April Claus sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we, the readers, can get to know her better. April, take it away!

What is your full name?
April Claus

How old are you?
35 years old.

What is your profession?
Innkeeper of the Coast Inn in Cloudberry Bay, Oregon, in the summer months, Mrs. Claus the rest of the year.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes, I’m married.

What is their name and profession?
Nick Claus, aka Santa Claus. I guess you could say he’s in the delivery business.

Do you have any children?
No.

Do you have any siblings?
None of my own, but I’m surrounded by my Claus in-laws, including my reindeer fanatic sister-in-law, Lucia.

Are your parents nearby?
Both my parents have passed away.

Who is your best friend?
Can I have two best friends? My best friend in Santaland is an elf who’s Christmastown’s librarian, Juniper. Back in Cloudberry Bay, my bestie is Claire, who runs the town’s ice cream parlor.

Do you have any pets?
I have no pets of my own, but I live in Castle Kringle with a misfit reindeer named Quasar, and Lynxie, an elusive, half-wild hellcat.

What town do you live in?
I live in Kringle Heights, which is a short sleigh ride up Sugarplum Mountain from Christmastown.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Christmastown is a big city by Santaland standards, but it has small-town charm.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
We live in a castle that’s been in the Claus family for several centuries.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
My favorite spot is my spacious bedroom, which has a massive sleigh bed and white Christmas lights strung across the ceiling. It’s always toasty warm.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Is tea a meal? I love a cream tea, and one of my in-laws just opened a teahouse in Christmastown. (Best scones in all of Santaland!) My favorite dessert is whatever dessert is in front of me. The only thing sweet I don’t like is eggnog, which in Santaland is heresy.

Do you have any hobbies?
I play percussion in the Santaland Concert Band, and I’m in charge of scheduling musical and other performing acts during the Christmas season.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I love to go back to my inn in Cloudberry Bay on the Oregon coast to recharge my batteries during the summer. It’s a working vacation for me, but I love it there.

What music do you listen to?
In Christmastown we play, listen to, and sing Christmas music all year long. This year, however, we’re celebrating Halloween for the first time, and the elves have discovered “The Monster Mash.” The North Pole may never be the same!

Do you have a favorite book?
I enjoy a good mystery-thriller, and I just gave a copy of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley to the Christmastown library.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
I love a cozy movie night with Nick in the privacy of our room, after the rest of the castle has gone to sleep.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Love in a Very Cold Climate.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I am strictly amateur, but I have a lot of help: Jake Frost, a private detective; Constable Crinkles and his deputy, Ollie; and my tag team of sleuth friends, especially Jingles, the castle steward, and my friend Juniper.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I begin my day with the castle steward, Jingles, bringing me coffee. Throughout the day, I have many volunteer activities, the running of the castle to oversee, and cultural events to attend. Evenings in the castle are generally restful, when Nick and I finally get some private time.

What is a typical day when you are on a case?
The routine never ends in Santaland, so I’m usually doing all the usual activities on my schedule, plus rushing around to interview various elves, people, and even a snowman or reindeer to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Mrs. Claus and the Halloween Homicide, A Mrs. Claus Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: September 2021
Purchase Link

April Claus knows being married to the real Santa makes every day feel like Christmas. But when a different holiday arrives at the North Pole, so does murder. . .

For the first time ever, Christmastown is celebrating a strange new tradition—Halloween. But not everyone is willing to watch their dependable winter wonderland get overrun by carved pumpkins and costume parties. As a series of scary happenings hit Santaland, each one more intense than the last, April realizes having a role in the festivities could cost her family, friends—even her own life.

April isn’t the only unlucky target. Outspoken elf Tiny Sparkletoe is found dead in the snow outside his cottage, crushed in the middle of what appears to be a monstrous footprint. With mayhem descending like reindeer on rooftops, April must stop the Halloween killer before the fate of Mrs. Claus becomes another creepy tale to tell in the dark. . .

About the author
Liz Ireland, author of the Mrs. Claus mystery series, grew up in Texas, where she enjoyed a childhood of green Christmases. She also writes historical mysteries under the pen name Liz Freeland and women’s fiction as Elizabeth Bass. She’s a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. Liz currently lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

All comments are welcomed.