Sometimes the best way to know a person is by asking questions, so let’s meet Jules.

What is your name?
Juliet Montague Capshaw, but please call me Jules.

How old are you?
As my very dramatic friend Lance would say, “A lady never reveals her true age.” I’m in my thirties.

What is your profession?
I’m an artisan baker. In my humble opinion it’s the best job on the planet. I get to express my love and art in the form of delectable pastries.

Do you have a significant other?
Oh, that’s a complicated question. Technically, I’m married but my husband is out to sea.

What is his name?
Carlos.

What is his profession?
Carlos is a chef for a romantic, boutique cruise ship The Amour of the Seas.

Any children?
No.

Do you have any sibling(s)?
No.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
I wish. My vagabond lifestyle of sailing from port to port didn’t allow me to settle down. Now, that I’ve found my roots in Ashland maybe it’s time for me to find a furry friend.

What town do you live in?
Ashland, Oregon.

House or building complex?
An apartment above Elevation an outdoor store right in the heart of Ashland’s bustling plaza.

Do you rent or own?
Rent. When I returned home to Ashland I rented a tiny apartment on the plaza, just a few blocks from Torte. I’m starting to feel like I might be ready for something more permanent.

What is your favorite spot in your house?
The kitchen, of course!

Who is your best friend?
My mom, Helen Capshaw. She’s been my steadfast supporter and biggest cheerleader my entire life.

Amateur sleuth or professional?
Amateur for sure. Although never underestimate the power of pastry. A box of delicious sweets can certainly get suspects talking.

Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
I’m fortunate enough to have two very dear friends in law enforcement. My mom’s new husband, The Professor, who is Ashland’s lead detective and resident Shakespeare buff, and my longtime friend, Thomas, who is in training to take over the Professor’s position. Lance, the artistic director for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, always seems to find a way to work himself into the mix as well—usually he just ends up getting us both in trouble.

Favorite meal?
Breakfast. I love my morning ritual of savoring a rich cup of coffee while kneading bread dough.

Favorite dessert?
That would be like asking me to pick a favorite child. My top five would include: a layered berry trifle, double chocolate cake with mocha buttercream, peach pie, raspberry tarts, and almond shortbread.

Favorite hobby?
Long hikes through Ashland’s forested Lithia Park.

Favorite vacation spot?
I spent a decade traversing the ocean, seeing ports of call in Italy, Greece, and the Caribbean, and one thing that I know for sure is that there’s no place like home. Ashland and the surrounding Rogue Valley is picturesque and filled with abundant opportunities for adventure.

Favorite color?
Aqua.

Favorite author?
Shakespeare.

Favorite sports team?
The Southern Oregon University Raiders. I have to support our local team and cheer on some of my hardworking staff who are students at SOU.

Movies or Broadway?
Broadway, without a doubt. Ashland is home to world-class theater. There’s nothing that compares to seeing a live performance on the stage.

Are you a morning or a night person?
I keep baker’s hours which means that I rise (along with my bread) long before the sun.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
My day always starts with coffee, preferably a pot of French press. Once I’ve had a cup or two I walk to Torte, our family bakeshop. I love the quiet, dark hours in the morning before the team arrives when it’s just me and the ambrosial scent of sweet bread dough baking in the wood-fired oven. There’s something so sensory and calming about having my hands coated in flour and pressing crusts into pie tins. The kitchen vibe shifts once my staff arrives. There’s a new energy that takes over with the sound of the humming espresso machine and cranking out dozens upon dozens of cookies, cupcakes, and croissants. The real fun begins when we open the doors to our customers. It’s a joy to welcome locals and tourists into our cozy bakeshop where we get to serve them with love.

You can read about Jules in Till Death Do Us Tart, the eighth book in the “Bakeshop” mystery series, coming June 26, 2018. The first book in the series is Meet Your Baker.

Torte―the small-town bakeshop no one can resist―is hosting a midsummer night’s wedding . . . where merry-making and murder are served up in equal measure. Till Death Do Us Tart is Ellie Alexander’s eighth delectable novel in the Bakeshop mystery series.

Jules Capshaw has too much on her plate―and she’s feeling the pinch: the whole town of Ashland, Oregon, is in on the surprise Elizabethan-themed wedding she’s planning for her mom and soon-to-be stepdad. But is her secret scheme half-baked? She’s hiding racks overflowing with sweet treats while Torte is topsy-turvy with a major remodel and the return of Jules’s estranged husband, Carlos. And until now, Jules had no clue about the bitter family feud that has her friend Lance frazzled and suspicious. But when a party crasher takes someone out with a serving of poisoned wine and Jules discovers the deadly cup was intended for her, it’s time to turn the tables on a killer.

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About the author
Ellie Alexander writes the bestselling Bakeshop Mystery series for St. Martin’s Press, set in the Shakespearean town of Ashland, Oregon and featuring a romantic, artisan pastry chef, Juliet Montague Capshaw.

Ellie is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.

Visit Ellie at elliealexander.co and you can find her online on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

All comments are welcomed.