Why do you write the genre that you write?
Mystery is my favorite genre to read and cozy mysteries are particularly beloved by me and my mom. I’m just writing the books I’ve always wanted to read but couldn’t find.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I’ve loved writing since I was a kid, but I never thought it was a possible career choice for me. In 2015, my life felt stagnant and I knew I needed to try something new. I remembered how much I loved writing as a kid and decided it was time to take it seriously. I took my very first writing class (which happened to be on mystery writing) with Lori Rader-Day at Storystudio Chicago, and from that point on, I was a mystery writer.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you’ve become a writer?
I was an English language instructor for almost a decade (first in South Korea and then in Chicago), but the language school I most recently worked at shut down at the beginning of the pandemic (I found out I was getting laid off the same day I received my publishing contract!). I currently work part-time in the Youth Services department at my local library and do book coaching on the side.

Where do you write?
In the before times, I loved writing at cafes, at the library, and in empty classrooms at my job because being at home was too distracting. Being at home is still too distracting, but I don’t have much of a choice now! My office is a tiny alcove in the front area of my house, and that’s where I do the majority of my writing. If I’m on a tight deadline and really need to focus, I’ll splurge on a solo hotel writing retreat. Those are the best when I need the maximum amount of words in the shortest amount of time.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
If I’m just casually drafting, I’ll occasionally munch on Cadbury mini eggs or the Trader Joe’s peanut butter-filled pretzel nuggets while writing. But if it’s crunch time, I become ravenous and take frequent snack breaks for sandwiches, cake, and/or scones with jam and all the caffeine. I tell myself that the brain power necessary for writing requires sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

What is next for you?
Homicide and Halo-Halo, the second book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, just came out and the third book, Blackmail and Bibingka, comes out October 4th of this year. Berkley recently bought the next three books in the series, so Book 4: Murder and Mamon, comes out sometime in 2023. That’s going to keep me pretty busy, but I am working on a few other projects I’d love to have picked up.

What are you reading now?
Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett
Red Thread Of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler
Sword Stone Table, an anthology of King Arthur retellings (with stories by Ausma Zehanat Khan, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Alex Segura, and many more)

Where can we find you?
I’m @MPMtheWriter on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You should also sign up for my monthly newsletter, where I share recipes, writing news, book recs, and occasional giveaways at miapmanansala.com.

Now to have some fun . . .

Vanilla or chocolate
CHOCOLATE!

Pizza or burgers
Depends on my mood, but usually burgers

Broccoli or squash
I eat almost a pound of broccoli a day (when I remember to buy it)
so I’m gonna have to go with broccoli on this one.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Can I be a rebel and say brunch? If not, I love going out for breakfast.

Mountain or beach
Beach! I need to be by the water.

Introvert or Extrovert
I’m a professional extrovert, personal introvert.

And even more fun . . .

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
1. My Nintendo Switch (I have no idea how I’d charge it, but I need it)
2. The Lady Sherlock books by Sherry Thomas (does this count as one thing?
If not, I’ll take any book in the series, they’re all bangers)
3. My husband (I need someone to split survival duties with and he’s pretty cool)

My bio:
Mia P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer and certified book coach from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture. Her debut novel, Arsenic and Adobo, is out now, and the sequel, Homicide and Halo-Halo was published February 8, 2022.

A lover of all things geeky, Mia spends her days procrasti-baking, playing JRPGs and dating sims, reading cozy mysteries and diverse romance, and cuddling her dogs Gumiho and Max Power.