Why do you write the genre that you write?
Interestingly enough, I started out writing thriller novels first because as a screenwriter, I was focusing on thrillers and romantic comedies. Sadly, I found that my thrillers weren’t resonating with agents. They liked my writing but didn’t feel they could sell “this or that.” Then I met an agent at a conference and we hit it off. My friend Krista Davis, who writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries and more, suggested I try my hand at a cozy. The agent I met represented cozy authors. So I wrote three chapters of something new and sent it to the agent. She said it was good but not the “hook” she wanted. I wrote another and then another, and I just wasn’t landing on a hook. But she liked me and my writing. A month later, she asked me if I could write about cheese. Berkley Prime Crime wanted an author to write about a cheese shop. I said I could and I was given the chance to audition with three chapters. Berkley gave me the basics (called a bible), and in three weeks, I wrote three chapters. Long story short, they were good. The agent loved them. Berkley loved them. And I was offered a contract. That’s how I started writing as Avery Aames. I had to use a pseudonym because Berkley “owned” the rights to the cheese shop hook. A year later, I pitched the idea for the Cookbook Nook Mysteries. With that contract, I was able to write under my real name, Daryl Wood Gerber. But I still love writing thrillers and suspense, so I wrote the Aspen Adams novels of suspense and a couple of other thrillers. I have a foot in each camp, I guess you could say.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I was an actress in Los Angeles and doing well enough, but I learned that if I wanted to break out, I needed to write a screenplay or TV show that I could “star in.” So I took screenwriting classes. I was able to sell the format for a TV show called “Out of this World,” which got my foot in the door, but I couldn’t get an agent to take me on as a screenwriter. As things were waning, my husband asked if I’d mind moving across the country for a huge change in his career. Knowing I could write anywhere, I decided to write my first book. I was nervous about doing so. Why? Because I had a teacher in 7th grade who told me not to write. I didn’t have the knack. Alas, I listened to him. But after taking screenwriting classes, I knew I could learn. So I studied and joined critique groups and persevered.

What’s next for you?
I have a new Fairy Garden Mystery coming out in June called A Glimmer Of A Clue and another Cookbook Nook Mystery coming out in April called Wining And Dying. I’d like to work on a new suspense novel, so that is in the hopper, too. Plus, I came up with what I think might be a really fun new hook for another cozy series. We’ll have to see what gels.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading a suspense by Tana French called The Searcher. It’s set in Ireland and has me hooked. I also finished the delightful South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber. Loved it! And I’m listening to Harlan Coben’s latest, WIn, featuring a character that was a sidekick in his Myron Bolitar novels. I’m really enjoying the story. It’s riveting.

Where can we find you?
WEBSITE: darylwoodgerber.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/darylwoodgerber
TWITTER: twitter.com/darylwoodgerber
BOOKBUB: bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/woodgerb1
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/darylwoodgerber
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/darylwoodgerber
GOODREADS: goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber
AMAZON: Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

Now to have some fun . . .

Vanilla or chocolate
I love vanilla ice cream, but I love Dove dark chocolates.
I keep some in the freezer and probably eat one a day.

Pizza or burgers
Burgers. Being celiac (gluten-free), it’s hard to do pizza unless
I make it myself. But I can eat a burger with a nice crisp lettuce
bun all the time. Rare, please.

Broccoli or squash
I love green vegetables. I prefer zucchini to broccoli. You can
do a lot with zucchini. Stir fry. Top with parmesan. Julienne
with butter plus a spritz of white wine and a dash of nutmeg.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Dinner. I eat the same breakfast every day and almost the same lunch. They are purely
for fuel. But I do like to dress up a dinner now and then. I love to barbecue.

Mountain or beach
Mountain with a lake. Lake Tahoe, in particular. I love the scent
of pines. I love crisp cool air at night. I love to swim in a lake.

Introvert or Extrovert
Both. I can be an extrovert when required. At a conference. At an
interview. But I do like being alone — writing, walking my dog, being
quiet, listening to music. I can be shy in a group of people I don’t know.

And even more fun . . .

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A Kindle (with battery pack and my glasses), water (to keep hydrated) and wine
because I’m at the beach. I like to “relax” when I’m lounging by the water. LOL

My bio:
Daryl writes the bestselling the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, the French Bistro Mysteries, and the Fairy Garden Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she wrote the Cheese Shop Mysteries. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She has also jumped out of a perfectly good airplane and hitchhiked around Ireland by herself.