Bronwyn Crewse sits down for a Q&A with dru’s book musings responding to twenty or more questions so that we can learn more about her. Are you ready? Let’s get to know Bronwyn.

What is your full name?
Bronwyn Crewse, but nearly everyone calls me Win for short. And yes, I know my shorted name Win isn’t spelled the same way as my full name, Bronwyn. That’s because my big brother couldn’t spell it when he handmade me a birthday card for my first birthday. The misspelling just stuck.

How old are you?
Well, I started out twenty-eight when I was first introduced to the world, and I can’t recall anyone talking about me having a birthday, so I’d say I’m still that old.

What is your profession?
I am a (proud) ice cream maker. Also, the current manager of our family’s ice cream parlor. I am trained as an ad exec with an MBA, but I gave up that job in New York City to come back home to Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Do you have a significant other?
Who has time for that? !? I have a store to run and now, as you’ll see in A Game of Cones, a food truck to get up and running. Too busy for men!

What is their name and profession?
Well, if you insist that I have a significant other, Crewse Creamery, is the only love in my life. Started by my grandparents in 1965, he is quite a bit older than me, but no one is as sweet!

Do you have any children?
No. Not unless you count Felice. She’s the white Persian cat that hangs out in our store. Although, she’s more like a trusted friend rather than a child.

Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have three older brothers. James, Lew and Bobby. They are all medical professionals like my father.

Are your parents nearby?
Yes! We are a very close-knit family. We live close to each other and we work together, we’ll my mom works with me at the ice cream shop. My dad is a doctor and works at a local, world-renown hospital.

Who is your best friend?
Maisie Solomon (who now works with me) and Riya Amacarelli who is a doctor at the same hospital as my dad. We’ve been best friends since kindergarten.

Do you have any pets?
No. Even Felice (see question above about children) isn’t mine. She belongs to Rivkah Solomon who lives over the ice cream store.

What town do you live in?
I live in Chagrin Falls. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s located in Ohio and was the birthplace of comedian Tim Conway, Bill Watterson creator of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, and Lee Unkrich Academy award winning director of Toy Story 3. But the coolest thing about our village is that there is a waterfall right in the middle of downtown.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Small. Only about 4,000 residents.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I rent the second floor of a remodeled Victorian home.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Well, I don’t spend a lot of time there. I’m usually up and headed to the store by 5:30 am and it’s open until eleven. And in between running the store, I’m solving murders (hopefully there won’t be any more of those). So, I think my favorite room is my bedroom and my favorite spot is my bed. Because when I’m home, I need all the rest I can get.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Are you kidding? It’s ice cream, of course!

Do you have any hobbies?
No. But I should, now that you’ve asked. I will have to pick up one or two. Any suggestions?

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Oh my. I haven’t been on vacation in so long. I worked so hard on getting my MBA, then taking a grueling (but satisfying) job in New York, before taking over as manager to my family’s business that I just didn’t have the time. I hate to admit this, because it’s where my Aunt Jack lives now and she is a thorn in my side, but I love going to North Carolina. Who knows? Maybe I’ll take a rode trip there with my beasties one day soon. We all could use some sun and fun and a relief from murder!

What music do you listen to?
The same as my Grandma Kay. Soul. Blues. People like Brook Benson. Dinah Washington and Ray Charles. As a matter of fact, that’s all on the red, shiny jukebox inside of our store.

Do you have a favorite book?
There is this one series by Abby Collette that I am quite fond of.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Family Chef Night with my family. We all get together, one family member is designated as the chef for the night and the rest of us are their sous chefs. We cook, we eat and we laugh—all together. Nothing gets better than that.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Family First

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I am neither. But Maisie, my best friend who loves all the television amateur sleuth shows, pushes me to investigate. And with that in mind, we are definitely amateurs.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I’m up before five on days that I have to make ice cream, and with the way sales are going, that’s practically every day. I always walk to the ice cream shop, but each money I make a stop at my parents’ home to see my grandfather. He lives in their in-law suite. We drink coffee and I watch while he eat his scrambled eggs. Once I get to the shop, I start making ice cream. We use locally sourced, fresh ingredients in all of our frozen treats. And when there isn’t a murder in our little village, I spend the rest of the day selling ice cream and trying to market our shop so that it will be a big hit all over Ohio, and not just in Chagrin Falls. And maybe all over the world.

A Game of Cones, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: March 2021
Purchase Link

Bronwyn Crewse is delighted that Crewse Creamery, the ice cream shop her family has owned for decades, is restored to its former glory and serving sweet frozen treats to happy customers in the picturesque small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. But when a big city developer comes to town intent on building a mall, a killer with a frozen heart takes him out.

After literally stumbling across the body, one of Win’s closest friends becomes the prime suspect, and to make things worse, Win’s aunt has come to town with the intention of taking command of Crewse Creamery. Even though Win has a rocky road ahead to help her friend and keep her ice cream shop, it’ll take more than a sprinkle of murder to stop her from solving the crime and saving the day.

About the author
Abby L. Vandiver, also writing as Abby Collette, is a hybrid author who has penned more than twenty-five books and short stories. She has hit both the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller list. Books one and two, A Deadly Inside Scoop and A Game of Cones, from her latest cozy series, An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery, published by Penguin Berkley, is out now.

All comments are welcomed.