One of my favorite things about running a book blog AND a book convention is when the two make awesome mash-up posts! Today we get to celebrate a New Release with Raquel V Reyes, and get to know a bit more about her and Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal with a #CMCon24 Featured Author Spotlight Q&A post.
In the third installment of the Caribbean Kitchen mysteries, for fans of Mia P. Manansala , Miriam Quiñones, cooking show sensation and amateur sleuth, has sand between her toes and a murderer nipping at her heels.
A surprise trip to Miriam’s parents in Punta Cana, which should be filled with arroz con pollo and breezy days under the tamarind tree, quickly becomes a hunt for a possible property saboteur. But before Miriam can begin to uncover the person damaging the vacation rentals her parents manage, she’s called away to Puerto Rico to film a Three Kings Day special. She’s welcomed to the blue ballast-stone streets of Old San Juan by crime scene tape, and things only get worse from there.
An anonymous personal gift on Miriam’s doorstep on New Year’s Eve screams stalker, and the 400-year-old guesthouse creaks and moans like there is something trapped in its walls. Luckily, her BFF, Alma, and their mutual friend Jorge are in town to keep her distracted between filming cultural segments for the network. But private chef tables and spa days come to an abrupt halt when Jorge’s telenovela heartthrob novio goes missing. And there is something worrisome about Alma’s too-perfect boyfriend–specifically, his duffle bag full of cash.
Will demon masks, African drumbeats, and dark alleys lead to Miriam’s demise? Or will the mysterious events come together like the delicious layers of a pastelón?
In Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal, your character travels to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Have you been to these countries?
Yes! I lived in Puerto Rico for a while and my in-laws live there. I adore the island especially Old San Juan.
Miriam is a cooking show personality in the stories. Do you have any experience in TV broadcasting? What kind of research did you have to do to bring that part of her world to the story?
No I do not have TV experience but neither did Miriam when she got the job. She is a food anthropologist. Her area of interest is the African, European, and Indigenous influences on Caribbean cuisine.
Do you like to cook? Do you have favorite dishes/recipes from the stories?
I enjoy cooking shows and I won’t say no to a meal at a nice restaurant. I’m a home cook. I rarely cook from a recipe—It’s always a splash of this, a pinch of that. Writing the recipes for the book is fun but difficult. I test kitchen them to get the measurements correct. My favorite recipe in Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal is pastelón. It’s a layered dish and so delicious.
Alma and Jorge bring so much to the story in the new book — how important are secondary characters to your overall storyline? Do you anticipate these characters getting their own stories at some point in the future?
Secondary characters are essential to building the community readers expect when they read a mystery series. As a writer, I enjoy their versatility. Alma and Jorge can say and do things that the main character wouldn’t.
Cozy mysteries in all variations are so popular right now. What are some of your favorite things about writing this genre? I love an interesting theme with a diverse cast of characters. Who are some cozy mystery authors you like to read?
Rob Osler’s Haden & Friends series, T.G. Herren’s A Streetcar named Murder set in New Orleans, Olivia Matthew’s Spice Isle Bakery series, Mia P. Manasala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series, and Valeire Burns has several wonderful series.
This spotlight post is celebrating your new release, and also celebrating your attendance at Coastal Magic Convention. What is your favorite thing about attending reader events?
The readers of course! Writing a book takes a lot of effort. Traditional publishing takes a long time from manuscript deadline to book on shelf. The process is very lonely. It boosts an author’s spirit to hear that someone loves our book. It makes it all worthwhile.
Need to read books 1 & 2? Click for Mango, Mambo, and Murder & Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Coastal Magic Convention Featured Author Spotlight post. Raquel V Reyes is one of the amazing authors we’ll be hanging out with during the 12th annual reader weekend in Daytona Beach, FL, Feb 22-25,2024. For more info about the weekend and link to register to attend, visit http://www.CoastalMagicConvention.com.
And be sure to watch for more Featured Author spotlights coming up here!
Funk-N-Fiction 