A Day in the Life with Cookie Rios by Bailey Cates

Jul 18, 2015 | A Day In My Life

Magic and MacaroonsHi! My name is Cookie Rios. I’m the youngest member of Katie Lightfoot’s spellbook club – which is what we call our coven. There are six of us, including Katie and her aunt Lucy, and I’m the youngest. Katie’s only about four years older than I am, though, and pushing the big three-oh hard. Ha!

When I was asked about a day in my life, I kind of laughed. Most of the time it’s not very exciting at all. Lately, however. . .

First off, I wake up next to my new husband, Oscar Sanchez. We met in Europe when I was working for the artist Brandon Syke’s manager. Okay, I was dating Brandon, too, but that didn’t last. My relationships never lasted more than three or four months, and neither do my jobs. I guess I got bored. But all that changed when I met Oscar. We fell head over heels for each other, and I came back to Savannah with a big, shiny ring on my finger. We bought a condo, and I’m redecorating it in my spare time.

Not that I have a lot of that. These days I’m working at Quartermaine Realty. They deal primarily in commercial properties. Oscar opened the door for the job, since he works for a lab that tests for environmental toxins, like black mold, in commercial establishments. I like the job – something new every day, new people to meet, and I’m not stuck inside all the time. Even better, I don’t have to get up at four o’clock in the morning like I had to when I worked at the Honeybee Bakery with Katie and her aunt and uncle. Ugh.

Of course, married life takes some getting used to, especially if you’re used to a string of short love affairs like I am. But Oscar and I were working out the kinks. In fact, I would have said that everything was going along very smoothly — until a woman stumbled into the Honeybee during one of our spellbook club meetings and collapsed. But first she muttered something about Savannah voodoo queens and a missing gris gris. Sure enough, Katie wanted me to get involved.

See, I’m from Haiti, and my father was a voodoo priest, or houngan. He died when I was a child, and another voodoo priest was to blame. The rest of my family moved to the United States when I was nine years old, and we stopped practicing voodoo altogether. Still, I have that in my background, and Katie knew it. She’s my sister witch, and even though I resisted, I had to help if I could. Luckily, I knew “gris gris” was a kind of talisman, and I still had a connection to the Savannah voodoo scene to help us get started.

In the process, I was able to revisit some of the practices and beliefs from my childhood, reconnect with my father in some ways, and teach Katie a thing or two about something she, like a lot of people, thought was only black magic. I tried to explain that, like any magic, voodoo can be dark or light. However, it’s also purple and green and red and a thousand other colors. The spellbook club members talk about magic as if it can only fall on some continuum between white and black, but magic is wider and deeper — and richer — than that.

You can read more about Cookie in Magic and Macaroons, the fifth book in the “Magical Bakery” mystery series, published by Obsidian. The first book in the series is Brownies and Broomsticks.

GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 12 a.m. eastern on July 24 for the chance to win a print copy of Magic and Macaroons. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected.

About the author
New York Times bestselling author Bailey Cates believes magic is all around us if we only look for it. She studied philosophy, English and history and has held a variety of positions ranging from driver’s license examiner to soap maker. She traveled the world as a program manager for Microsoft, but now sticks close to home where she writes, gardens, bakes, and plays the occasional round of golf. She writes the upcoming Enchanted Garden Mysteries as Bailey Cattrell, and the Home Crafting Mysteries as Cricket McRae. For more information about all her books, visit www.cricketmcrae.com.

66 Comments

  1. candace knight
    candace knight on July 18, 2015 at 1:13 am

    I love this series. I can’t wait to read this one. The cover is so cute.

  2. Barbara Hackel
    Barbara Hackel on July 18, 2015 at 1:46 am

    This sounds like it will be another interesting magical experience! I am glad Cookie’s back-she is a fascinating character.Thanks Dru and Bailey for sharing this new book with us and the opportunity to win a copy. 🙂

  3. Kari
    Kari on July 18, 2015 at 2:51 am

    One of my favorite series. Happy to see a new one

  4. Jen
    Jen on July 18, 2015 at 3:52 am

    I am a fan of this series, and I am looking forward to reading this book. Thank you for the giveaway.
    myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com

  5. Lisa Wine
    Lisa Wine on July 18, 2015 at 5:06 am

    I love this series and looking forward to Magic and Macaroons, Thanks for the chance to win.

  6. Linda Kuzminczuk
    Linda Kuzminczuk on July 18, 2015 at 6:00 am

    I love mysteries with a touch of magic and this series is one of my favorites. Thanks for the giveaway.

  7. Lesley Floyd
    Lesley Floyd on July 18, 2015 at 6:04 am

    Love this series!!!

  8. Taryn Lee
    Taryn Lee on July 18, 2015 at 6:16 am

    Love this series!!! Keep them coming, they are both fun and magical!!!

  9. Gram
    Gram on July 18, 2015 at 6:33 am

    I’m sure the first in the series is on my t-b-r list…I’ll never read that list all the way through…

  10. cyn209
    cyn209 on July 18, 2015 at 6:58 am

    I LOVE this series!!!!
    Thank you for the giveaway…..

  11. Lisa Brown
    Lisa Brown on July 18, 2015 at 7:18 am

    love cozy with sweets themes; thanks for the chance 🙂

  12. Peggy Rancilio
    Peggy Rancilio on July 18, 2015 at 7:42 am

    This is a great series and I am looking forward to reading the next installment.

  13. griperang
    griperang on July 18, 2015 at 7:48 am

    I have been enjoying this series. Thank you for the to win

  14. Debbie Carnes
    Debbie Carnes on July 18, 2015 at 7:49 am

    Love this series and can’t wait to read this

  15. Peggy
    Peggy on July 18, 2015 at 7:53 am

    This is a new author for me. I love mysteries with a touch of magic and would love to read this book. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this giveaway.

  16. Sheila K.
    Sheila K. on July 18, 2015 at 8:12 am

    Sounds like a fun read—thanks for the chance to win a copy!

  17. Judy Weaver
    Judy Weaver on July 18, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Oh my goodness. The more Cookie kept talking about herself the more I want to read this book!! Thanks for the chance!!

  18. Anne
    Anne on July 18, 2015 at 9:52 am

    Wonderful series and great giveaway. Thanks.

  19. Kiki
    Kiki on July 18, 2015 at 9:56 am

    Wow, looks like great cozy mystery. Love the book cover.

    xzjh04@ Gmail.com

  20. Vickie williams
    Vickie williams on July 18, 2015 at 10:10 am

    A new series to read!

  21. Barbara Landrum
    Barbara Landrum on July 18, 2015 at 10:21 am

    This books looks like it would be fun to read.

  22. Pamela James
    Pamela James on July 18, 2015 at 10:34 am

    I am looking forward to reading this serious. The title and cover really does hold magic. Characters also sound like people I want to know.

  23. Bailey Cates
    Bailey Cates on July 18, 2015 at 11:03 am

    Thanks for letting Cookie drop by your Musings, Dru Ann! And good luck to everyone in the drawing! 🙂
    –Bailey

  24. elainehroberson
    elainehroberson on July 18, 2015 at 11:30 am

    Great! A new series to try. Thanks for the giveaway.

  25. Rita Wray
    Rita Wray on July 18, 2015 at 11:40 am

    Sounds like a great read.

  27. Hester Regan
    Hester Regan on July 18, 2015 at 11:51 am

    Love the cover and cannot wait to see what is inside. Never met a cookie I didn’t like either.

  28. Rita Quante
    Rita Quante on July 18, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    Looking forward to a good read with this book! Thank you so much for a chance to win!

  30. Penny
    Penny on July 18, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    Love, love, love this series:) Thank you for the chance to win:) You ROCK Dru!

  31. Connie
    Connie on July 18, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    I love all books. Thanks for the chance to win. Sounds fun.

  32. Robin L. Coxon
    Robin L. Coxon on July 18, 2015 at 1:23 pm

    I’ve read other books by Bailey Cates and enjoyed them. If this one is as fun as the cover portrays it will be a great read. robeader53@yahoo.com

  33. Libby Dodd
    Libby Dodd on July 18, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Enticing. I’d like to see where the story goes.

  34. Barbara Hawk
    Barbara Hawk on July 18, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    Oh, how did I not know about this series? I am going to check it out right now. Thanks for the opportunity!

  35. Doward Wilson
    Doward Wilson on July 18, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    This is a great series and my library doesn’t have it yet. Thanks for the chance to win.

  36. bigreadersite
    bigreadersite on July 18, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    Looks fantastic. Love a chance to win.
    Thereadmaster(at)me(dot)com

  37. Dotty Kelley
    Dotty Kelley on July 18, 2015 at 5:38 pm

    Love this series. Can’t wait to read this one.

  38. Sharleen
    Sharleen on July 18, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    Sounds delicious

  39. Cheryl Corbitt
    Cheryl Corbitt on July 18, 2015 at 6:05 pm

    Hmmmmm. Sounds intriguing!

  40. Les Jensen
    Les Jensen on July 18, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    Looks like a fun series!

  41. Rhonda
    Rhonda on July 18, 2015 at 8:02 pm

    Looks like my type of series.

  42. Kaye Killgore
    Kaye Killgore on July 18, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    I love this series

  43. Sharon F
    Sharon F on July 18, 2015 at 10:10 pm

    This is such a fun series – would love to win!

  44. Carving Lady
    Carving Lady on July 18, 2015 at 10:30 pm

    Sounds like a good book. Thanks Dru.

  45. noraadrienne
    noraadrienne on July 19, 2015 at 12:06 am

    I love this series and would be utterly THRILLED if the random generator picked me.

  46. Wanda downs
    Wanda downs on July 19, 2015 at 12:08 am

    Looks like a good read

  47. Celest Mattis
    Celest Mattis on July 19, 2015 at 12:34 am

    This book sounds like an amazing mystery. I would love to read it. Thanks for the opportunity to win it.

  48. Helen Jo
    Helen Jo on July 19, 2015 at 2:06 am

    I read this whole series this summer! I can’t wait for a new one.

  49. Margo Sue
    Margo Sue on July 19, 2015 at 7:01 am

    The next volume in a fabulous series! Hurray!

  50. rochf
    rochf on July 20, 2015 at 12:02 pm

    I’m glad to see this installment in a great series. Can’t wait to read it.

  51. kayk597
    kayk597 on July 21, 2015 at 2:11 pm

    This sounds like such a great series that I just ordered book #1! I’ll wait to order the rest just in case I win this one. Thanks so much for the chance.

  52. Judy D.
    Judy D. on July 21, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    I could use a little magic in my life. Count me in. Judy D.

  53. Michelle Fidler
    Michelle Fidler on July 23, 2015 at 5:20 pm

    I have three of these books. I like magic, cats, and bakeries.

  54. Linda May
    Linda May on July 23, 2015 at 7:46 pm

    Would love to win Magic & Macaroons, it looks like a book I could get my teeth into. Thanks for this amazing chance, I appreciate it.

  55. Emily
    Emily on July 23, 2015 at 7:47 pm

    Pick me!

  57. Valeria M. Hoffman
    Valeria M. Hoffman on July 23, 2015 at 8:21 pm

    Ha! Another series to keep me company in my retirement. There are so many that it is hard to keep up. This one sounds like fun.

  58. cjreynolds52
    cjreynolds52 on July 23, 2015 at 8:42 pm

    I would love this book. Thanks

  59. Kathleen Costa
    Kathleen Costa on July 23, 2015 at 8:59 pm

    I loved Brownies and Broomsticks…I’d love to read more!

  60. randolph2468
    randolph2468 on July 23, 2015 at 9:13 pm

    Looks like a fun read! Thanks for the opportunity!

  61. ladyjanel
    ladyjanel on July 23, 2015 at 9:38 pm

    My 12 year old nephew is reading the series and he said it was wonderful. Now I need to read it. Thank you for the chance.

  63. Verna Gass
    Verna Gass on July 23, 2015 at 10:44 pm

    Wonderful series, wonderful giveaway! Would be wonderful to win!!

  64. Mary Jane H
    Mary Jane H on July 24, 2015 at 12:49 am

    Oooh voodoo!

  65. Marilyn Watson
    Marilyn Watson on July 24, 2015 at 3:46 am

    This sounds like a good series and I haven’t read in this one yet.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

  66. Dru
    Dru on July 24, 2015 at 4:59 am

    Contest is closed.