Sometimes the best way to know a person is by asking questions, where you can learn more about what makes them tick. Let’s see what Sophie has to say.

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What is your name?
– – Sophie Bauer Winston

How old are you?
– – Squarely middle-aged. Too young to retire, too old to stay up all night.

What is your profession?
– – I’m an event planner. A lot of conventions are held in the greater Washington, DC area, so I’m always busy.

Do you have a significant other?
– – Hmm. Well, I have an ex-husband, Mars Winston, but he probably doesn’t count. I’m currently seeing someone but I don’t know that I would call him a significant other quite yet.

What is his name?
– – Alex German.

What is his profession?
– – Alex is an attorney.

Any children?
– – I have a cat and a dog. Do they count? Alex has two step-children from a previous marriage. But they live in another state.

Do you have any sibling(s)?
– – Yes. My brother lives nearby in Manassas, Virginia. My sister lives in our hometown, Berrysville, Virginia.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
– – I have an Ocicat named Mochie, and a mixed breed hound named Daisy.

What town do you live in?
– – I live in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. It’s so quaint. You have to come to visit, Dru.

House or building complex?
– – It’s a house that was built in the 1800’s. It has a double lot, which means I have a larger than normal backyard. Faye loved to entertain, so she built a huge dining room and living room addition. Mars’s mother thinks that Faye’s spirit inhabits the house.

Do you rent or own?
– – I own. Mars and I inherited the house from his aunt, Faye, who was a popular socialite in the ‘60s and ‘70s. I bought him out when we divorced.

What is your favorite spot in your house?
– – Definitely the kitchen. It has an ancient fireplace and beautiful old beams on the ceiling. There’s a banquette where my friends and I gather, and a bay window where Mochie likes to lounge in sunbeams.

Who is your best friend?
– – Nina Reid Norwood. She lives catty-corner across the street from me. Nina is a hoot. She likes to eat as much as I do. Maybe more.

Amateur sleuth or professional?
– – Oh, I’m not even an amateur sleuth. How cute that you think so. I just got lucky a few times.

Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
– – As I said, I’m not really a sleuth. But Nina Reid Norwood loves a mystery. My ex-husband Mars and our friend Bernie are also helpful. Humphrey is an undertaker, so he has a direct route to information from the medical examiner’s office. My childhood friend, Natasha, sometimes gets involved, though she’s usually less interested in finding the killer than she is in working toward her goal of being the Martha of the South. I have a couple of police friends, too, Wolf Fleischman and Officer Wong, but they’re not fond of giving me information.

Favorite meal?
– – Duck confit with creamy mashed potatoes!

Favorite dessert?
– – Almost any cake. But I love Pavlova. It doesn’t get any better that those crispy and soft egg whites, whipped cream, and berries!

Favorite hobby?
– – I’m addicted to china and crystal, so I love yard sales. I find so many wonderful treasures.

Favorite vacation spot?
– – The beach! Doesn’t matter which one, as long as there’s sun and sand.

Favorite color?
– – Periwinkle. Blue verging on purple.

Favorite author?
– – Snort. Krista Davis, of course! Although sometimes she scares me. I never know what she has planned for me. And she’s made a terrible mess of my love life!

Favorite sports team?
– – Washington Redskins.

Movies or Broadway?
– – I love Broadway, but I see more movies. It feels so indulgent to settle in (with a snack, of course) and watch them at home.

Are you a morning or a night person?
– – I work a lot of evenings and nights, so I would have to say I’m a night owl. I don’t usually sleep terribly late, but I’m definitely not one of those people who gets up every morning at four.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
– – Since most events take place in the evening, my mornings aren’t rushed. In the summer, if it’s not too hot, I might leisurely take a mug of tea out into the backyard and enjoy the tranquility before starting work. Of course, things pick up in the afternoon when I’m making sure venues are ready for the event that night. Every day is different, which is probably one of the reasons I enjoy my job so much.

You can read about Sophie The Diva Cooks Up A Storm, the 11th book in the “Domestic Diva” mystery series, coming May 29, 2018 from Kensington. The first book in the series is The Diva Runs Out of Thyme.

When a trendy, underground dinner club leaves some guests six-feet-under the table, entertaining professional and amateur sleuth Sophie Winston hopes she has all the right ingredients to put a murderer on ice in New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis’s new Domestic Diva mystery . . .

Domestic diva Sophie Winston can whip up an elaborate event in her sleep, but as the hippest hostess she rarely gets to enjoy the full guest treatment. Which is why her best friend Nina Reid Norwood loops her in to the latest culinary craze: a pop-up gourmet dinner party. The celebrity chef, the epicurean menu, and the high-profile attendees are all a surprise, turning the decadent dining experience into the hottest ticket in Old Town. But Sophie’s just pleased as punch that she finally has an opportunity to join her fellow foodies in some fun.

The posh party proves to be a recipe for disaster when Hollis Haberman sours spirits by bringing his own hot new dish—his young trophy wife. With Hollis’s son and ex-wife in attendance, there may be more heat at the table than in the kitchen. But by aperitifs, Sophie discovers Hollis swallowing his last bits of air, and she must scramble to stop a killer before the swanky supper becomes anyone else’s last meal.

Includes delicious recipes and entertaining tips!

Purchase Link
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About the author
Krista Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries and the Paws & Claws Mysteries. Several of her books have been nominated for the Agatha Award. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with two cats and a brood of dogs. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back for more. Visit her website at www.kristadavis.com.

All comments are welcomed.