Debra Sennefelder is a debut author. I really enjoyed her first mystery, The Uninvited Corpse, which I
review tomorrow. In fact, I liked this cozy mystery so much, I wanted to talk to Debra.It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Debra Sennefelder.
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Welcome, Debra! Because
you’re a debut author, I’m sure most of my readers don’t know you. Would you
start by introducing yourself?
you’re a debut author, I’m sure most of my readers don’t know you. Would you
start by introducing yourself?
Thank you for having me
here today, Lesa. I’m the author of the new cozy mystery series, Food Blogger
Mysteries published by Kensington. I live in Connecticut and am a full-time
writer. A few years ago I began a food blog, The Cookbook Diva (I’ve since then
closed down the website), when I took a break from fiction writing. After a
couple of years I decided that I wanted to go back to writing fiction and
pursue publication. After a few completed romantic suspense novels I had the
idea for a cozy mystery revolving around a food blogger. I went with the idea
and wrote the first draft of The Uninvited Corpse. When I’m not writing I can
be found either baking, which I love, hanging with my two Shih-Tzus, Susie and
Billy, curling up with a good book or tackling a workout.
here today, Lesa. I’m the author of the new cozy mystery series, Food Blogger
Mysteries published by Kensington. I live in Connecticut and am a full-time
writer. A few years ago I began a food blog, The Cookbook Diva (I’ve since then
closed down the website), when I took a break from fiction writing. After a
couple of years I decided that I wanted to go back to writing fiction and
pursue publication. After a few completed romantic suspense novels I had the
idea for a cozy mystery revolving around a food blogger. I went with the idea
and wrote the first draft of The Uninvited Corpse. When I’m not writing I can
be found either baking, which I love, hanging with my two Shih-Tzus, Susie and
Billy, curling up with a good book or tackling a workout.
Would you introduce us
to Hope Early?
to Hope Early?
Hope Early is a food
blogger who stumbles into solving murders. When The Uninvited Corpse opens
she’s still settling into her fixer upper and building her food blog into a
full-time career. Just prior to moving back to her hometown, she had a stint on
a reality baking show. She didn’t win, rather she ended up divorced and
unemployed. With her life turned upside, she made the decision to move back to
Jefferson, Connecticut. Starting over in the place where she came from sounded
like a good idea until she got caught up in a murder investigation.
blogger who stumbles into solving murders. When The Uninvited Corpse opens
she’s still settling into her fixer upper and building her food blog into a
full-time career. Just prior to moving back to her hometown, she had a stint on
a reality baking show. She didn’t win, rather she ended up divorced and
unemployed. With her life turned upside, she made the decision to move back to
Jefferson, Connecticut. Starting over in the place where she came from sounded
like a good idea until she got caught up in a murder investigation.
Tell us about The Uninvited Corpse, without spoilers.
Hope attends a garden
tour hosted by a close friend and the event is turned upside down by the
arrival of an uninvited guest, real estate agent Peaches McCoy. By the end of
the day, one of the guests has committed murder, and Hope’s sister, Claire
Dixon, is a suspect. She and Peaches were professional rivals and text messages
reveal a deep animosity between the two women. Hope is determined to prove her
sister innocent. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to
the killer intent on making her the next corpse du jour.
tour hosted by a close friend and the event is turned upside down by the
arrival of an uninvited guest, real estate agent Peaches McCoy. By the end of
the day, one of the guests has committed murder, and Hope’s sister, Claire
Dixon, is a suspect. She and Peaches were professional rivals and text messages
reveal a deep animosity between the two women. Hope is determined to prove her
sister innocent. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to
the killer intent on making her the next corpse du jour.
This is your first
mystery. What has surprised you about the publication process?
mystery. What has surprised you about the publication process?
I’ve been writing for
several years and I have many friends who are published so over time I’ve
learned a lot of what to expect from the publication process. One of the things
that surprised me was how long it took from the contract to the publication
date. I received my contract offer in November 2016 and the book releases on
March 27, 2018. That’s a long time.
several years and I have many friends who are published so over time I’ve
learned a lot of what to expect from the publication process. One of the things
that surprised me was how long it took from the contract to the publication
date. I received my contract offer in November 2016 and the book releases on
March 27, 2018. That’s a long time.
You were a blogger
before you became a mystery author. How have you incorporated that background
into The Uninvited Corpse?
before you became a mystery author. How have you incorporated that background
into The Uninvited Corpse?
I use my experience to
give an authentic feel to Hope’s character. I’ve written scenes where you’ll
find Hope in the midst of recipe testing or filming a video for her You Tube
channel or taking a class to improve her skills. These are all things food
bloggers do on a regular basis. I also add in some angst because it sometimes
seem that there’s never enough time to do all the things that need to be done
or enough comments or likes on social media.
give an authentic feel to Hope’s character. I’ve written scenes where you’ll
find Hope in the midst of recipe testing or filming a video for her You Tube
channel or taking a class to improve her skills. These are all things food
bloggers do on a regular basis. I also add in some angst because it sometimes
seem that there’s never enough time to do all the things that need to be done
or enough comments or likes on social media.
You also have a second
mystery series coming out next year. Would you tell us about that, and how the
idea came about?
mystery series coming out next year. Would you tell us about that, and how the
idea came about?
The second series,
Resale Boutique Mysteries, grew out of a short story I wrote years ago. I’d
been trying to get the story published in a mystery anthology but it was
rejected. I liked the characters and the town so I decided to expand it into a
book. Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, which releases in January 2019, is
about Kelly, a twenty-something fashionista who’s recently unemployed and
inherits her grandmother’s old and tired consignment shop. She has her own
ghosts of the past to deal with by coming back home and there’s a black dress
in the shop that’s associated with a murder. Like Kelly I attended fashion
school and worked in a department store before moving to Connecticut. So it was
a nice fit to write about Kelly and her world.
Resale Boutique Mysteries, grew out of a short story I wrote years ago. I’d
been trying to get the story published in a mystery anthology but it was
rejected. I liked the characters and the town so I decided to expand it into a
book. Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, which releases in January 2019, is
about Kelly, a twenty-something fashionista who’s recently unemployed and
inherits her grandmother’s old and tired consignment shop. She has her own
ghosts of the past to deal with by coming back home and there’s a black dress
in the shop that’s associated with a murder. Like Kelly I attended fashion
school and worked in a department store before moving to Connecticut. So it was
a nice fit to write about Kelly and her world.
How are you juggling
your time to write two series and maintain your life?
your time to write two series and maintain your life?
It can get a little
crazy at times but I’ve always been organized. I rely on my day planner and set
achievable goals for each day and week. It does help that I’m a full-time
writer so my time isn’t shared with a day job any longer.
crazy at times but I’ve always been organized. I rely on my day planner and set
achievable goals for each day and week. It does help that I’m a full-time
writer so my time isn’t shared with a day job any longer.
What authors have been
your greatest inspiration or of assistance to you?
your greatest inspiration or of assistance to you?
My critique partner,
Ellie Ashe, has been a tremendous help to me over the years. Working with her
has made me a better writer. The cozy author community is a wonderful group of
people and I’ve been welcomed into it. Sherry Harris has been very kind and generous
to me since I announced my sale to Kensington. Katherine Hall Page has been an
inspiration to me over the years. I remember discovering her Faith Fairchild
Mystery series at our now-closed local bookshop. I look forward to each new
installment of the series.
Ellie Ashe, has been a tremendous help to me over the years. Working with her
has made me a better writer. The cozy author community is a wonderful group of
people and I’ve been welcomed into it. Sherry Harris has been very kind and generous
to me since I announced my sale to Kensington. Katherine Hall Page has been an
inspiration to me over the years. I remember discovering her Faith Fairchild
Mystery series at our now-closed local bookshop. I look forward to each new
installment of the series.
What author isn’t as
well-known as you think they should be?
well-known as you think they should be?
That’s a tough question.
There are so many authors that I adore. The first author that springs to mind
is a relatively new author. Bethany Blake writes the Lucky Paw Pet Sitting
Mystery series for Kensington. After reading her first book, Death by Chocolate
Lab, she’s become one of the authors I automatically buy when a new book comes
out.
There are so many authors that I adore. The first author that springs to mind
is a relatively new author. Bethany Blake writes the Lucky Paw Pet Sitting
Mystery series for Kensington. After reading her first book, Death by Chocolate
Lab, she’s become one of the authors I automatically buy when a new book comes
out.
My final question,
because I’m a librarian, is always the same. Please tell me a story about you
and a library or librarian.
because I’m a librarian, is always the same. Please tell me a story about you
and a library or librarian.
I’ve always loved
libraries. I grew up in New York City so our branch library wasn’t small and I
don’t recall the librarians who worked there. Being an only child, I’ve always
been independent so I didn’t participate in any programs, I just wanted to find
a book to read. My mom would let me wander around the stacks while she waited
patiently for me. Probably the best thing about the library was the opportunity
to explore and learn because I was a kid using the library before the internet.
The librarians were my search engines. ☺ I’ve always appreciated the work they do and
fully support libraries. I can’t imagine a world without libraries.
libraries. I grew up in New York City so our branch library wasn’t small and I
don’t recall the librarians who worked there. Being an only child, I’ve always
been independent so I didn’t participate in any programs, I just wanted to find
a book to read. My mom would let me wander around the stacks while she waited
patiently for me. Probably the best thing about the library was the opportunity
to explore and learn because I was a kid using the library before the internet.
The librarians were my search engines. ☺ I’ve always appreciated the work they do and
fully support libraries. I can’t imagine a world without libraries.
*****
Thank you, Debra, for taking the time to answer questions. Debra’s website is http://debrasennefelder.com/
Check back tomorrow when I have a review of her first book, The Uninvited Corpse.
Love the interview and truly enjoyed the book. Cannot wait for another in this series and the new series! (Betty Tyler)