Charlotte Reed 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 Charlotte.

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What is your full name?
Charlotte Stevenson Reed

How old are you?
I’m 43.

What is your profession?
I had a long career as an English teacher in a public high school, but I gave that up when I moved to Beaufort, NC to take over my late great-aunt Isabella’s bed and breakfast, Chapters.

Do you have a significant other?
Not at the moment. My beloved husband, Brent, died four years ago, saving a classroom of children from a tornado. I’ve only recently given any thought to meeting anyone new and honestly, I’m not actively looking.

What is their name and profession?
Brent was an assistant principal at a middle school.

Do you have any children?
No. Brent and I were planning to adopt, but his death changed those plans.

Do you have any siblings?
I have two sisters. My older sister, Sophie and her husband and three children live in California. My younger sister, Melinda, is a costume designer who lives with her wife and their new baby in New York City.

Are your parents nearby?
My parents live outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, so they aren’t exactly nearby, but we can visit on long weekends and vacations.

Who is your best friend?
In Beaufort, my best friend is Julie Rivera, who runs the local independent bookstore, Bookwaves.

Do you have any pets?
No, mainly because I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have pets at a B&B. So many guests have allergies, for one thing. My next-door neighbor and friend, Ellen Montgomery, does have an adorable Yorkshire terrier named Shandy, so I do get to have some doggie interactions.

What town do you live in?
Beaufort, North Carolina.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Beaufort is a small, quaint, and very historic coastal town.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I live at Chapters, my B&B. It is a historic building – the main part of the house was built in the 18th century. I own Chapters, having inherited it from my late great-aunt, Isabella Harrington.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
I have several, including Isabella’s extensive private library, the lovely renovated kitchen, and the garden.

Favorite meal and dessert?
I love most types of fish and shellfish, along with fresh vegetables. Extra points if the entire meal is grilled outside!

I love ice-cream. My favorite flavors are chocolate-almond-fudge and peach.

Do you have any hobbies?
I like to sing, and have performed with several choral groups and choirs in the past. Right now, I’m so busy managing Chapters that I don’t have time to join a choral group.

I guess I would also say reading, which of course I continue to do, and gardening, which is useful since I enjoy maintaining the garden at Chapters.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Brent and I visited St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands once, and it was truly magical. I would love to go back there someday.

What music do you listen to?
A little bit of everything, actually. I enjoy classical music, but I also like some jazz, rock, and pop. I guess my least favorite genre is country, but I still enjoy some folk-oriented country music.

Do you have a favorite book?
No, because I love far too many to list only one! In terms of genres, I’m partial to the classics, literary fiction, and mysteries.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Traveling to new locations, whether in the U.S. or overseas, and really getting a chance to experience the history, art, and culture of each place.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Life in Two Acts

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m definitely an amateur, and I work with my neighbor, Ellen Montgomery, who’s also an amateur but has a background that definitely helps with our sleuthing! I also have a good relationship with one of the local detectives, Amber Johnson.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
Usually, it involves helping my cook and housekeeper, Alicia, prepare and serve breakfast to our guests, buying groceries, cleaning, gardening, and helping the guests with their sightseeing plans. Chapters also offers special, literary-themed weeks or weekends, where we celebrate specific authors, books, or genres. When we are hosting those weeks, I have to organize and oversee the special events, like costume parties, book discussions, author visits, and so on. We often host theme-related dinner parties or cocktail parties too. For those, I hire in Damian, an excellent local freelance chef.

What is a typical day when you are on a case?
Pretty much the same, since I still need to make sure Chapters is running efficiently and our guests are comfortable. However, when confronted with a murder that affects my guests my friends, or others in the community, I do try to sneak away from my duties more often to carry out some private investigations. Ellen and I try not to get in the way of local law enforcement, but sometimes we do question people we feel might be possible suspects, follow leads to other, nearby locations, and conduct research at the local library or other venues that offer sources of valuable information. We’ve even directly helped Detective Johnson, at her request, from time to time.

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Reserved For Murder, A Book Lover’s B&B Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: June 2021
Purchase Link

Meeting your favorite author in the flesh can be the chance of a lifetime. But for one unlucky fan, her plum place in line at a book signing will lead to her untimely demise.

Beaufort, North Carolina, is home to Chapters Bed and Breakfast, owned and operated by former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed. This historic 18th-century inn draws in voracious readers from far and wide with its lovingly curated special events celebrating a host of genres and authors.

On this sunny July weekend, a visit by one of the biggest names in romantic fantasy attracts throngs of admirers to the quaint coastal village. That’s not ideal, as the author retreated to Chapters to get away from it all for a while. No matter–she’ll appease her fans with a “Tea and Talk” meet-and-greet at the B&B celebrating her bestselling series (starring a devilishly dashing, time-traveling pirate), follow that up with a quick book signing at Bookwaves, the hip indie bookstore across town, and spend the remainder of the weekend in delightful repose.

But when the president of the reclusive writer’s fan club is found dead in the harbor by the Beaufort docks–done in by a blunt-force blow to the head–it’s up to Charlotte Reed, her neighbor Ellen, and Ellen’s trusty Yorkshire terrier to sniff out the killer. Because if they can’t, a spectacularly successful book series–and its author–may come to a sudden, lethal conclusion.

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About the author
Raised in a historic small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Victoria Gilbert turned her early obsession with books into a dual career as an author and librarian.

Victoria writes the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, the Book Lover’s B&B series, and the forthcoming (2023) Hunter& Clewe traditional mystery series for Crooked Lane Books. A member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, Victoria is represented by Frances Black at Literary Counsel

Website for more info on her books and links to all her social media accounts at victoriagilbertmysteries.com.

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Victoria has generously offered to give away one signed copy of Reserved For Murder. To enter, please leave a comment below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends June 16, 2021. Good luck everyone!

All comments are welcomed.