Character
Interview
1) Tell
us a little bit about yourself--both something we learn from [the story] and
something that readers might not guess?
Thanks for asking! I
own a travel agency in North Miami, not because I want to, but because my
parents’ neighbor willed Graves Travel to me when he died. To say I was shocked
by his bequest is an understatement! Since my employment prospects were (ahem)
dismal, I decided to jump into the Travel Biz.
I’m a Florida native,
and have the bleach-blonde hair and freckles to prove it. Both my parents are
deceased, and I have one sister, Georgia. I love her dearly, but we are polar
opposites. I’m unmarried, but the older I get, I more I’d like to share my life
and have a kid or two. Or, maybe a dog. I love dogs! Anyway, my sister is
happily married with four very rambunctious kids. (Yeah, think I’ll stick to a
rescue dog)
2) How did you first meet your writer?
She stumbled into my
agency one day needing a plane reservation. Admitting she’d once been a travel
agent, we compared notes on how much we hated the job. She asked if I’d mind
being the main character in her new series, and I gladly obliged. Not sure I
would’ve been so eager if I’d known the dangerous situations she’d write for
me.
3) Want to dish about him/her?
Are you serious? I
can’t afford to make her mad. She’s already sent me to some pretty awful places
and I can’t handle much more drama in my life. I’ve just started a relationship
with a gorgeous law man from Cancun and, with a few lines of type, she could
write out of my life! Losing Sheriff Manuel Gonzales would break my heart.
4) Why do you think that your life has ended
up being in a book?
My author needed to
exorcise some demons from her short, disastrous stint in the travel industry so
I ended up as her alter-ego. I suppose she wanted a do-over to explain and
resolve all her mishaps. She also added some great characters and laughs along
the way. For the most part, I’m happy with my role. After all, I could’ve ended
up in a Stephen King novel. Yikes!
5) Who's
your favorite character? Why?
You mean besides my
handsome sheriff? Okay, let’s assume he’s my favorite person. I guess my favorite character would also be the one who
gives me the most trouble; my ex-stepmother, Ruby. For some unknown reason, my dad bestowed me with
the task of taking care of her if something happened to him. Five years into
their marriage, he died and Ruby’s been a thorn in my side ever since. Guess I
can’t complain too much. After all, her stint in a Cancun jail led to my
meeting Manny. <sigh>
6) What’s
next for you?
Well…rumor has it
we’re going to Savannah, Georgia to check out some ghostly happenings. If I had
to venture a guess, a disappearance and/or a murder might also be in the near future.
I just hope I’m up to the task! I also hope café aulait and beignets are in my
future! Stay tuned.
Thanks, Books a
Plenty Book Review, for asking me to guest post! Just don’t tell my author.
She’d probably want to rewrite all my answers.
About Sazerac, Sleuth & Slay
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - In, and around, New Orleans
The Wild Rose Press, Inc (February 27, 2023)
Paperback : 260 pages
ISBN-10 : 1509247440
ISBN-13 : 978-1509247448
Digital ASIN : B0BQGVDG7P
It’s gonna be a great day! Or, so she thought.
Andi Anna Jones, so-so travel agent, amateur sleuth, doesn’t suspect her least favorite client, Stewart (The Pain) Payne, will set off circumstances that lead to disappearance and death.
After his wife is a no-show for a convention in New Orleans, his threat to sue Graves Travel for “ten times more than it’s worth”, and Andi’s wish to honor one of her late dad's requests, leads her to The Big Easy in search of Grace Payne.
Five unsolved murders, a body caught in a crawfish cage, and a mysterious candle, magic, and incense shop, takes Andi deep into the bayou on a hunt for clues.
Will another victim be added to a serial killer’s list, or is the main suspect closer to Andi than she thinks?
REVIEW
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
This is a fun cozy read. We catch up with Andi as she is forced to travel to New Orleans in order to find out what happened to a missing client of her travel agency after the husband throws a fit. What she didn't expect was murder which leads to quite the adventure as she sets out to find out what really happened. Full of a wide range of characters both new and old placed in a city with its own personality makes for quite the enjoyable read that is sure to delight cozy fans. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
About Mary Cunningham
Author, Mary Cunningham grew up on the northern side of the Ohio River in Corydon, Indiana.
Her first memories are of her dad’s original bedtime stories that no doubt inspired imagination and love of a well-spun “yarn”.
Through the author’s horrifying stint as a travel agent, protagonist Andi Anna Jones, travel agent and amateur sleuth, sprang to life. The adult/mystery series gives extra meaning to the phrase, “Write what you know.”
Cunningham also has a published biography depicting a military brat, college and professional basketball player, along with a five-book, middle-grade fantasy series.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime, Atlanta Chapter, International Thriller Writers, Inc., and the Carrollton Writers Guild.
When she gives her fingers a break from the keyboard, she enjoys golf, swimming, and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where she makes her home with her husband.
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Thanks for featuring me and Andi on your fabulous blog!
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