The ExPat Returneth

Friday, October 19, 2012

Tag, You're It: STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW, A Cherry Tucker Mystery


I was tagged by Judy Alter, author of the Kelly O'Connell mysteries and other novels. Her TROUBLE IN BIG BOX released about the same time as my mystery, and I had the pleasure of "meeting" Judy online to talk about her newest Kelly O'Connell mystery. Check out Judy's books at her website: JudyAlter.com

She tagged me to answer these questions about my newest Cherry Tucker mystery, STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW, which comes out in May.

What is the working title of your book? 
STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
The second time we lived in Japan, there had been a major poisoning incident the previous year. Because there's so little crime in Japan, particularly this kind of murder, the posioning made headlines far into the next year as the trial went underway. I was intrigued by the curry poisoning incident and gave me an idea for a murder mystery. 

What genre does your book fall under?
Mystery, specifically amateur detective, although some call it a cozy mystery.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
This time, I'm choosing actors from the Cast of Game of Thrones. I'd like to see them do Southern accents. 
Cherry: Emilia Clarke, who plays the ethereal mother of dragons, Daenerys Targaryen.
Luke: Kitt Harington, who plays Night Watch soldier Jon Snow.
Todd: Nikolaj Coster-Waldeu who plays bad boy Jamie Lanister.
Max: Sean Bean, who played Ned Stark.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Cherry Tucker is in a stew when her friend is poisoned and her cop boyfriend tries to prevent Cherry from serving the killer a hot bowl of justice.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
STILL LIFE is published by Henery Press, the publisher of all the Cherry Tucker mysteries.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I wrote some scenes during NaNoWriMo last year, but it was a different manuscript. In total about three months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Nancy Martin's Blackbird Sisters mysteries, if they were Southern and trashier. Some readers compared the first Cherry Tucker, PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY, with the Stephanie Plum novels.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Cherry Tucker, my main character from the first book in the series. She's very demanding.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
There's more goats, hot men, and dead bodies than in PORTRAIT. I'm a giver.

Thanks Judy for tagging me! 
And tag you're it--
Connie Gillam. Check out her books at http://www.constancegillam.com/books.html. Her newest, a young adult paranormal THE 5th REALM has just been published!

LynDee Walker, whose FRONT PAGE FATALITY comes to life in January! 

Kellie Kamryn, whose TUMBLING HEARTS, a gymnast's romance, is now available.

13 comments:

  1. Thanks for the tag, Larissa. Your book sounds great. Wishing you the same sales as Janet Evanovich.

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  2. I love the sound of your book! I've always enjoyed mysteries :) All the best with the series!

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    1. Thanks Kellie! I love the sound of yours, too! Wishing you big sales!

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  3. I love Cherry Tucker and her adventures! Can't wait for this one!

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  4. Thanks for the tag, Larissa.

    I posted earlier but it didn't come through.

    May the Cherry Tucker series generate Stephanie Plum like sales.

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  5. Hi Larissa,

    Hope your book is selling well. This second one looks like a lot fun. You nailed the one line synopsis.

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    1. Thanks Sabrina! The second was a lot of fun to write.

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  6. It sounds like an interesting book, Larissa. I'll put it on my list of TBR books.

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    1. Thanks Gloria! I hope you enjoy Cherry Tucker's adventures.

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  7. Definitely approve of a novel that combines the humor of a Stephanie Plum book with Southern and trashy. Some of the best books in the South are those we write poking fun at some of ourselves, and I think Southerners are big on doing that more than most regions. A fellow Southerner and I worked together a few years back and would just mispronounce names of Southern cities and keep right on going, not worrying that others wouldn't get the inside joke. Never thought much of it until I realized that he and I were the only two that wouldn't think we were crazy and ignorant. LOL. And throw a good mystery in there? I'm there.

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    1. That's hilarious. You can tell if someone is from out of town by the way they pronounce the names down here, that's for sure. It can be tricky, though. I used to teach high school and had a kid who lived in Fayetteville write his town name as Fatevul. God bless him.

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