Why do you write the genre that you write?
When I was growing up, my first book love was Nancy Drew. I read the Bobsy Twins, the Hardy Boys, and graduated to Agatha Christie. While I read other genres, mystery was definitely the think I gravitated toward. I think I owe that to my mom, who also loves mysteries. I went with her on her trips to the library to check out Agatha Christie’s book, and I have a specific memory of her checking out Poirot’s last case, Curtain. I think it was at that point that I thought, wow, I should try these.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I majored in English literature in college and taught middle school right out of college. After our first two kids were born, and most of my salary was going to daycare, I took time off to be home with them. That was before YA and middle grade books were prevalent. I wanted to do something other than mom stuff, and I thought, hey, I’ll write something my students would like to read.

From there, I wrote a book about a classroom of kids who, miraculously, are all ‘on task’ at the same time. This causes a break in the time/place continuum, transporting the class back in time to Ellis Island where they have to get processed through (as their ancestors) in order to make it back home.

I didn’t know what I was doing, both with writing a book and submitting, but I forged through both. I got many positive rejections—I have since learned that positive rejections are really quite rare and good.

Fast forward about 5 years. Lola Cruz came to me, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Where can we find you?
I’m on Instagram: instagram.com/bookishly_cozy
Facebook: .facebook.com/MelissaBourbonWinnieArcherBooks
and I have an online book club, Book Warriors @ facebook.com/groups/BookWarriors

What’s next for you?
I’m currently wrapping up book 6 in my Bread Shop mysteries (A Murder Yule Regret, which will come out next fall), my second Book Magic mystery, and I’ll be starting a stand alone women’s fiction book that I am super excited about in the beginning of January.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading It’s Always the Husband, by Michele Campbell. It’s kinds a woman’s fiction mystery.

Now to have some fun . . .

Vanilla or chocolate:
Chocolate!

Pizza or burgers:
Pizza!

Broccoli or squash:
Hmmm, they’re equal. I’m so so on both. Brussels Sprouts, yes, please.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner:
Dinner

Mountain or beach:
I love the mountains and hiking, but there’s something about the ocean that soothes so I’ll take the Beach.

Introvert or Extrovert:
Hmmm. I’m good one on one with someone else who’s chatty. I’m less good in with someone who’s not so chatty. I tend to retreat while in a group. Mostly, I’m pretty happy when I’m on my own, but I thrive in my family environment (with my husband and 5 grown kids, and all the energy they bring). That was a long-winded way of saying I’m mostly an introvert!

My bio:
Melissa Bourbon is the national bestselling author of more than twenty mystery books, including the brand new collaborative Book Magic Mysteries, the Lola Cruz Mysteries, the Magical Dressmaking Mysteries, and the Bread Shop Mysteries, written as Winnie Archer. She hikes, practices yoga, cooks, and is slowly but surely discovering all the great restaurants in the Carolinas. Since four of her five amazing kids are living their lives, scattered throughout the country, her dogs, Bean, the pug, and Dobby, the chug, keep her company while she writes. Melissa lives in North Carolina with her educator husband, Carlos, and their youngest son. She is beyond fortunate to be living the life of her dreams.