Kathy Aarons Interview

I read Death Is Like A Box Of Chocolates over two days and enjoyed every page. Kathy Aarons’s main character, Michelle Serrano, a chocolatier, sells her sweet concoctions out of Chocolates and Chapters, the store she shares with her book-loving BFF, Erica Russell, a Fulbright scholar. If you like chocolate, the descriptions of Michelle’s chocolates will drive you out of your chair and straight to the Godiva store. However, the recipes at the back of the book did not prompt me to melt up a batch of chocolates. I’ve had enough bad experiences working with chocolate to know that it scorches easily, tempering is temperamental, and that gray bloom occurs more often than a glossy, silky surface. So don’t say I didn’t warn you. But, it does make me like and admire Kathy’s main character all the more. Berkley released this first book in the series on September 2^nd. Look for it at your favorite retailer and learn more about Kathy at her website.  

Please welcome Kathy Aarons to WWK.                                                                          E. B. Davis   

Kathy, would you provide our readers with a synopsis of your plot?

Whether it’s to satisfy a craving for chocolate or pick up the hottest new bestseller, the locals in charming West Riverdale, Maryland, are heading to Chocolates and Chapters, where everything sold is to die for….
 
Best friends Michelle Serrano and Erica Russell are celebrating the sweet rewards of their combined bookstore and chocolate shop by hosting the Great Fudge Cook-off during the town’s Memorial Day weekend Arts Festival. But success turns bittersweet when Main Street’s portrait photographer is found dead in their store, poisoned by Michelle’s signature truffles.
 
As suspicion mounts against Michelle, her sales begin to crumble and her career seems whipped. With Erica by her side, Michelle must pick through an assortment of suspects before the future of their dream store melts away….

Fleur de Sel Caramel, Amaretto Palle Darks, Mayan Warriors, Bacon-and-Smoked-Salt Truffles, Dark Passion Fruit Truffles, Raspberry Surprise Milks, Banana Toffees, Mocha Supremes, Pistachio Surprises, Spicy Passion Fruits, Black Forest Milks, Acai and Blueberry Chocolate Bars, Lavender Truffles, and Applewood Bacon Truffles are some of the chocolates Michelle makes. Are these real products? Did you gain weight researching them all? Did you make some of them?

Yes – they are all real products, although I may have changed their names. I definitely gained weight but that was more to do with huddling at my computer for so long than eating chocolate. J I did make several of them and even if they didn’t look perfect, they tasted good!

Michelle and Erica seem like the odd couple due to their differences in interests, education, and temperaments. Do opposites attract?

I’m not sure about opposites attracting, but even with their differences, they still have a lot in common – love of family, appreciation for what they bring to their customers, and a strong sense of justice.

Would you explain why West Riverdale, the Maryland setting, has no river and why it is west when there appears to be no east?

The fictional town of West Riverdale was founded by the River family. You’ll learn more about them in Truffled to Death, the second book in the series. There is an area called Riverdale in Maryland, so I added West to the name.

Although Michelle and Erica attended high school together, they only connected two years prior to the book’s timing. Michelle doesn’t seem to know much about Erica’s past. Will you reveal why Erica returned to their hometown and what she did as a Fulbright Scholar in future books?

Good question! And yes, in future books, you’ll learn more about the past of Erica and other characters.

Your plot involves computer cracking, security code breaches, and GPS pinging. Are you a techno-geek?

I am not, but I have a computer programmer daughter, a technical husband, and friends who know current technology. I just like to turn my computer on and have it work!

I’m not sure which secondary character I liked the most. If I had to pick, I’d choose the cat. How many names does the cat have, and will “Coco” ever become Michelle’s cat?

Coco will continue to add names as she adds friends with food. I don’t think Coco will ever belong to someone – she’s pretty independent and has the life she prefers.

What are “covenant weapons” and “CGI special effects?”

Covenant weapons are a gaming term and Computer Generated? Imagery.

Why is Michelle child-resistant?

Because she comes from such a small family, she’s unfamiliar with them.

Do you know any veterans suffering from PTSD?

No. I have a very good friend who works with them and has helped me with Leo’s character.

Michelle often refers to Erica’s communication as “snotty talk.” Do you think readers will agree with Michelle’s assessment? 

It’s said with affection, so I hope that comes through.

Erica starts to reconnect with her high-school boyfriend and now deputy, Bobby. Michelle sparks with Erica’s brother, Bean. Will those relationships develop in future books?

Sorry – you’ll have to read them to see!

Are you a beach or mountain person, Kathy?

Beach! I live in Southern California and walk the beach a few times a week for exercise and to unwind.