Maria Muccio 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 Mrs. Muccio.

What is your full name?
Maria Antonietta Muccio

How old are you?
I just turned 39 for the sixteenth time. 🙂

What is your profession?
Well, it took me a while, but I’ve finally found my calling. I’m now designing a line of mourning wear for my husband’s funeral home. I call it. . .get this, Maria’s Mourning Wear. And I have a slogan, too! “Wear it morning, noon or night.” Isn’t that cute?

Do you have a significant other?
Yes.

What is their name and profession?
My amazing husband, Domenic Muccio. We’ve been married for 35 years. He’s the new proprietor of Muccio’s Mortuary.

Do you have any children?
We have two talented and beautiful daughters, Sally and Gianna. Sally owns a bakery, Sally’s Samples, and Gianna is a public defender. And we’ve been blessed with two adorable grandchildren. I do hope that there are more on the way soon! But no pressure, girls.

Do you have any siblings?
I have a younger brother, but we haven’t spoken in years. Yes, there’s a story there.

Are your parents nearby?
My father passed away many years ago, but my mother Rosa lives with us. Honestly, I don’t know what we’d do without her.

Who is your best friend?
I like to think of my daughters as my best friends. For some reason that embarrasses them when we go out together. They also get annoyed when someone asks if we’re all sisters, and I teasingly answer yes.

Do you have any pets?
I love all animals but sadly, I’m allergic.

What town do you live in?
Colwestern. It’s in the Buffalo area of Western New York.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
Colwestern is definitely a small town but it’s big on gossip.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
We own our home. There’s even a coffin in the living room (giggles.) My husband thinks of everything.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
The dining room table because I love having my entire family around me.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Anything that my mother makes. I don’t cook.

Do you have any hobbies?
Okay, don’t tell my daughters, but Dom just bought a motorcycle. We went out for a ride together last night. I love the rush of wind in my face. It’s exhilarating to ride on the back of one, especially when you’re wearing four-inch stiletto heels!

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Any tropical location. I love the beach and my collection of bikinis.

What music do you listen to?
I like rap and heavy metal. I’m a cool grandmother.

Do you have a favorite book?
Did I mention that my husband is an author? Yes, Dom wrote a book about planning your own funeral. Oh my goodness, it’s wonderful. I still don’t understand why he didn’t make the New York Times bestseller list.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Being with my family is always a fun time. There’s never a dull moment in our lives!

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Maria Just Wants To Have Fun.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Definitely amateur. I’m not much of a sleuth myself, but I do like to advise my daughter Sal if she has a mystery to solve, which is always. Sal has a terrible habit of stumbling over dead bodies. I worry about that girl.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I get up and shower, put on my face, find a mini dress with stilettos to match, and then go downstairs to have breakfast with Dom and my mother. After we finish, Dom and I leave for the funeral home. I have my own office there and spend hours working on my new fashion line when I’m not babysitting my grandchildren. Tonight, we’re hosting a Halloween party at the mortuary. It’s going to be so much fun! There will be plenty of delicious cookies from Sal’s bakery and fun games like hide the coffin and bobbing for skeletons. I do hope that nothing goes wrong. . .

Dessert is the Bomb, A Cookies & Chance Mystery #11
Genre: Cozy
Release: September 2021
Purchase Link

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a hauntingly hilarious Halloween Cookies & Chance mystery!

Baker turned sometimes-sleuth Sally Muccio has always loved Halloween, but this year she has more on her mind than ghosts and goblins. In addition to catering a party at her wacky father’s funeral home, a competing bakery has just moved in across the street from Sally’s Samples. The new owner, Celeste Delgado, seems intent on burying Sal’s novelty cookie shop into the ground with her sensational smash cake bombs. Suddenly, the homemade fortune cookies that Sal and her best friend Josie create with loving care are predicting an ominous future for their business.

Before Sal can discover what’s behind Celeste’s grudge, the woman is killed by an explosion. To take the cake, Josie was heard threatening Celeste shortly before her death. A night in the slammer, another deadly explosion, and dangerous family secrets all add to Sal’s growing list of concerns. Like an oven timer, precious minutes of her life are ticking away. Can she find Celeste’s killer before everything blows up in her face?

Recipes Included!

About the author
Catherine Bruns is the USA Today bestselling author of the Cookies & Chance mysteries. She lives in New York with her very patient husband, three sons, and several spoiled pets. Catherine has a B.A. in English and is a former newspaper reporter and press release writer. She also writes the Italian Chef, Cindy York, and Carrie Jorgenson mysteries. Her book, For Sale by Killer, won the 2019 Daphne du Maurier award for Mainstream Mystery/Suspense. Get a free e-book when you sign up for Catherine’s newsletter here.

All comments are welcomed.