Former actress Becca Ransom lived her dream in Hollywood for seven years before returning to her hometown of Larch Haven, known as the Venice of North America. The Vermont town has canals instead of roads, gondolas instead of cars, and charming cottages plucked from the pages of a fairy tale. It’s also where Becca is pursuing her newest passion as a chocolatier at True Confections, the chocolate shop owned by her grandparents, Lolly and Pops.
While Becca’s testing new flavors and reconnecting with old friends, the town is gearing up for the annual Gondola Races, popular with both residents and tourists, with one exception. Local curmudgeon Archie Smith wants nothing more than to keep tourists away from Larch Haven. He’s determined to derail this year’s event and does his best to stir up trouble for the organizers, including Becca’s grandfather.
Following a heated argument with Pops, Archie is found floating face-down in the canal, and Pops finds himself in hot water as one of the top suspects. Becca’s determined to clear her grandfather’s name, but when the case heats up, she could be facing a sticky end.
1. Tell us a bit about your new novel, Six Sweets Under. What is the story about and what inspired you to write it?
Six Sweets Under is about Becca
Ransom, a former actress who now works as a chocolatier in the chocolate shop
owned by her grandparents, Lolly and Pops. She lives in the canal town of Larch
Haven, Vermont, known as the Venice of North America. As the town’s annual
gondola races approach, the local curmudgeon is found dead, and Becca’s
grandfather becomes a suspect. Becca wants to clear his name, and that’s how
she becomes an amateur sleuth. The idea for the series started with the
setting. A town with canals instead of roads and boats instead of cars struck
me as too cozy to resist. From there, the rest of the elements of the series
took shape.
2. What are some of your favorite treats enjoyed in the book?
Like Becca’s lifelong friend, Sawyer McGuire, I’m a big fan of chocolate and peanut butter, so I’m partial to the peanut butter pretzel truffles sold at True Confections. Becca and her best friend, Dizzy, also enjoy bubble tea, which is a favorite treat of mine.
3. What is one of your favorite (non-spoilery) scenes from Six Sweets Under?
One of my favorite
scenes to write was the one where Becca is chatting with Sawyer while he’s
lounging in the sun. I had that scene in my head before I even started writing
the book and I feel like it really showcases the ease of their friendship as
well as the undercurrent of the new dynamic to their relationship.
4. What are the top five books on your TBR list?
Three Shots to the
Wind
by Sherry Harris, A Book Club to Die For by Dorothy St. James, Akata
Woman by Nnedi Okorafor, Goodbye Cruller World by Ginger Bolton, and
Haunting the Deep by Adriana Mather.
5. If you had to write in a different genre, what would it be and why?
I would choose
either thrillers or romcoms. I love the suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat ride of
thrillers. Romcoms are about as different from thrillers as you can get, but I
usually have some romance in my mysteries and I think it would be a lot of fun
to write a romcom.
6. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Keep writing, keep
reading, and don’t give up. There’s a lot of waiting involved when trying to
find an agent or publisher so it’s a good idea to use that time to keep
improving and to come up with another book in case things don’t work out with
your current project.
7. Where is your favorite place to read?
On the couch, preferably with a cat on my lap and my dog curled up next to me.
8. Do you prefer writing in the morning, day, or at night?
Morning is my
favorite time to write, as I seem to be most productive then, but on days when
I have day job work I have to write in the afternoons instead.
9. What is your favorite way to practice self-care?
Reading and spending time with my dog and my cats. I also find watercolor painting helpful for relaxing and easing stress.
10. What can readers expect from you next?
The second True Confections Mystery, Baking Spirits Bright, will
be released in October 2023. Aside from that, I’m currently working on a couple
of proposals for brand-new projects, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for
those!
Sarah Fox, writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel.
Thanks, Lisa. I love the cover.
ReplyDeleteSunday blessings, to you.
Pat T