Mel Cooper 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 Mel.
What is your full name?
Melanie Cooper
How old are you?
Thirty-five-ish
What is your profession?
Cupcake Baker at my own bakery Fairy Tale Cupcakes.
Do you have a significant other?
Yes, Joe, or “Dear Joe” as my mother calls him.
What is their name and profession?
Joseph DeLaura and he’s an Asst. District Attorney
Do you have any children?
No
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, my brother Charlie.
Are your parents nearby?
Yes, my mother Joyce.
Who is your best friend?
Angie DeLaura Harper, who is also Joe’s younger sister.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, two. A cat named Captain Jack and a Boston terrier named Peanut.
What town do you live in?
Scottsdale, Arizona.
Do you live in a small town or a big city?
It’s a small (250K pop) city.
Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
A historic house that Joe and I bought to live near our parents.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
The kitchen!
Favorite meal and dessert?
Just dessert, please, and make it cupcakes, natch. Joe and I eat a lot of take out from out favorite Mexican food joint.
Do you have any hobbies?
Solving murders, but I don’t usually say this out loud.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Mexico, since it’s our closest beach!
What music do you listen to?
Girl squad music like Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Rhianna, and Katy Perry
Do you have a favorite book?
Not just one. My entire cookbook collection is my favorite.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
Movie night with my friends, Angie and Tate, and now Joe, too.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Just Desserts.
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Amateur sleuth and I work with whoever is available. My friends, Angie and Tate. Sometimes my husband-to-be Joe, but also my bakery staff, Marty and Oz, and occasionally one of Angie’s seven brothers will help out.
In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I wake up very early to start baking the cupcakes. Marty is always there to help out, along with Angie. Oz has left the bakery but still lives above it, so he is frequently under foot. We bake cupcakes, serve customers, and visit with our friends and neighbors in Scottsdale. It is a happy life. . .until a body arrives on the scene.
What is a typical day when you are on a case?
Same as above, except we then have to juggle baking the cupcakes with gathering clues. It helps that my uncle Stan is a homicide detective on the Scottsdale PD. He tries to warn me away from investigating but sometimes even the police need a helping hand from their local cupcake baker.
For Batter or Worse, A Cupcake Bakery Mystery #13
Genre: Cozy
Release: May 2021
Purchase Link
The Fairy Tale Cupcake crew must discover the truth behind a death sprinkled with suspicion before Mel and Joe can say “I do”, in the thirteenth Cupcake Bakery Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay.
Life is sweet and business is booming at the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery–and the fact that Mel and Joe are getting married is the icing on the cake. Their reception will be held at the swanky resort where Oz works as the pastry chef. The wedding planning is all fun-fetti and games until Mel and Joe meet the head chef at the resort who has been making Oz’s life miserable. When the eccentric chef insults Mel’s bakery, Oz gets into a blowout argument with the culinary prima donna.
Things turn extra sour when the chef is murdered, and Oz is the police’s main suspect. As the countdown to the wedding day begins, Mel, Joe, and the rest of the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew must sift through clues to catch the real killer and clear Oz’s name before their wedding plans are totally battered and baked.
About the author
Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
All comments are welcomed.
Thank you Jenn for letting Mel grace my blog today. I can’t wait for the wedding.
Worth waiting for! Looking forward to this story!