Say Cheese- Interview with Avery Aames & Review & Giveaway

I'd like to welcome Avery Aames back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Avery visited back in July under her other name, Daryl Wood Gerber. (You can check out that interview here.) Avery has a new Cheese Shop Mystery coming out this Tuesday!

Kathy: Days of Wine and Roquefort brings together two of my favorite things-cheese and wine (three of my favorite things if you include a good mystery!). I love all sorts of cheeses (aside from the majority of the blue family) and most types of wine (my favorite is a Gewürztraminer) and enjoy pairing them. Do you have a favorite cheese and wine pairing?

AA: My favorite cheeses include Manchego, Irish Cheddar, and warm Brie. A good merlot or pinot noir goes with all cheese. One of my favorite pinots is Evening Land from the Willamette Valley.  By the way, if you add a slice of dark chocolate with that…divine!

Kathy: I would love to visit Fromagerie Bessette. I’m lucky, in that I have an artisanal cheese shop nearby (The Little Bleu Cheese Shop). Do you have a local specialty cheese shop?

AA: Yes, Artisan Cheese Gallery in Studio City. It’s a darling place, with just the right amount of cheese to not overwhelm you. Ask for a nibble, and they’re glad to provide a taste. They also offer meals: salad, sandwiches, and more. And they have a premium wine selection, plus crackers, jams, etc. Fun!  I found the wooden barrels that are part of the décor in Fromagerie Bessette at Artisan Cheese.  There is also a great selection of cheeses at the local Whole Foods in Tarzana, and they, too, will offer tastings.

Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for Days of Wine and Roquefort?

AA: I was reading an article in a wine magazine that got me thinking about murder and mayhem. I put it past my editor, and she loved it. But if I told you what it was, you might figure out the mystery too soon, and then I’d have to kill you. Shhh. J 

Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Charlotte?

AA: Love is in the air. Charlotte and Jordan will plan their wedding. Urso will find love. Rebecca will move on to…hmmm, yet another secret. And Grandmère and Pépère will set the standard for what it means to be in love. Oh, yes, there will also be another couple of murders, too, and Charlotte knows and cares about both people.

Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

AA: Actually, next month, I have the second in the Cookbook Nook Mysteries coming out: INHERIT THE WORD. I’m very excited about it. Jenna and the Cookbook Nook will host the upcoming grill fest, which features grilled cheese. The eight-time champ, owner of The Word Diner (short for Mum’s the Word), will meet her match and possibly her doom.

Kathy: You write cozies under 2 different names, Avery Aames and Daryl Wood Gerber. What made you decide to do so?

AA: Avery came first. The publisher wanted a series about a cheese shop. I was not yet published. My agent put my name to the editor, and I auditioned and got the job. That is considered a work-for-hire, where the publisher owns the original idea. I get paid like all other writers, but it’s theirs in the long run. I had to choose a pseudonym so that, in the event the publisher wanted someone else—heaven forbid—to write the series, they could, using that name. Sort of like Carolyn Keene for the Nancy Drew series.

I write under Daryl (my real name) because I came up with the idea for another series, the Cookbook Nook mysteries. My publisher loved the idea and bought three (to start). It’s confusing having two names, but I think my fans are getting used to it.

Kathy: A new interview section-this or that. Pick one of the 2 choices given.

Library or Bookstore – 
AA: Bookstore, I like to stay current; but I love libraries.

Kathy: Expositional or Continuing Story – 
AA:Continuing stories are fun because you get to follow a character’s full life.

Kathy: Editing or Marketing – 
AA: editing; I love to rework a story. I hate marketing but I will do it.

Kathy: TV or Film – 
AA: both; they’re offering so many different stories nowadays. Film actors are on TV and TV actors star in movies. It depends on the story. I love sitting in a movie theater, and as a former actress, I have to admit I would have loved to star in a movie.

Kathy: Chocolate or Vanilla – 
AA: both. I like dark chocolate candy. I love vanilla ice cream.

Kathy: Mountains or Beach – 
AA: both. I love to go skiing or smell the wonderful scent of pine trees. I like a crisp, cool lake to swim in. I also adore going to the beach. I love the sound of the surf, the smell of salt, the sunsets.

Kathy: Tea or Coffee – 
AA: coffee. Decaf. I adore a latte. But there are times I do drink tea. It’s very soothing. Early morning writing sessions are often written with a cup of green tea as my beverage.

Kathy: Cats or Dogs – 
AA: I’m a dog person. I love the companionship. I love long walks. I have had cats, as a girl, and they were fun, but they can be so darned independent. The cats in my stories are not nearly as independent. They love spending time with their humans. [My fantasy!]

Kathy: Summer or Winter – 
AA: Summer. I like warm weather. I love shorts and tee shirts. I love the colors of summer. The scent of roses. Fresh fruit. Swimming.

Kathy: Normal or Paranormal – 
AA: Normal.

Kathy: Vampire or Werewolf – 
AA: Neither, thank you. I do like ghosts.

Kathy: Cake or Cupcake – 
AA: Cake. Cheesecake. Choco-socko cheesecake. That’s a recipe I’m sharing in DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT. I’ll share pictures on my Mystery Lovers Kitchen blog in February. Tune in!

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Review

Days of Wine and Roquefort by Avery Aames
Fifth in the Cheese Shop Mystery series

Charlotte Bessette, feeling a bit lonely with her cousin and his twins gone from her house and Jordan out of town, is happy to have a houseguest. Noelle Adams, an old friend of Matthew’s and the new employee at Shelton Nelson Winery is staying with her until the cottage she’s renting is ready. When Charlotte returns home unexpectedly one evening she finds Noelle in her workshop-dying. Noelle is able to utter a cryptic comment before she dies, murdered. Though Charlotte is determined to let the police handle it, Matthew and Rebecca pull her in and the investigation is on!

One of the great things about cozy mystery series is the ability to see our main characters grow and evolve. They’re multidimensional and real. In Days of Wine and Roquefort even the new characters have depth. There’s much more to the violent ex-boyfriend, the smarmy reporter, and the vintner and his daughter, than meets the eye. In a short amount of time author Aames gives these characters both history and a meaningful life. Although  Days of Wine and Roquefort deals with loss on several levels, it doesn’t get maudlin. In fact, the antics of Prudence and Sylvie brought lots of humor to the story.

I love the Cheese Shop Mystery series as much as I love cheese! The books give me something to savor with tons of character and lots of pleasure while consuming it! Plus-no calories! I highly recommend this book and this series.

For a chance to win a copy of Days of Wine and Roquefort simply leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite cheese and wine. A winner will be chosen at random from comments left by next Saturday, February 8th at 11:59pm EST. Be sure to leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you! Also, be sure to enter the Rafflecoptor for another chance to win! Sorry-you must have a US address to win.

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