Sydney sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we, the readers, can get to know her better.
What is your full name?
Sydney Joy Farina, though my parents really screwed up with “Joy.” They should have given that name to my sister, who’s the joyful optimist of the family. I’m the cynical one.
How old are you?
30
What is your profession?
I work at a small bakery called Summertime Sweets. Baking sugar cookies and chocolate chip muffins pays the bills, but my favorite part of the job is when we get orders for weird showpiece cakes. I did a Halloween cake that looked like a decaying, decapitated zombie head once. That was really fun.
Do you have a significant other?
No. I thought things were getting serious with this one guy I was dating, but he hasn’t texted in ages, so. . .
If so, what is his name and profession?
Logan Kobayashi. He’s the head chef/owner of the new restaurant next to Summertime Sweets. He’s smart, handsome, and has some seriously nice tattoos. I thought we clicked during our few dates, but I guess I was wrong.
Do you have any children?
No.
Do you have any siblings?
Two. I’m closest to my younger sister, Alex. She’s sunny and sweet, and I’ve been trying to keep her out of the murder investigations I keep getting roped into. I don’t want her to get hurt.
Are your parents nearby?
My mom passed away when I was a teenager, but my dad lives in town—make that the very edge of town. His closest neighbor is almost a mile away, and he still thinks the area is too crowded.
Who is your best friend?
My former best friend tried to stab me after I figured out she murdered our boss, so. . . The position’s open, I guess.
Do you have any pets?
I prefer other people’s pets. All of the cuteness, none of the responsibility.
What town do you live in?
Beaverfield, Michigan.
Do you live in a small town or a big city?
It’s a small town, though thankfully not so small that it can’t support a bakery. And now that Logan’s opened the Salty Fish, we have a total of three good local restaurants.
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I rent a one-bedroom apartment. It’s in a nice complex with lots of ponds and a swimming pool. The only downside is the flocks of hissing geese who think they own the place.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
You’ll generally find me curled up on the couch with a warm blanket, a cup of tea, and a good book.
What is your favorite meal and dessert?
I love a good cheeseburger (and of course Logan serves an amazing one at his restaurant). And I’m a sucker for anything chocolate as a dessert. It takes a lot of self-restraint not to snack all day at the bakery.
Do you have any hobbies?
I love horror novels and movies, though I’ve steered away from ones with murderers recently since it hits too close to home.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Somewhere with no cell service so dead people can’t text me.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
Two words: rock concert.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
The Reluctant Ghost Texter
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Amateur. So amateur. I have no clue what I’m doing. And I don’t work with anyone because that would involve telling them that I get text messages from dead people, and who would believe me?
Though you could say I work with the murder victims who text me for help. They provide good information—sometimes. I’ve realized that ghosts lie just as often as living people.
What is a typical day in your life like in general and when you are on a case?
Typically I wake up early and spend most of the day working at the bakery before chilling at home in the evening. When I’m on a case. . . Well, then I’ve got to find excuses to socialize with the suspects and ask them questions about the murder without them realizing I’m interrogating them.
And I’ve got to deal with whatever ghost is texting me. Big surprise: they’re usually not in the best mood after realizing they’ve been murdered. I’m even less qualified to play therapist than I am detective, but. . .
I do it anyway because I’m all they’ve got.
Poison Contact, A Texts From Beyond Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy, Paranormal
Release: June 2022
Purchase Link
It starts with an order of inappropriately shaped cookies for a bachelorette party.
When Sydney Farina, professional baker and amateur sleuth, delivers the cookies, the bride-to-be drops dead in front of her. Sydney tries to convince herself the mysterious tragedy is none of her business, but the rude bride who texted her for constant updates about her order doesn’t stop texting now that she’s dead. And her ghost begs Sydney to solve her murder and clear her fiancé’s name.
Sydney isn’t so sure the fiancé is innocent, but it’s hard to ignore the desperate ghost. As she investigates the bride’s frenemies and former lovers, she finds few leads and starts to worry she’ll never solve the case.
But she must be getting close to the truth, because the killer is trying to silence her. . . permanently.
About the author
If Kristen Brand could have any superpower, she’d want telekinesis so she wouldn’t have to move from her computer to pour a new cup of tea. She lives in Florida with her husband, and her hobbies include reading comic books and desperately trying to keep the plants in her garden alive. Learn more about her books at KristenBrand.com.
All comments are welcomed.
Texts from dead people. How fun, and what a clever way to get the amateur sleuth involved!