Gia Morelli is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Battered and Buried, the latest novel in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mysteries series.

Welcome, Gia. 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 Gia Morelli, and I live inside the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which take place in the small town of Boggy Creek in Central Florida. My current novel is Battered and Buried, the seventh book in the series. Never one to let a day off work go to waste, I head out for a blissful kayaking trip through the local national forest with my good friend, Trevor. But the peacefulness of the day is soon shattered when we come across Cole, my head cook, standing over a dead body. Worse still, the victim was a lifelong enemy of Cole’s, and clues found on the body point to him as the culprit. When the police take Cole in and subject him to an intense grilling, Savannah and I vow to do everything we can to prove his innocence.

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

Oh, I definitely get a say. If Lena starts to go off course, I harass her until she gets herself together and goes back to fix whatever she got wrong.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I have definitely grown throughout the series. Not only have I become more independent since moving from New York to Florida, but I’ve finally found happiness and the ability to trust again. I’ve even come to accept the critters that are found all over Central Florida.

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

I love sharing the story with my best friend, Savannah. She has stood by me through the most difficult times, helped my find my house on the outskirts of the Ocala National Forest, and helped me set up the All-Day Breakfast Café. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. Then there’s my fiancé, Detective Hunter Quinn, even though he can sometimes be difficult. I love my days spent with Trevor, kayaking through the forest. I’ve never felt so at peace.

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

Until the incident in the café between Cole and Rusty, I am in a good place. Although, there is that pesky racoon that keeps tearing out my garbage and flinging it all over my lawn. Unfortunately, the garbage also attracts bears. But, other than that, I’m happy.

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

I would just like to say, if you decide to give Battered and Buried a chance, I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you so much for having me!

You’re welcome, Gia, and good luck to you and your author, Lena Gregory, with Battered and Buried, the latest book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mysteries series.

Readers can learn more about Gia and her author, Lena Gregory by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, 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.org 

About Lena Gregory: Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.