Let me tell you what happened earlier today.
I took a deep breath, tightened my ponytail, and got out of my yellow Volkswagen Beetle. I knew from experience that the morning rush at Lou’s Joint had passed and that the lunch crowd wouldn’t be there yet. I put my letter of resignation in my purse and headed inside. Homer Pickens was seated at the counter with a cup of coffee. He was a regular . . . and when I say regular, I mean it. The man came to the café every morning at ten o’clock, lingered over a sausage biscuit and a cup of coffee, and left at ten forty. It was ten fifteen a.m.
“Good morning, Homer,” I said. “Who’s your hero today?”
“Shel Silverstein,” he said.
“Good choice.” I smiled and patted his shoulder. Homer was a retiree in his late sixties, and he chose a new hero every day.
You see, when Homer was a little boy, he noticed his daddy wasn’t around like other kids’ daddies. So he asked his mom about him. She told him that his dad had died but that he’d been a great baseball player, which is why she’d named him Homer. When Homer was a teenager, she’d finally leveled with him and said his father hadn’t been a baseball player . . . that he’d basically been a bum . . . but that Homer didn’t need a father to inspire him. Heroes were everywhere. Since then, Homer had chosen a new hero every day. It was like his inspiration. I looked forward to hearing Homer’s answer to my question every day I worked. When I was off from work, he told me who his hero was the day I asked plus the day I’d missed.
I could sympathize with Homer’s desire for a heroic father figure. My dad left Mom and me when I was four. I don’t really remember him at all.
My cousin Jackie came from the back with a washcloth and a spray bottle of cleaner. She and I had waitressed together at the café for over a year. Jackie had been there for two years, and in fact, it was she who’d helped me get the job.
My mind drifted to when I’d come back home to work for Lou Lou. I’d just finished up culinary school in Kentucky. Nana’s health had been declining for the past two or three years, but it had picked up speed. As soon as I’d graduated, I’d come home and started working at Lou’s Joint so I could be at Nana’s house within ten minutes if I was needed. I was only biding my time at first, waiting for a chef’s position to come open somewhere. But, then, Nana had died. And, although I knew I could’ve asked her for a loan to open a café at any time, I wouldn’t have. I guess I got my streak of pride from my mother. But the money Nana had left me had made my dream a reality—I could open my café and stay right here at home.
But when I asked Lou Lou about buying the café, here’s what she said:
“If you think you can just waltz in here all high and mighty and take my daddy’s business away from me, you’ve got another thing coming,” said Lou Lou.
“If you don’t sell to me, I’m going to open up my own café. I just thought I should give you fair warning before I do.”
Lou Lou scoffed. “You’ve got some nerve thinking you can run me out of business. You bring on the competition, girlie! We’ll see who comes out ahead.”
“All right.” I stood. “Thank you for your time. I’ll be here tomorrow for my shift.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll mail you your final check.”
“I’ll be here,” I said. “I don’t want any of the other waitresses to have to work a double on my account.”
“Suit yourself. But don’t be surprised if I take the cost of putting an ad in the paper for a new waitress out of your salary.”
I simply turned and walked out of the office. I knew that legally Lou Lou couldn’t take her ad cost out of my pay. But Lou Lou did a lot of things that weren’t right. I figured whatever she did to me in retaliation for my leaving wasn’t worth putting up a fight over . . . not now. I’d pick my battles.
I’d also pick my wallpaper, my curtains, my flooring, my chairs, stools, and tables, my logo. I wasn’t about to be outdone. I would have my café whether Lou Lou Holman liked it or not.
The Calamity Café is the first book in the Down South Café mystery series, published by Berkley Prime Crime, June 2016.
First in a new cozy mystery series featuring Southern cooking that is to die for.
Aspiring chef and small-town Virginia native Amy Flowers is ready to open her own café offering old-fashioned Southern food. But her dream may go up in smoke when someone kills the competition. . .
Tired of waiting tables at Lou’s Joint, Amy Flowers doesn’t just quit—she offers to buy the place from her bully of a boss, so she can finally open the café of her dreams. Amy can’t wait to serve the kind of Southern, down-home treats and dishes that her grandmother always loved to the kooky cast of regulars at the restaurant. She knows her comfort food will be the talk of the sweet, small town of Winter Garden, Virginia.
At first Lou Lou refuses to sell, but when she seems ready to make a deal, she tells Amy to come see her. Showing up at the eatery ready to negotiate, Amy is shocked to find her former employer murdered. As the prime suspect, Amy will have to clear her name by serving up the real killer—and with Lou Lou’s stack of enemies, that’s a tall order.
Includes delicious Southern recipes!
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About the author
Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent, who also writes the national bestselling Embroidery Mystery series as Amanda Lee. She lives in Virginia with her family and is having a blast writing the Down South Café Mystery series.
Please visit Gayle Leeson online at www.gayleleeson.com and Gayle Trent and Amanda Lee (www.gayletrent.com).
GIVEAWAY: Leave comment below for your chance to win either a print (US entries only, please) or e-book (open to everyone) of The Calamity Café. The giveaway will end June 13, 2016 at 12 AM EST. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
I’d love to read this first book in a new series!
This sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds like a great new series.
Sounds like an interesting read! Thanks for the chance to win!
I’m looking forward to reading this new series. I love Southern cooking and a story featuring Southern favorites sounds like lots of fun.
This sounds like my kind of book! I will def be checking it out. Thanks for the great post 🙂
This looks like a great read. And, southern recipes, too! Sounds delicious!!
looking forward to reading this new to me series.
Sounds like another one I need to read!!!
Sounds good to me! I’m putting it on my t-b-r list.
I’m hooked to read this one! Thanks!
Sounds delightful. Can’t wait to read this one.
I am a fan of Amanda Lee’s embroidery series and so am excited to see a new series by the same author. I will definitely be reading this one as well. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!!!
Sounds like a great new series, I love to find new series to follow .Thanks for the chance.
Calamity Cafe sounds like perfect summer reading.
Looking forward to this new series!
This is a new author to me so would love to win her book.
What fun !!
Southern food cozier are always a treat!
This sounds like it will be a great series. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of The Calamity Café.
I’m throwing my hat in the pile for this first book in a new series. Right up my alley.
I’m throwing my hat into the pile. A first book in a new series. Right up my alley and I love Galye’s other series with all my heart. Amanda Lee is a wonderful author. LOL
I love the story about Southern foods and murder!
I have been waiting for this book and can’t wait to read it. Gayle always has such interesting characters. Thanks Dru for featuring The Calamity Café today. Thanks Gayle for the generous opportunity to win a copy! 🙂
I know this will be a great book from one of my favorite authors.
I would love to win a print copy. It sounds like a book I would really enjoy.
I love the sound of the book.
Sure fire hit! Sounds interesting, quirky characters, written by a well known author- another great cozy to read. Looking forward to reading an enjoyable brand new mystery series.
I’d love to win a print copy of this book. It sounds really good! Thank you
This cozy sounds intriguing and wonderful. Thanks for a print copy.
This sounds like a great new series, thank you for the chance to win a copy of the first book.
wfnren at aol dot com
Sounds interesting. Adding this one to my TBR list.
Thank you for including this book on your blog. It sounds like a creative plot and therefore an interesting read. robeader53@yahoo.com
1st in series and a cooking mystery, how neat is that, would love to win, sounds like a great new series
Congrats on a new series….love this author!! Thanks for the chance!
I’ve heard and read many wonderful things about this book and would love to win a copy! Thanks Dru and Gayle!
Thank you all! You guys ROCK! 😀
Southern cooking is awesome!
Is this a case of “be careful what you wish for”?
Sounds like a great new series! Love that Amy drives a Volkswagen Beetle! One of my family cars as a child was a 1970s blue Super Beetle (the other being an orange Volkswagen Vanagon!).Thanks for the chance to win!
This book sounds like a fun read.
Can’t wait to read.
Oh how adorable the cover on this book is……I would just love to go in there and sit down and order something…..love the cute kitty and doggie there too! This really sounds like a super duper exciting new series! Really looking forward to reading it!!! Thanks so much dearest Dru and Gayle for the chance to win! God bless you both!!!! You are both so awesome and totally ROCK!!!!!
I would Love to win a copy of this book! It really looks good! Thanks for the chance! lindaherold999@gmail.com
This looks like a fun new series.
Sounds fun – thanks for the introduction.
I love Amanda Lee books, so this one should be good as well..thanks for this chance
A favorite author with a new series – Yea! I’d like to enter for a print copy. Thanks.
Have not had the pleasure of reading this author. Would love to start with this one. It does look most intriguing. So hoping for sooner, rather than later
I would love to try this new series!
This is new to me it sounds very good, I’m looking forward to reading it, great blog, thanks
Penney
I know I will love this series!!!
Thank you for the giveaway…..
Love the storyline ! Who doesn’t love Southern food with a mystery to boot , not me ( I love them lol ) ! Thank you for a chance to win a great sounding hand held book 💟
Sounds like a good new series.
Upon reading about the book “Calamity Cafe” I first thought of delicious Southern cooking. My next thoughts were not about the idea of the cafe but about Homer and and his heroes. I wondered who my hero/heroine of the day would be.