Penelope Parish 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 Pen.

What is your full name?
Penelope Abigail Parish—Abigail is for my Parish grandmother. But people call me “Pen” for short.

How old are you?
28 years old

What is your profession?
I’m a writer. Although my family doesn’t think that’s a real profession even though I’ve published a bestselling Gothic novel.

Do you have a significant other?
Well, I left Miles behind when I moved to England to take the writer-in-residence position at the Open Book bookstore. Then I ran into (almost literally) Detective Brodie Maguire and while we’re not strictly a couple. . .yet. . .we’re getting there.

What is their name and profession?
Brodie Maguire and he’s a detective with the Upper Chumley-on-Stoke police force

Do you have any children?
No

Do you have any siblings?
Yes, one. Beryl Kent. She’s married to Magnus although the marriage is on the rocks.

Are your parents nearby?
Not now that I’ve moved to England.

Who is your best friend?
Lady Fiona Innes-Goldthorpe, aka Figgy, has become my best friend here across the pond.

Do you have any pets?
Yes, a tuxedo cat named Mrs. Danvers.

What town do you live in?
Right now I am living in Upper Chumley-on-Stoke, England.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
It’s a very small town where everybody knows everybody else’s business.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I live in a charming old-fashioned English cottage that my boss Mabel Morris lets me use.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
In the sitting room in front of a roaring fire.

Favorite meal and dessert?
I’ve become quite fond of bangers and mash at the local pub the Book and Bottle since I’ve been over here in England—that would be sausages and mashed potatoes back in the US. As for dessert, I adore Figgy’s Madeira cake.

Do you have any hobbies?
Um, not really. Writing was my hobby until I got published.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I haven’t traveled much yet but I loved summers on Cape Cod when I was young.

What music do you listen to?
I’m kind of into the oldies like U2 and the Police, Coldplay and David Bowie

Do you have a favorite book?
I’d have to say Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I mean, I named my cat after one of the characters after all.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Browsing a bookstore, picking out a new book and then going back to my cottage to sit and read in front of the fire.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Reality is Overrated

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m a rank amateur, I have to admit. Sometimes Figgy and I go after clues together but we have to be careful we don’t get in Detective Maguire’s way.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I try to get some writing done on my next book (note the word try), I refrain from throwing my computer against the wall in frustration and then head to the Open Book where I lead a book group some days and a writers’ group on other days. I also write the Open Book’s newsletter, help Mabel stock the shelves and filch pastries from Figgy’s teashop.

What is a typical day when you are on a case?
I usually make some excuse for leaving the Open Book because Mabel, the owner, worries about me when she knows I’m out hunting clues. Sleuthing might mean doing some research—newspaper archives for instance—or eavesdropping on a conversation or, in my latest case, checking out donations to Oxfam, a British thrift store.

A Fatal Footnote, An Open Book Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: July 2021
Purchase Link

Writer-in-residence Penelope Parish will need to use every trick in her quaint British bookshop to unravel a murderous plot that threatens to ruin a ducal wedding.

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Upper Chumley-on Stoke has all the makings of a fairy tale, complete with a glowing bride and horse-drawn carriage. But it wouldn’t be much of a story without a villain, and as American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish is coming to learn, happy-ever-afters are as fraught in this charming British town as they are in her books.

When the Duke’s former girlfriend is found murdered at the reception it’s up to Penelope and her newfound family at the Open Book bookshop to catch the killer before they strike again.

About the author
A former Jersey girl, Peg now resides in Michigan with her husband She is the author of the Open Book Series (writing as Margaret Loudon), Murder, She Reported series, the Cranberry Cove series, the Farmer’s Daughter series, the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series and the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London).

All comments are welcomed.