Mia Carina 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 Mia.
What is your full name?
Messina Marina Teresa Carina. My nickname is Mia. Teresa is my confirmation name. Needless to say, my family likes names that end in “a.” A lot.
How old are you?
31.
What is your profession?
I’m the Senior Event Planner and Assistant General Manager at Belle View Catering Manor in Astoria, Queens, New York.
Do you have a significant other?
My cheating ex-husband disappeared with his mistress. Their boat washed up with her body in it. He’s still missing but was declared dead. Needless to say, this has left me with some serious commitment issues.
What is their name and profession?
His name was – past tense, I’m assuming; I still don’t know for sure, marone, what a nightmare– Adam Grosso and he managed an Italian restaurant in Florida, where we were living at the time.
Do you have any children?
Not yet.
Do you have any siblings?
My older by two years brother Positano, Posi for short. He’s currently a guest of the state – meaning he’s finishing a sentence for car theft at nearby minimum security correctional facility.
Are your parents nearby?
My father lives around the corner from me. My mother lives in Italy. They’re divorced in case that isn’t obvious.
Who is your best friend?
I’d have to say James “Jamie” Boldano. We share the bond of having grown up with mobster fathers. His dad runs the crime family where my dad is/was a lieutenant. I say “was” because we’re running Belle View as a legit business. That’s one reason it has to succeed. I don’t want Dad going back to “the Life.”
Do you have any pets?
Two – Doorstop, my Abyssinian cat, and Pizzazz, my parakeet. Nonna, my grandmother who lives downstairs in our two-family home, has a cute rescue dog, Hero.
What town do you live in?
I live in Astoria, which is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Every borough that isn’t Manhattan is called an “outer borough.” I like to think of us as a very “in” outer borough. Take that, Manhattan!
Do you live in a small town or a big city?
The biggest – NYC!
Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I live upstairs in the two-family house my Nonna has owned for years. In other places, they’d call where we live a rowhouse. Nonna lives downstairs, which comes in handy because she’s a great cook, which I am not.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
My bed, because I don’t get as much time there as I’d like. To be honest, the furniture all over my apartment is hideous. I got it from a neighbor who was moving into assisted living. It’s a lotta gilded, overly-carved wood and red velvet covered in plastic.
Favorite meal and dessert?
Nonna’s lasagna, of course. And Cannoli Cake. There’s a recipe in Long Island Iced Tina that’s to die for. Not literally, of course!
Do you have any hobbies?
At this point, considering all the bodies dropping around me, I’d say solving murders is a hobby.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Vacation? What’s that?
What music do you listen to?
I pretty much have the musical taste of a tween, so pop music. But my parents were big into disco when they were younger, and they instilled in me a great love of KC and the Sunshine Band.
Do you have a favorite book?
The Great Gatsby. I can see you the look on your face. You’re thinking, meh, this Queens chick with the high school education is a fan of that great piece of literature? But it’s true. Read my new book. You’ll see.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
Kicking back with friends over dinner and drinks, maybe followed with some dancing – to KC and the Sunshine Band!
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
The Camel is Coming Separately: My Life as an Event Planner. You’ll get that when you read the third Catering Hall Mystery sometime later this year.
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Amateur. And I work with whoever will help me out when I need it. I’m a little annoyed to share that I find myself working with a certain Teri Fuoco more often than I like. She’s this pain-in-the-a. . .neck reporter who’s gone from being an enemy to a fr. . . frenemy. Much as I hate to admit it, her nosiness, which she likes to call “investigative skills,” comes in hand.
In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I wake up and take care of Doorstop and Pizzazz, then get ready for work. I finally learned how to drive, so I tootle over to Belle View in my pre-owned Honda Civic. Once there, I either supervise a party that’s going on or talk people into booking their upcoming wedding-baby shower-Sweet Sixteen-anniversary-funeral luncheon with us. If all goes well, I get through the day without stumbling across a murder victim. Who knew running a catering hall was as dangerous as working for the Mob?
Long Island Iced Tina, A Catering Hall Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: February 2021
Purchase Link
Mia’s newly pregnant friend Nicole plans to hold a shower at Belle View—but Nicole also has to attend one that her competitive (and mysteriously rich) stepmother, Tina, is throwing at the fanciest place in Queens. It’s a good chance for Mia to snoop on a competitor, especially since doing a search for “how to run a catering hall” can get you only so far.
Mia tags along at the lavish party, but the ambience suffers at Nicole’s Belle View shower when a fight breaks out—and then, oddly, a long-missing and valuable stolen painting is unwrapped by the mom-to-be. Tina is clearly shocked to see it. But not as shocked as Mia is when, soon afterward, she spots the lifeless body of a party guest floating in the marina . . .
Italian recipes included!
About the author
Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. Her new Catering Hall Mystery series, written as Maria DiRico, launched with Here Comes the Body, and is inspired by her real life. Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly Odd Parents. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.
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Ellen has generously offered to give away one print copy of Long Island Iced Tina. To enter, please leave a comment below. One entry per person and the giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. Giveaway ends February 28, 2021. Good luck everyone!
All comments are welcomed.
Thank you Ellen and Carina for sitting down for my questions.
I loved them! And oops – forgot to do a giveaway. Darn!
Sounds like a fun new series. Congratulations!
OMGoodness!! Love the title & cover!!!
Thank you for the giveaway!!
Sounds interesting and fun to read. I can’t wait to read it! Thank you for the chance 😊
I think I’m going to love Messina Marina Teresa Carina!
I’m biased, but I think you will too!
I loved getting to know Mia. Thanks Dru Ann and Ellen!
Celia, thank you!! And thanks as always to Dru! xoxo
I loved getting to know Mia Carina! Can’t wait to read this one! And I love the cover!! Congrats, Ellen!
Darci, thank you! I love it too. I’m trying to guess the bridge behind you in your pic. Chesapeake?
This sounds like such a great read.
I have to say, it’s fun!
Great interview. I’ll love getting to know these characters.
Thanks so much!
Love this. Read the first book in the series. That was 40 books ago in early 2020. I got to know Mia all over again.
I’m so glad! Thank you!
Congratulations Ellen! I grew up on Long Island, so you know this is a must read for me. It doesn’t hurt that I love Italian food and anything Cannoli!
Loved the first in this series!🙂
Jill, you’ll get a kick out of it!
Great post, I am looking forward to reading this. My daughter lived in Astoria for a while and I feel like I can picture it all.
I love that!
New author and series for me, enjoyed the post today! Sounds like a good one!
Thanks!
I agree, sounds like a great seried
I know I wrote it but I have to say – it’s a fun read!
Doorstop is a cute name for a cat.
Looking forward to starting this series. Love the cover and the description of the book.
Thank you!
Thanks, I was proud of coming up with it. The name was inspired by a friend’s cat, who would splay himself out in the doorway like a doorstop when we hung out.
i enjoyed the interview. The plot of this book sounds great! I love lasagna too and the cannoli cake sounds amazing!
Loved the interview with Mia. This book sounds like a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read it!!
Loved the interview fun way to learn about a character. Hope to win thanks for the chance.
I can’t wait to read the new book to see what Mia is up to!
Awesome, Christi!
Sounds like great cozy mystery.
Love it and what a great interview.
Thanks, Ileana. It was a blast to write!
**** WINNER ****
Long Island Iced Tina is Jill Broussard
Congratulations!