A Visit from Callie Costas - Guest Post

I'm quite pleased to welcome Callie Costas to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Callie on the pages of the Callie's Kitchen Mystery series by Jenny Kales. Secrets and Pies is the third book in the series and was released last week.

Callie Costas, of The Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries by Jenny Kales

Talk about biting off more than I can chew. I think I may just have done it this time. First I agreed to bake more pites than I can count for Crystal Bay’s annual Greek Fest, hosted by the local church. For the uninitiated, “pites” is the plural of “pita,” or savory Greek pies made with buttery phyllo dough. These delicious treats are just one of the many things I serve at my Wisconsin-based eatery, Callie’s Kitchen. My dad, George, is one of the Greek Fest organizers and it’s very hard to say no to him when he’s enthusiastic about something. My sense is that Dad agreed without even thinking and is now counting on me to bail him out.

That’s OK. Dad is a great dad, even if he can be just a tad bit meddlesome. Make that a LOT meddlesome, but lately, he’s been trying to keep a tighter rein on that side of his nature.

Summer has officially arrived here in Crystal Bay, Wisconsin. After a long, cold winter and a long, cold spring, locals are ready to enjoy the warmth. We’ve also got our fair share of tourists ready to take a trip to our neck of the woods for leisure activities, including boating, swimming and our usual roster of summer festivals and events. Our influx of summer visitors all have one thing in common: they’re hungry! In particular, they crave my summer fruit pies, especially my sour cherry pie and my blueberry pie just loaded with fresh berries. This is great for my business, but this time of year, it’s all I can do to keep up with my workload.

For example, right now I’m on my way over to The Harris House, a beautiful mansion-turned-hotel, right on the waterfront. It’s a beautiful space with a 1920s-themed interior and bar, and it draws people from miles around. Tonight I’m not just delivering treats. I’m also staying for a show, a murder mystery night, to be exact. Recently, the hotel acquired a new owner, but I haven’t met her yet.

            You’d think I would have had enough of real-life murder for the last year and wouldn’t need to experience a fictional one. The thing is, one of the actresses is my daughter’s teacher, Holly Tennyson. She’s an amateur actress and loves to perform on summer break with a local troupe.

            I’m told that the event is kind of an Agatha Christie-style thing. I can’t wait to see it. After all the excitement of the past year in Crystal Bay, what with some shocking murders that I unfortunately found myself involved in, it will be nice to sit and enjoy some entertainment for a change.

            I’m sure everything will go just fine. You be sure to stop by Callie’s Kitchen for a piece of sour cherry pie and maybe some spanakopita to take home.  

You can buy SECRETS AND PIES, the third installment in The Callie’s Kitchen Mysteries by clicking this link.