Lena Gregory, author of Buried on a Sundae, the latest novel in the Coffee & Cream Cafe mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Lena.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Buried on a Sundae is the fourth book in the Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series, which take place in the small town of Watchogue on Eastern Long Island’s south shore. In this story, things have been looking up for Danika’s Café. But for her love life? Not so much. After a disastrous date with Detective Jake Barlow, Danika lets her best friends, Gwen and Eli, talk her into a night out at the hottest new nightclub in town. Only, while there, Dani finds her sort-of boyfriend secreted in the shadows on the beach behind the club with crime boss Patrick Johansen’s wife, Angelique! An upset Dani leaves without giving Jake a chance to explain, but when he doesn’t get in touch the next day, she takes a long walk along the beach to reevaluate her love life. That’s where she suddenly stumbles across Angelique’s body buried in the dunes near where she last saw her with Jake. Sure that Jake is innocent—of murder at least—Danika and her friends set out to prove Jake had nothing to do with her murder and stop a killer…before they strike again!

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

Since this story was set to release during the summer, I wanted it to really capture the feel of summer on Long Island. A new nightclub opening seemed like a great way to do that, especially when you add in secrets, misunderstandings, and of course, murder.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

The biggest underlying theme in my stories has to do with friendship. I think close friends, the kind who would do anything for you, the kind you can share your deepest, darkest secrets with, are so important. And if those friends are a ton of fun and also willing to join right in to help you solve a murder or two, even better.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

When I’m starting to create a new main character, I ask myself what would make this character fun and interesting? In this case, I feel like Dani is a fun character, though a little out of her element in the café, which leaves plenty of room for character development throughout the series. Then I create secondary characters to support them. In this series, Eli is definitely one of my favourites. He’s full of energy, kind of clumsy, and completely adorable. I also have a real soft spot for Uncle Jimmie.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Mostly, I try to write about places I know. I try to bring all the little quirks visitors might not know about into the stories. In my All-Day Breakfast Café books, one of the biggest things is the abundance of critters. When I moved to Florida, that was one of the things that took the most getting used to. In my books that take place on Long Island, I try to convey what it’s like to walk along the beaches, not only what you’d see, but how the sand feels, the scent of salt from the bay, the sound of seagulls (and the dangers they pose to innocent beachgoers).

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

I research everything. I like to make sure my books would feel authentic, even to someone familiar with the subject. Some of my recent searches included temperatures and wind speeds during a blizzard, how to make homemade ice cream, tools firefighters use, and how to make Molotov cocktails. Hopefully, no one will ever check my browsing history.

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

This was a really fun book to write. I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you so much for having me.

Thank you for answering my questions, Lena, and good luck with Buried on a Sundae, the latest book in the Coffee & Cream Cafe mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Lena Gregory by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N – Kobo

About Lena Gregory: Lena is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

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.