Fiona is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us about A Hint of Mischief, the latest novel in the Fairy Garden mystery series.

Welcome, Fiona. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Hi, I’m Fiona, and I’m a righteous fairy in the Fairy Garden Mysteries. I was a bit of an imp in the fairy kingdom, so the queen fairy booted me out and said, in order to return, I had to help humans solve problems in order to earn my adult wings. I am the only righteous fairy in the fairy kingdom. There’s only one at a time, so I’d better get my act together.

I met Courtney Kelly when I arrived in Carmel-by-the-Sea on the very day she was opening her fairy garden shop called Open Your Imagination. She used to work for her father in his landscaping company, but she wasn’t fulfilled, so she spread her wings and, with a little inheritance from her nana, started her own shop. She’s so excited. I’m thrilled for her, too.

There are three books in the series, counting this one, A HINT OF MISCHIEF. In each, I’ve helped Courtney solve a crime. It’s not easy. I’m not allowed to make anyone tell the truth. But I can calm people, and I can hear people, and I can follow a lead, just like Courtney. We work well together. I love her very much.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

Oh, my, do you think a writer could control me? Ha! Well, okay, yes, Daryl does, sort of. And I trust her to do the right thing. She gets me, you know? I think all her life she’s believed in fairies, and that takes a good imagination. So many humans don’t believe in us. But she does, so I encourage her. I even visit all her fairy gardens to bring them a little magic. I think she suspects I do this, but I’m keeping mum about it.

How did you evolve as the main character?

So far, I’ve earned two sets of my adult fairy wings. I need three. And I’m tamping down my impish behavior. I really want to be good. Smart. Trustworthy. I want Courtney to be able to count on me in a pinch. The queen fairy has told my mentor, Merryweather of Song, that I’m doing a pretty good job of learning. Merryweather teaches me potions and such. She also keeps a tight rein on me. I’m not allowed to socialize yet. But I’m hoping I’ll be able to do so soon. I mean, I can see my fairy friends, but it has to be for the right reason, not just fooling around. In fact, with my friend Zephyr, I was able to help a reporter find a missing woman. That was really cool. Zephyr is an intuitive fairy. She gets to use her mental skills. I’m working on that.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

Like I said above, I do love my fairy friends. Zephyr is really cool. And now that I’ve met Callie, aka Calliope, I really enjoy her, too. She can be a bit over the top when it comes to loving and nurturing nature, but that’s her character. I admire her for her passion. And I am quite partial to Pixie, Courtney’s Ragdoll cat. Pixie and I play all the time. Because I can fly and elude her, she gets frustrated, but I know she loves me. I also love Courtney’s best friend Meaghan Brownie. She is an artist and loves beauty and she plays the harp. And then there’s Joss Timberlake. She works at the shop and she can see me now. At first, she couldn’t, but when she truly opened her mind, wow! She is older than Courtney and acts like Courtney’s protector. That’s sweet, don’t you think? And don’t get me started about Brady Cash. He’s so handsome and funny and he adores Courtney. He owns the restaurant across the street from the shop. He can’t see me yet, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to in time. He wants to. That’s always a good start.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

Well, I spend most of my time at Open your Imagination. The shop sells plants and fairy figurines. There’s a patio with a beautiful fountain and ficus trees that I can retreat into. The patio is where Courtney serves tea on the weekends. The main showroom has all sorts of beautiful items for sale, like teacups and plant holders and books about fairies and gardening. Oh, and windchimes. I love the tinkling sound of chimes.  I also spend time at Courtney’s cottage, Dream-by-the-Sea. She fixed it up, and her backyard is filled with fairy gardens and sweet smelling plants. It reminds me of home.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

Like I said, this is the 3^rd in the series. Readers might want to start with the first because that’s where they’ll get to know how Courtney and I met, but a reader can read this story on its own. My author tries to make sure that all her books can be read as a stand-alone. She gives enough of my backstory that a reader won’t feel lost. Feeling lost is NOT a good feeling. Trust me, I know. That’s how I felt when I was booted from the fairy realm. But now I belong, and I love living with Courtney.

Thank you for answering my questions, Fiona, and good luck to you and your author, Daryl Wood Gerber, with A Hint of Mischief, the latest book in the Fairy Garden mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Fiona and her author, Daryl Wood Gerber by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, Youtube, Instagram and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop – Murder by Book –  Mysterious Galaxy

About Daryl Wood Gerber: Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling Fairy Garden Mysteries, Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense as well as stand-alone suspense. Daryl loves to cook, fairy garden, and read. She has a frisky Goldendoodle who keeps her in line. And she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and hitch-hike around Ireland alone.