“Coffee.”
My life seems to revolve around it.
That’s what greets me every morning. When I come down to my store — Southern Treasures Gift Shop — from my apartment overhead, I carry my second, or sometimes third, cup of coffee because I need my caffeine.
And every morning Bluebeard begs for coffee. I have to tell him, every day, that parrots don’t drink coffee. It’s dangerous for them. But it doesn’t stop him from asking. Thing is, I don’t really think it’s Bluebeard asking. Because lately I’ve been forced to admit I’m sharing my home with more than a parrot.
I have a ghost.
My great uncle Louis left me Southern Treasures, but I don’t think he ever really left. I think Uncle Louis is still hanging around, talking to me, messing with stuff in the shop, and generally causing trouble. Part of it is his vocabulary, which is sometimes quite, um, colorful. And part of it is that he flirts with the pretty girls; Bluebeard has an impressive wolf whistle.
Coffee is part of another morning ritual. About a year ago Jake Robinson bought Beach Books, across the main drag of Keyhole Bay from Southern Treasures. Jake is a bit of an attraction; tall, dark hair, and really smart (hey, he owns a book store, doesn’t he?). Now, when we have a lull in customers, Jake and I meet at Lighthouse Coffee next door to me for lattes and scones. I’ve discovered Jake is a check-grabber, but I know there is a lot more I don’t know about him.
Thing is, Bluebeard — well, Uncle Louis — thinks he needs to interfere where Jake is concerned. He always has to make some comment, every time I have coffee with Jake. And when he says “Pretty boy,” you can bet he’s not talking about himself.
There’s a lot I don’t know about Uncle Louis, too. He died when I was only ten, and my memories of him are jumbled. He seemed really old to me, but now I realize he was only in his sixties. I thought he was quite exotic; he served in Europe and the South Pacific during WWII. He was a single man in a small town where family was everything. Now I realize how little I know about him. Just like Jake.
Actually, Uncle Louis left me fifty-five percent of Southern Treasures. He left the other forty-five percent to my cousin Peter. Peter lives in Montgomery, and just because he has a Master’s degree, he thinks he knows everything. His degree is in Engineering, but that doesn’t stop him from sharing his wisdom about how to run Southern Treasures. Recently he tried to convince me to add a coffee bar, even though the best coffee shop in town is right next door. Believe me, I know where to get my coffee, and I know how to run my business.
My BFF, Karen Freed, can be counted on to know all the best drive-thru coffee in the county, since her job as a reporter for the local radio station takes her everywhere. She’s always glad to introduce me to a new spot, and to help me out in whatever adventure comes our way.
See, my life really does revolve around coffee. But it also revolves around mystery.
Bluebeard got me involved with the mystery surrounding the death of local star quarterback Kevin Stanley. And somehow I have a hunch Bluebeard and Uncle Louis will see to it that I get involved in more mysteries in the future.
But there are other mysteries in my life, and I want to solve them, too. Uncle Louis and Jake are just the beginning. There’s the SouthernTreasuresShop.com website that needs a lot of work, and the mystery of what to do about Peter, oh, and just exactly what is my relationship with Jake.
Every day I face the mysteries in my life, and try to unravel them. It’s what keep me going.
That, and a big dose of coffee.
You can read more about Gloryanna in MURDER BUYS A T-SHIRT, the first book in the new “Haunted Souvenir” mystery series.
** Thanks to the publisher, I have one (1) copy of MURDER BUYS A T-SHIRT to give away. Contest open to residents of the US only. Contest ends March 10. Leave a valid-email address with your comment. The book will be shipped directly from the publisher. **
Meet the author
Christy Evans and Christy Fifield are the mystery-writing alter egos of romance and sci-fi novelist Christina F. York. Together they live with national best-selling novelist, and husband, J. Steven York, within the sound of the surf that pounds the scenic Central Oregon Coast.
Evans is the Berkley Prime Crime author of the popular Lady Plumber Mystery series (SINK TRAP, LEAD PIPE CINCH, DRIP DEAD), and Fifield is writing the Haunted Gift Shop series for Berkley, which debuts with MURDER BUYS A T-SHIRT. York has published sweet romance (DREAM HOUSE) and has several romance novels out from indie publisher Tsunami Ridge (www.TsunamiRidge.com).
Christy can be found at www.ChristyMystery.com, or www.YorkWriters.com. You can follow her on Twitter as christymystery or as christinafyork.
Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
Bluebeard the parrot – how cute! I love trying new cozy authors (although I will say my TBR pile is getting scary!). Can’t wait.
This sounds like a good read.
idlivru1(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m reading this post as I’m drinking my first cup of coffee and laughing about Gloryanna’s coffee addiction. The parrot possessed by a ghost sounds like a hoot too!
Love the story line.. for a start she needs to work out a deal to slowly buy cousin know it all out. Uncle Louis must have known, even before he died that Peter would be a royal pain. LOL
I’d love to win a copy of this book. I sounds like this series is going to be a real winner.
NoraAdrienne(at)gmail(dot)com
My copy arrived late yesterday afternoon. Yeah. Enjoying a cup of coffee while reading your post.
My cockatiels also don;t understand why they can’t have coffee!. I have ever read anything by this author before. Would love to win.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
go, chris! i can hear your voice reading the words… 🙂
Bluebeard the parrot – love that! Sounds like a great cast of characters that will make a great read.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
Love the Lady Plummer series. Can’t wait to try this one!
Just got this book on tues. I can’t wait to read it!!!!!
bought it for my kindle and am reading it now. Really enjoying it.
very interested in this book. it sounds like a great one!
thanks for the chance to read this story 🙂
Great interview–I think I want to meet Bluebeard—errr, I mean Uncle Louis.
Thanks for the giveaway.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Thanks to everyone for stopping by! Since I’m on the West Coast, it means the coffee kicks in a lot later, but I’m glad to see you all coming to visit. And special thanks to Dru for setting this up.
Anyone have questions? I have to say, I’m learing a LOT about parrots writing these books 🙂
I agree with everyone, it sounds like interesting storyline & characters. I look forward to reading this series as it sounds like a fun approach to a cozy mystery. I didn’t realize this is the same author that writes the Lady Plumber Mystery series. I have those on my TBR pile. Thanks for the interview & giveaway 🙂
scouts579(at)aol(dot)com
I would love to win a copy of your book, Hope I am lucky!!
Chris, Looks like another great mystery series!
Thanks for the giverway. Love it when I find a new author.
xzjh04(at)gmail(dot)com
With a talking parrot, a ghost, t-shirts and lots of coffee, this will be a good read!
I’m reading this now and I’m loving it.
another new series to add to my WishList!!
thank you for this giveaway!!
cyn209 at juno dot com
Wow this sounds so good. Can’t wait to read it.
thanks for the all your giveaways
kayswederski@yahoo.com
Thanks again to all of you for stopping by, and for the kind words about the new series. Dru has been an amazing supporter of mystery writers, and we owe her a huge THANK YOU for all she does for us!
Thanks Chris
This one is on my wish list so I hope to be lucky enough to win one 🙂
akabookwormprincess at gmail dot com
This sounds like a great book, especially with BlueBeard and a ghost. Can’t get much better than that.