An Interview with Debra Goldstein by E. B. Davis

When a romantic rival opens a competing restaurant in small-town Wheaton, Alabama, Sarah Blair discovers murder is the specialty of the house.

For someone whose greatest culinary skill is ordering takeout, Sarah never expected to be co-owner of a restaurant. Even her Siamese cat, RahRah, seems to be looking at her differently. But while Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, are tangled up in red tape waiting for the building inspector to get around to them, an attention-stealing new establishment—run by none other than Sarah’s late ex-husband’s mistress, Jane—is having its grand opening across the street.

Jane’s new sous chef, Riley Miller, is the talk of Wheaton with her delicious vegan specialties. When Riley is found dead outside the restaurant with Sarah’s friend, Jacob, kneeling over her, the former line cook—whose infatuation with Riley was no secret—becomes the prime suspect. Now Sarah must turn up the heat on the real culprit, who has no reservations about committing cold-blooded murder . . .

https://www.debrahgoldstein.com/three-treats-too-many/

Debra Goldstein furthers the character development of protagonist Sarah Blair in Three Treats Too Many. Far from the naïve character in One Taste Too Many, Sarah is once again drawn into a case of murder. But it doesn’t have anything to do with her family or her ex. This time she’s defending a friend from a murder charge with the help of her cat, RahRah, and new puppy, Fluffy. Observing their behavior provides insight to human relationships.

Secondary characters from the first two books make appearances and enhance the cast of characters. Eloise, the older woman whose boss was killed at the bank in the last book, is now a strong councilwoman contending with the aggressive Anne Hightower, now a mayoral candidate. Sarah’s mother, Maybelle, contrasts to Eloise. Jane, Sarah’s ex’s bimbo (her words not mine) finally gets a comeuppance, and yet, she’ll probably survive to be a pain for another day.

The Sarah Blair mystery series is a continuing pleasure to read. My interviews with Debra about her first two books can be found here and here. Stop by our comments page to leave Debra a message or ask a question.                                                                                                      E. B. Davis

In an effort to get commerce in from nearby Birmingham, AL, the Wheaton council rejected an Entertainment district in favor of mixed-use zoning. Jane’s Place restaurant is next to a veterinary clinic. Has the council traded one set of problems for another?

No question about that. In the earlier books in the Sarah Blair series, I promoted the concept of an Entertainment District to introduce the pros and cons of economic development and what might be the driving force behind different opinions on the subject. In Three Treats Too Many, by having the mixed-use zoning concept adopted, I was able to explore some of the problems that may occur when competing interests are involved.

When Jane’s Place opens before Southwind Restaurant, Sarah’s twin Emily and her partner Marcus’s establishment, everyone in the neighborhood goes to the opening. Sarah’s associates are checking out the competition. Have you known those in the restaurant business? Is there friendly competition between them? I’ve heard that it can be a cut-throat business due to low profit margins. So, I wonder if friendly is saying too much.

Birmingham, Alabama, where I live, has become known as a foodie city. Although there is some rivalry and dislike between some restaurant owners, that would probably be the case if these individuals owned similar businesses in another field.  Many of our chefs, at some point, trained under our James Beard winners and then went out on their own. My observation of those individuals, and their subsequent disciples, is that they respect and support each other. In Three Treats Too Many, the days of Sarah and Jane being friends is long gone, but it isn’t only because of the restaurant competition between Jane, Emily, Marcus, and now Sarah.

Because the veterinarians are also in a motorcycle club and they have a parking lot, many members of the club park their bikes there. Wouldn’t they have to get permission to do so from the council to do so?

I don’t think so. Although it appears that a lot of the town belongs to this social motorcycle club,

there are only a limited number of bikes being parked on a pad on the side of the veterinary practice’s building. The riders aren’t congregating, demonstrating, holding meetings or rallies, or doing anything else that would require a permit. They aren’t even taking up space in the actual parking lot. Besides, Wheaton is a small town where the way it is sometimes takes precedence over the way it should be.

Is Birmingham a big biker area?

To my knowledge, Birmingham has its share of bikers, but no more than other urban areas. What it does have, according to Guinness World Records, is the world’s largest motorcycle collection housed at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. Visits to the museum, a friend who also is a motorcycle collector, two teachers I met, who did not meet my stereotyped image of a biker, and a local group that does charity rides sparked me to write the motorcycle club into Three Treats Too Many.

Botts and the first murder victim, Riley Miller, a young chef, have a romantic relationship that seems to be floundering. Sarah sees similarities between them and her puppy, Fluffy, and her cat, RahRah’s relationship. What is it that Sarah sees?

RahRah, like Botts, demonstrates alpha male characteristics. They are both in control, not always kind, and put their own pleasure/desires ahead of the feelings of others. Riley and Fluffy are quite capable, but they become subservient in the hopes of pleasing Botts and RahRah. It is this behavior pattern that Sarah observes. Although she thinks it is amusing watching Fluffy be dominated by RahRah, she finds the same pattern in Riley and Botts disconcerting.

What Sarah sees contradicts what people have told her about Riley, who was a flirt and used men for her own gain. Is Botts more of a user than Riley?

They are users in different ways. Botts is showier and maybe even a little shady, but both are direct in going after what they want.

Sarah is no fan of Acting Chief Dwayne Gerard. She is surprised that her boss, Harlan Endicott, a lawyer, and Gerard act like friends. Is Harland “keeping his friends close and his enemies closer?” Or has Harlan developed a respect and friendship with Gerard?

Sometimes, people who don’t see eye to eye on things still find it is more politic to interact with each other. Harlan is a straight arrow who uses the law to help others. He also, except maybe with Jacob, is a good judge of character. Knowing that Chief Gerard can be a bit lazy or jump to conclusions before all the facts are in, he has learned that he can temper things by using honey rather than coming at Gerard in an attack mode. Harlan also is good at indirectly suggesting ideas that the chief carries out as if they are his own.

The vegan dishes that Riley makes take top honors at Jane’s Place and draws in customers. Is the vegan diet that popular?

Just as there are many people who follow the Keto diet or eat gluten free, a good segment of the population embraces the vegan diet. In this case, Riley’s dishes are a novelty on the menu, but once people sample them, they want more.

Because her friend Jacob is the top suspect in Riley’s murder, Sarah agrees to investigate. Why?

Throughout the Sarah Blair mystery series, the overarching theme is loyalty and caring for family and friends. Jacob is her friend and even though she isn’t sure, especially as different facts come to light, that he is innocent, she won’t allow him to be railroaded if Chief Gerard’s focus is only on Jacob. The other reason she agrees to investigate is because Anne and Eloise ask her to. Sarah feels a loyalty to Eloise and although she doesn’t trust Anne not to manipulate her, she respects Anne’s desire to protect her brother.

Does Sarah always count objects to divert her attention from something ghastly?

If she does, it isn’t a conscious thing. All she knows when she confronts something ghastly is that she must let her mind wander, or the situation will be too much for her to emotionally handle.

What is Rolling Thunder? Do motorcycle clubs still participate or has it been disbanded?

Rolling Thunder is an advocacy organization. It seeks full accountability for prisoners of war and individuals missing in action. The organization has chapters which carry out the group’s mission and do charitable events. In 1988, as a First Amendment protest, the Rolling Thunder event was created. Through 2019, at least two hundred thousand motorcyclists gathered each Memorial Day weekend to ride a designated path from the Pentagon parking lot around the D.C. Mall area. Problems with extra security needs and limitations imposed near the Pentagon led to the ride’s official demise; however, with a different sponsor, the event, or one similar, is planned for 2020.

Do military dogs often end up with PTSD? Is there treatment for them?

A 2011 New York Time article quoted Dr. Walter F. Burghardt Jr., chief of behavioral medicine at the Daniel E. Holland Military Working Dog Hospital at Lackland Air Force Base, as saying:

"By some estimates, more than 5 percent of the approximately 650 military dogs deployed by American combat forces are developing canine PTSD. Of those, about half are likely to be retired from service.” As canine post traumatic syndrome has become more recognized, treatment therapies used include vigorous play, love, downtime, and desensitization counterconditioning. If a dog cannot be rehabilitated at its home base within three months, the dog is assigned to other duties or discharged from the service.

Jacob’s sister Anne is on the Wheaton town council and is running for mayor. Sarah and Anne have never gotten on well. How does Anne manipulate Sarah? How will Sarah defend herself?

Anne manipulates by words and playing on Sarah’s emotions. Highly intelligent, Anne can whip out an idea that Sarah agrees with in principle and before Sarah knows it, Sarah is the one doing the behind the scenes work while Anne gets the glory. When readers meet Sarah in One Taste Too Many, she lacks confidence in herself. She was married at eighteen, divorced by twenty-eight, and the only thing she got out of the marriage was RahRah, her Siamese cat. Although never physically abused, Sarah’s ex-husband mentally abused her to a point that after the divorce Sarah questions the correctness of everything she does. Anne, demonstrating some of the same riding roughshod traits as Sarah’s ex-husband, is able to take advantage of Sarah’s instinctive docile reaction to box Sarah into doing things Sarah really doesn’t want to do, but as Sarah regains her sense of self-worth in Two Bites Too Many and Three Treats Too Many, she finds it in herself to  stand up to Anne or at least to mentally be ready for Anne – up to a point.

Sarah is going out with Cliff. She questions his relationship with Riley. He explains, but he makes a point of saying that he would only justify his actions in this one instance. Does that mean they aren’t in an exclusive relationship? Not sure if this is a good sign for Sarah.

Cliff has issues in his background that make acting in a trustworthy and honest manner important to him. Sarah, because of her treatment by her ex-husband, has problems trusting. Consequently, when she questions his relationship with Riley, her questions come from her inner fear that neither Cliff nor anyone is what they seem, while Cliff reacts as he does because he believes a relationship implies trust. Although both may want an exclusive relationship, their emotions may preclude it from being with each other.

After Riley’s death, Jane asks Grace, Emily’s younger chef, to become a chef at her restaurant. Grace refuses Jane’s offer. Why does Sarah think it could be Grace’s motive for murder?

Sarah tries to find a motive for everyone, other than Jacob, to have killed Riley. Sarah thinks Grace may be too guilty to take the job or have done it, but wants to demonstrate a loyalty to Emily and Marcus so that when she finally takes the job, no one will suspect her hands are dirty.

When Sarah and Harlan walk dogs at the shelter, Sarah finds out the Jacob lied to him. But Sarah lies to Harlan, too. She claims not to have known that Jacob and Riley dated in the past, but Mandy and Grace just told her that they did. Why did Sarah lie to Harlan?

That lie may have been an author mistake or that Sarah believes her conversation with Mandy and Grace had an element of confidentiality to it. She also may believe she can learn more, for her amateur sleuthing, by leaving the door open for Harlan to talk.

Most defense attorneys know that some of their clients are guilty. Why is Harlan so distraught about Jacob being possibly guilty?

Harlan is a small-town lawyer with a big firm brain. No matter what kind of case he is handling, he does the best job he can for his client. But, as I previously mentioned, he is a straight-shooter and he expects that when he deals with other people. It’s not Jacob’s innocence or guilt that upsets Harlan, but the fact that Jacob lied to him.

Is Sarah interested in Dr. Glenn? She seems relieved that Carole turns out to be his sister.

Yes. But Sarah is disturbed by her interest in him because of her relationship with Cliff. She can’t understand how she can be in a relationship with one person but feel excitement about another. 

Is it the other’s smell that repels cats and dogs? I didn’t know that.

In doing research about the relationship between cats and dogs for Two Bites Too Many, I came upon that tidbit and it stuck in my head until it founds its way into Three Treats Too Many. Its true accuracy hasn’t been proven, but it is recommended that a dog and cat be introduced to each other very slowly to give them time to establish a relationship built on smell.

Why does Harlan second guess Sarah? Will she ever tell him off? Will he ever tell her he loves her?

Harlan doesn’t really second guess Sarah, he simply doesn’t want Sarah to get hurt. Consequently, he believes she should leave any investigating to the proper authorities – Chief Gerard or him. Harlan gave her an opportunity to work, recognizing her lack of skills and confidence. In his own way, he helped nurture her personal growth between books 1 and 3, but he doesn’t want to rush her or take advantage of their relationship – again, trust comes into play. When he tries to make the slightest move, she is torn, but her decision not to jeopardize her job overrides any interest in having a relationship while she works for him.

What’s next for Sarah, RahRah, and Fluffy?

I’m excited about Three Treats Too Many and the many opportunities for character growth that it leaves open. I enjoy introducing new scenes and new characters. Book 4 in the series, Four Cuts Too Many, has already been turned in and will be out in June 2021. Still set in Wheaton, it will take a wider look at the Carleton Junior College campus. There will be another book in the series out in 2022.

Promoting Books in a New World

Promoting Books in a New World by Debra H. Goldstein

Today, I turned in the fourth book in the Sarah Blair mystery series. Four Cuts Too Many begins the day after the third book, Three Treats Too Many. Although I hope readers have become familiar with Sarah from reading One Taste Too Many and Two Bites Too Many, there’s no way they’ve read Three Treats Too Many because it isn’t scheduled to be released until August. Four Cuts won’t be published until some time in 2021.  For a writer, having a contract for a series is wonderful, but today it can be confusing.

Publishers have calendars designating when a specific book will be released. Normally, writers understand the date of publication, that ARCS (advanced reader copies) will go out four months in advance, and that prior to then there will be copyedits, revisions, artwork, and proofing of galleys. There will also be the need to write blogs, arrange for a launch, do interviews, and schedule signings, lectures, and whatever other promotion one can think of. While doing all of this, authors write the next book.

Balancing all of this is predictable craziness. Or, at least it has been.

Nobody knows what to expect today—or tomorrow.

Will launches be virtual? Will store visits now be streamed? Will book club appearances be on Zoom? Will publishers stick to their calendars or will release dates be postponed?  Will publishers modify their sales expectations? For that matter, will the publishers and stores that writers count on still be there?

As an author, I can continue writing, but I have no idea what will work for promotion in our new norm. The reality is publishers probably won’t consider the disruption in promotional opportunities, but will look at the bottom line. If books don’t sell, publishers won’t continue series.

I don’t know the best way to promote books in today’s world. Do you have any ideas?

BTW, Three Treats Too Many is available for pre-order at https://www.amazon.com/Three-Treats-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496719492

An Interview with Debra H. Goldstein by E. B. Davis

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone …

Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce. Settled into a cozy carriage house with her sassy Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her modest law firm receptionist job and—if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts—lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end …

When the president of the town bank and city council is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands—the Blair girls’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle. Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?

Amazon.com

In Two Bites Too Many, Debra H. Goldstein’s character development exceeded all my expectations. Her main character, Sarah Blair, steps up as a leader to get her mother off the suspect list, help her chef sister, Emily, back into her own restaurant, and solve a murder, which her boss insists she leave to the professionals. More fool he, as he discovers in the last chapters, which I quite liked.

But that is all about Sarah. Debra gives readers a more detailed portrait of Maybelle, Sarah and Emily’s mother. Emily seems more human, a closer in personality to Sarah, and less of a paragon. It was a pleasure to get to know these characters in greater detail as they are recurring secondary characters who at times support Sarah, and at other times, seem to combat her.

Here’s the link for my interview with Debra about the first in her series, One Taste Too Many. Please ask Debra questions about her series I may have missed in our comments link at the end of this interview.                                            E. B. Davis 

RahRah, now Sarah’s cat, inherited the carriage house, in which Sarah and RahRah live. Did RahRah also inherit the big house on the property? Was it the home Sarah lived in with her ex, or was it her ex-mother-in-law’s house?

When Sarah’s ex-husband brought his mother to Wheaton, he didn’t have the financial ability to buy the kind of Main Street property he wanted – but his mother did. Although she was the majority owner of both houses, Bill, because he was allergic to cats and a rat, installed his mother and RahRah in the carriage house while he and Sarah moved into the big house. When their marriage broke up, Sarah moved out of the house, but continued visiting Mother Blair and RahRah.

Sadly, Mother Blair died before the divorce was finalized. Bill, who was executor of her will, never probated it. Instead, he simply took over the property in its entirety. Consequently, Sarah didn’t know that the will gave her some property ownership and contained trust provisions for RahRah with her as trustee. After Bill’s death, despite the divorce, when the legal provisions of the wills were sorted out, RahRah ended up with the carriage house and Sarah with the big house.

I was a bit surprised Sarah agreed to let Emily and her chef and beau Marcus open a restaurant in the big house. Because the carriage house Sarah lives in with RahRah is located behind the property wouldn’t it be noisy? Wouldn’t they have to subdivide the lot to rezone the big house as a commercial property and leave the carriage house as a residential property?

Southern homesteads with pillared main houses, often boast smaller carriage homes or garage type buildings with second floor living quarters on the property. In Two Bites Too Many, it is made clear that the big house faces Main Street, which, through a vote of the council, has a multi-use designation that is resulting in many of the grand homes being converted to restaurants, apartments, and other business establishments. Based upon this, the lot didn’t need to be subdivided. As for any noise, the driveway winding back to the carriage house is quite long. The distance creates a natural sound buffer. For Sarah, compared to the efficiency apartment she previously lived in, being in the cozy carriage house with RahRah is like dying and going to heaven.

Why does Maybelle want her daughters to call her by her first name, rather than just “Mom?”

Maybelle went to a spa where without telephones, news, or interference from the outside world, she embraced the concept of positive energy flow. As Maybelle explains, “[m]y name means lovable. ….my guru told me the only way to obtain the best possible positive energy in my personal zone is to simplify everything. That includes the name I go by … Because the intensity of my flow translates into a force I use to help other people, I need you to call me by my given name, too.”

I’m trying to understand Sarah and Emily’s mother, Maybelle. On one hand, she’s forceful, leaning on the car horn to pick up Sarah. Then, Maybelle uses her guarantee with the banker to help persuade him to approve Emily and Marcus’s loan for the restaurant. But on the other hand, Sarah and Emily had to persuade Maybelle that she’d have to live to 150 to outlive her money, as if she were an insecure person. Clearly, she knows her place in the world. Why would a brass-tack sort of person like Maybelle not understand her own finances?

Maybelle understands her finances and business, but that doesn’t alleviate her emotional reactions. Although I didn’t quote statistics in Two Bites Too Many, I found several studies, including one performed by Allianz in 2016, that demonstrated individuals nearing retirement are more afraid of outliving resources than they are of death. I’ve known many widows who despite being financially solvent have this fear, so just as I decided there were readers who could identify with how Sarah is frightened of cooking from scratch, there would be others who would see a part of themselves in Maybelle.

Do small towns have a problem keeping members impartial? Usually, the most prominent people, who have means and ownership in town properties, serve on town councils.

In small towns, everyone knows everyone else. As you note, the people with means, ownership, and power often rise to the top of committees and council positions. Although some may accept these positions for personal benefit, many want to give back to the town they love. Those who epitomize the latter motives try to be fair and impartial because that is the only way to serve the public good.

When Jacob explains who Cliff is, Sarah is uncomfortable meeting him. But Jacob only said good things about Cliff. Why is Sarah uncomfortable?

Sarah is uncomfortable because her first interaction or observation of Cliff at the bank was of an angry and impulsive person. Not having reconciled what Jacob is saying with the menacing side of Cliff she saw; she prefers to avoid another encounter.

When Emily and Marcus’s loan doesn’t get approved, Emily takes a job with the competition against Marcus’s and Sarah’s opinion. Why is she so headstrong? Why does Sarah buyoff on Emily’s argument that Sarah doesn’t know the restaurant business, when Marcus knows the business and doesn’t agree with Emily?

Unlike Sarah, Emily has always been goal driven. Whether it is knowing she wanted to be a chef or problem-solving the financial problems caused by the loan not being approved, she isn’t going to let anything get in her way. She’s headstrong and opinionated, but part of that is driven by a good heart – she wants to ease their financial burden so their business can survive.

Even though Sarah may have qualms about Emily working for the competition, she knows Emily has her own restaurant knowledge gleaned from attending Culinary Institute of America and working in various restaurants. Plus, afraid Marcus’ thoughts might be colored by his jealousy of Thomas Howell coupled with her trust of her sister’s judgment, Sarah goes with the decision that supports blood being thicker than water.

Maybelle uses the Southern condescension of “Bless your heart.” Is she a true southern gal?

From her head to her toes!

Eloise, the victim’s long-time secretary, knows a lot more than she’s saying. Why doesn’t she speak her mind?

Eloise comes from the private secretary or assistant era where confidentiality and loyalty were prized. Even though she knows a lot more than she’s saying, the moral code she operates under lets her drop hints or guide situations without being overt (Think Mad Men).

Sarah’s boss, lawyer Harlan Endicott, talks to her about her future. Does he have a specific path he wants her to follow? Does he have an agenda?

Harlan cares for Sarah. While he may have a romantic interest in her, his main goal is to encourage her to grow from the woman he hired who was always afraid of being fired to one who is comfortable in her own shoes. Whether she continues working for him, goes back to school, or explores other opportunities, he wants the best for her. The only specific path or agenda he has, which he repeatedly shares with her, is his wish that she’d leave solving murders to the professionals.

What attracts Sarah to Thomas Howell, owner of the Howellian Hotel?

His hands – he has beautiful hands with long tapered fingers.

Why is it unnatural for Sarah to be demonstrative and caring?

At heart, Sarah is an introvert. She cares about people, but has difficulty being warm and fuzzy. It could be argued that what happened with Bill and in other instances in her adult life made her afraid of reaching out and being hurt, even when she does things because of her caring nature, but I think not being a hugger is just part of her personality. Emily, her twin, was exposed to the same things growing up, but from childhood, she always has been the popular outgoing cheerleader type. They are polar opposites, so there really isn’t a reason either sister is as she is.

How does Sarah determine the acting Police Chief Gerard isn’t a professional?

Sarah has a bias against acting Police Chief Gerard from when, as a desk officer in One Taste Too Many, he kept her from seeing her sister for over an hour. In Two Bites Too Many, she observes him walking around a crime scene in a way that she believes would fail to preserve it. More importantly, she feels, as he has had her sister and mother in his sights, that he jumps to easy conclusions --- conclusions which are to the significant detriment of her family members.

In a town with few experienced police, is it strange that Wheaton has a professional crime tech, forensic investigator and coroner in Dr. David Smith?

In small towns, the coroner often is a physician appointed or elected to the job. Wheaton is a little unusual. Fifteen minutes from Birmingham, where there is one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the Southeast (UAB) and an undergraduate school which offers a criminal justice degree, it isn’t surprising that a well-trained doctor, who likes small towns (perhaps to pay off his student loans), decided to find a place to live where he could combine his rural and urban interests.

Why doesn’t Sarah believe in White Knights?

Because Sarah has been burnt in love and life, she believes it is difficult for a White Knight to stay atop his steed. Married at eighteen, she never imagined she’d be divorced by twenty-eight because the love of her life found someone else. She also has seen that not everyone is what they seem.

Emily acts out of character, Sarah notices. What does that indicate to Sarah?

When Emily acts out of character, Sarah becomes unsure of her sister and herself. Emily always has been driven, goal-oriented, and had a good head on her shoulders. When she jumps to work at the Howellian without weighing the consequences of her actions or negotiating for a good contract, Sarah can’t put her finger exactly on it, but she knows something is amiss.

Sarah proposes YipYeow Day to benefit the local animal shelter. Is she finding her priorities?

Sarah unconditionally loves animals. Beginning in One Taste Too Many, she willingly gave up her Saturdays to be an animal shelter dog walker. This becomes a more pronounced activity, which helps define her to readers, in Two Bites Too Many. She may not be touchy feely with other humans, but rather than being a priority, her interaction with animals is purely instinctive.