at all times. “Darlin’, you’re my Luv.”

Thank you to Margaret Marbury, the best editor I could imagine. When I decided to take the tone of this novel in a different direction, she was not only supportive but excited. Thank you. I look forward to our collaboration for many years to come.

What would I do without Writer’s Cramp? Pam, Gina and Jon. Thank you for giving me discipline as a writer—and wine. Let’s not forget the wine.

Thanks to my friends Pam, Nancy, Cleo and Kathy for being such totally cool women. In the immortal words of Miss Bella: “You rock.”

I acknowledge the late Viktor Frankl for giving my life philosophical meaning.

Thanks to my mother.

Whenever I felt like procrastinating on finishing this book, I called her, which was daily. And she happily obliged. But then would tell me to get back to work.

Finally, to Alexa, Nicholas and Isabella. You can’t possibly imagine what inspiration you are. To J.D., for everything. Always.

“All I know is when I sing the blues,

the notes are like tiny shards…

proclaiming how my heart is broke in a million pieces.”

—Irene “Honey” Walker

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24