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Q&A with Lucy Burdette, Author of A DEADLY FEAST
By Kathryn Gandek-Tighe
Posted: 2019-06-06T12:45:00Z

Lucy Burdette, author of  the Key West food critic mysteries and a member of Sisters in Crime New England, stops by the blog today to answer questions about writing and her newest book, A DEADLY FEAST. Want to share your thoughts about her series or have questions? Comment below!

What excited you most about writing this story?
 

I love the idea of inserting weddings into the Key West mysteries—the possibilities for conflict are endless. Plus, Key West is in real life a very popular wedding destination, so we see every kind of ceremony, from two people who've stumbled off a cruise ship to get married on the beach to unbelievable extravaganzas ending with fireworks. The caterers in town are experts at setting up for a wedding and tearing it all down the same night so it looks as though absolutely nothing happened the next day. There are several bakeries specializing in gorgeous wedding cakes, and there are beautiful tropical wedding flowers and plenty of places to party. 

 

My good friend and wonderful character Steve Torrence conducts a thriving wedding business on the side of his police and church work—I think he did at least four over one weekend in April. When I started to think it was time for Hayley Snow to tie the knot, I realized that I've already had two weddings in this series--one took place at the Hemingway Home in Murder with Ganache (I absolutely love that cover!) and the other in Killer Takeout in a closet during a hurricane. 

 

Who is your favorite character and why?

I can't answer this question with only one, so I'm choosing two...Lorenzo has been a character since the debut of the Key West series with AN APPETITE FOR MURDER. While writing that first book, I’d seen a tarot card reader on Mallory Square, and knew he belonged in the story. I imagined my protagonist Hayley Snow taking her mother’s lead, preferring a reading to a psychotherapy session. I had no idea how important Lorenzo would become. And how he’d also become a friend, and a muse.

 

Miss Gloria has become the character I probably hear most about. At first I envisioned her as an old lady living on houseboat row with a touch of dementia. I needed her as a THROWAWAY CHARACTER who would get bashed on the head and propel the plot along. Only as the books evolved, it became clear to me and everyone else that Miss Gloria does not have dementia. Reviewer Phil Jason had this to say about her in the FLORIDA WEEKLY in DEATH ON THE MENU:  "MISS Gloria is also a comic character, an older woman who doesn’t take her limitations seriously and becomes a kind of role model for senior citizens." 

 

What meal and drink do you think would pair well with your book?

I'm pretty sure you ought to be eating lobster macaroni and cheese and drinking a mojito while you read A DEADLY FEAST! Hayley Snow is on a seafood tasting tour over the course of the book and this lobster mac and cheese is one of the offerings. Her roommate, Miss Gloria, is so sad about missing this taste sensation that Hayley agrees to make it for her. (And what Hayley makes, I make...) There is nothing low-calorie or health-conscious about this dish, but it is delicious and good for special celebrations. I don’t know how close my rendition is to the one that Hayley eats at Bagatelle in A Deadly Feast, but my tasters loved it. You can find the recipe here on Mystery Lovers Kitchen.

 

What is the hardest part of writing a book?

The hardest part for me is always the middle. I start out with a bang--oh, there's going to be a wedding! And we'll have Hayley take a food tour! and look at that spooky building--that surely will be in the book! And for some reason, the ending usually gets written without too much angst and not too far into the process--which gives me a target to aim at. But the middle is a grind. How in the world do I show all the possible suspects and develop characters at a brisk pace without boring readers to death? It's hard!

 

Were there indispensable people without whom you couldn’t have written the book? Oh so many! First, there are quite a few characters based on real people. Lorenzo is my friend Ron. Martha Hubbard and Analise Smith are real Key West people who not only allowed me to use their names, but also answered many questions and gave me tours behind the scenes. Steve Torrence is a real police officer and minister--he is my go-to guy for police procedure.  Ang Pompano and Chris Falcone and I have been together in a writers' group for about 20 years. I couldn't do it without them! The Jungle Red Writers of course are huge supporters and cheerleaders, my hub John, and I could go on and on. Thanks to every single one of them--and my readers and fans and friends and family!

 

Clinical psychologist Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) has published 17 mysteries, including the latest in the Key West food critic series, A Deadly Feast. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a member of MWA and a past president of Sisters in Crime. She blogs at JungleRedWriters.comand at MysteryLoversKitchen.com. Read more at https://lucyburdette.com or find Lucy on Facebook and Instagram.

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