Juni sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we can get to know her better.
What is your full name?
My full name is Juniper Jessup, but most folks call me Juni.
How old are you?
I’m twenty-eight years old.
What is your profession?
I used to be a software developer but now I run a vinyl records shop/coffee café called Sip & Spin Records with my sisters, so I guess I’m a salesperson/barista/small business owner.
Do you have a significant other?
Wouldn’t that be easier than my current situation? My problem is I can’t choose between the two potentially significant others in my life.
What is their name and profession?
Beau Russell, my ex, is the town police detective. Teddy Garza, my bestie for about as long as I can remember, is the local mail delivery person. One of these days I’ll choose which one is the one, but until then, it’s up in the air.
Do you have any children?
I don’t have kids. I can barely take care of myself.
Do you have any siblings?
I have two older sisters. Tansy’s eight years older than me. She’s the responsible, charismatic one. Maggie (short for Magnolia) is five years older than me. She’s the organized one. And I’m just over here enjoying my hot mess life.
Are your parents nearby?
I recently moved back home, and by home, I mean I live in my oldest sister, Tansy’s, guest room. Mom lives in the tiny home/mother-in-law suite out back. My other sister, Maggie, lives on the other side of town and my uncle is right down the street. I guess you could say that my family is close.
Who is your best friend?
Teddy Garza has been my best friend since we were in kindergarten. We did everything together. But now that I’ve moved back home to Cedar River, I’m realizing that I’m not the only one who’s grown up, and I’m starting to see Teddy in a whole new light.
Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
My sisters and I were adopted by an orange and white cat named Daffodil (Daffy for short), who spends his days at Sip & Spin Records where he begs for treats and then promptly disappears as soon as a customer comes in. Which is probably for the best, in case the health inspector ever drops by unannounced to inspect our coffee café.
What town do you live in?
I live in Cedar River, Texas, a small town on the outskirts of the Austin suburbs. I grew up here, and after a few years of living in Oregon, it’s fantastic to be home with my family.
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
Until Sip & Spin Records starts turning a profit (Maggie assures me it will be any day now!) I’m living in my sister Tansy’s guest room. On the plus side, I don’t have to pay rent. On the other hand, I’m living in my sister’s guest room.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
That’s easy! My favorite room is the kitchen. I’m not much of a cook, but home is where the coffee pot is.
What is your favorite meal and dessert?
No fair—how am I supposed to pick a favorite when there are so many great choices? I suppose my favorite is usually the last thing I drank or ate, so it would have to be I Only Want To Be With Brew, a smooth, simple drip coffee I made at Sip & Spin Records for a friend who wanted something without any of the bells and whistles.
Do you have any hobbies?
My favorite things to do are to hang out with my sisters, drink coffee, and listen to good music. So, I guess it’s fortunate that I work at a vinyl record shop/coffee café with my two older sisters.
What music do you listen to?
I think an easier question would be what music don’t I listen to. I practically grew up in my grandparent’s record shop, where I developed an appreciation for (and knowledge of) a wide range of music. If it’s music, I listen to it.
What is your favorite color?
I suppose my favorite color this week is blue, because the Bluebonnet Festival is coming up in Cedar River.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Vacation? I’m a small business owner. I can’t afford to take a vacation. But there’s an old rail bridge that goes over the river just outside of town where I love to go when I need quiet time.
Are you a morning or night person?
If I had my way, mornings would be illegal.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
This is going to sound silly, but I really enjoy my job at Sip & Spin. I love working with my sisters. I love working at a vinyl record shop surrounded by great music, good friends, and the best coffee in Texas. Pretty much everyone in Cedar River finds an excuse to drop by during the week, whether they’re looking for new music or just want to sample the coffee of the day, so I get to see everyone I care about without ever having to leave the shop.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
If I wrote a memoir, I’d have to call it Flower Records. Because I work in a vinyl record shop, and me (and all of the women in my family) are named after flowers. Get it?
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Oh, I’m certainly an amateur sleuth, and even then, only out of necessity and only because my sisters are my partners. I mean, sure, Beau Russell, Cedar River’s only detective, says he has it all under control and I should mind my own business, but when my family or the record shop is on the line, I’m not going to leave my fate in the hands of someone who has less experience catching killers than I do!
What is a typical day in your life like?
If at all possible, I sleep in. We don’t open Sip & Spin Records until ten, so that’s not usually a problem, even if I have the morning shift. I ride my lime-green adult tricycle downtown to Sip & Spin records where the first priority, always, is feeding our adopted cat, Daffy. My favorite part of the morning is coming up with the coffee special of the day, which is always a fun, tasty drink with a punny musical name, like All My Ex-pressos Live in Texas. There’s no telling what’s going to happen during the day, which is one of the reasons I love my job so much, but if I’m really, really lucky, no one drops dead in the record shop because when they do, me and my sisters end up chasing down (and catching!) a murderer.
A Fatal Groove, A Record Shop Mystery Book #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: July 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
Second in the Record Shop series by Olivia Blacke, A Fatal Groove is a mystery for the record . . .
CATCHING A KILLER WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT.
It’s springtime in Cedar River, Texas. The annual Bluebonnet Festival is brewing and the whole town is in harmony. Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie thought opening Sip & Spin Records was going to be their biggest hurdle, but the Frappuccino hits the fan when the mayor drops dead―poisoned by their delicious coffee.
Since Tansy was the one to brew the coffee, and Juni was the unfortunate citizen who stumbled upon the mayor’s body, the sisters find themselves in hot water. Family is everything to the Jessups, so with Tansy under suspicion, the sisters spring into action.
Between the town festivities, a good old-fashioned treasure hunt, and an accidental cow in the mix, Juni will have to pull out all the stops to find the mayor’s killer.
About the author
OLIVIA BLACKE (she/her), author of Vinyl Resting Place and A Fatal Groove finally found a way to put her Criminology degree to good use by writing quirky, unconventional, character-driven cozy mysteries. Olivia, who wants to be a unicorn when she grows up, is a little nerdy, a lot awkward, and just the right amount of weird. Connect with Olivia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or check out her website OliviaBlacke.com.
All comments are welcomed.
Sounds good! Thanks for the review
So enjoying these books!