Friday, July 2, 2021

Diet of Death @AngPompano

 LUCY BURDETTE: I’m so happy to have Ang Pompano back today to introduce his second published book, Diet of Death. Congratulations Ang! You know how much I love your character Quincy. So let’s start with this question: How much of you is in him? 



ANG POMPANO: It’s great to be back at Jungle Red, Lucy. Everyone here is so generous and encouraging to other authors. I feel the Reds are the backbone of the New England Crime Writing Family. 


But let me get back to your question. It’s true there is a lot of me that’s in Quincy. But I also gave him a few problems that I’ve been lucky enough to avoid. He’s had a failed marriage whereas Annette and I celebrated our 48th anniversary on June 30. He’s haunted by the thought that he can’t live up to the standards of the brother he never met. His brother died in southeast Asia before he was born. I never had a brother, though I do have a couple of friends who are like brothers. And I know of someone who was a “replacement child” and went through all that goes along with that.


Quincy, like me, jokes around a lot and sometimes it works to his disadvantage. 


The biggest difference between us is that while I’d rather watch Hank on TV, Quincy wants to be an investigative reporter. His former college roommate is a magazine editor and promises him an investigative reporting job, but first he has to fill in for Betty Ann Green, until she is available to start her “Cooking with Betty” column. The column written by Quincy becomes wildly popular before he learns that Betty doesn’t exist. 


Lucy: I think you've told me before that the idea for the book is based on several real doctors. Tell us about them and how you changed things up in your story. 


ANG; I’m a follower of holistic medicine. Many of the things that were preached by Carlton Fredericks forty years ago and considered quackery are mainstream now. The diet guru in the book, Dr. Tolzer, also preaches some offbeat ideas. Then there was Herman Tarnower, a cardiologist who invented the Scarsdale Diet. Doctor Tarnower was killed by a woman he was having an affair with. I’ll say that Dr. Tolzer also invented a fad diet, The Westport Diet, and was killed in the book, but I’ll leave it up to Quincy to tell you who did it. 


Lucy: About the cooking: Quincy masquerades as a food columnist in this book. And I hope it won't hurt his feelings if i say his dishes sound a bit well, disgusting. How do your cooking skills compare to Quincy's?


ANG: Seriously? You think tiramisu made with Twinkies is disgusting? I’m quite proud of inventing that recipe. I had to make it to write about it and I’d say it’s right up there with Beer Butt Chicken, another Quincy favorite. 


Lucy: Quincy is a cozy-ish character, and we've all heard that cozy readers prefer female lead characters. How did you decide to go ahead with this?


Lottie, Lucy, Ang, and Chris celebrate DIET OF DEATH


ANG: You, Chris Falcone, and I have been in a writing group for over 20 years, so you know how many times I’ve heard that from agents and acquisition editors. I’ve asked that question on blogs and social media, and of my friends in Sisters in Crime. The answer was always, “Of course I’d read about a male protagonist, if he wasn’t a jerk.” That’s the key, the main character can’t be a jerk. Quincy might make some social mistakes, as anyone might, but at the heart of it, he’s a good guy. He’s respectful of women, and appreciates the many strong women in his life including his neighbor Mary Ticarelli (I love writing older characters), Sergeant Nina, and Megan, who runs Dr. Tolzer’s Westport Diet Institute. He’s not afraid to admit that he’s not always right. Which leads me right into your next question.


Lucy: This time around, you made the choice to self-publish. Can you tell us about that decision, and maybe things that surprised you along the way?


ANG: I’m not always right. For years, my wife Annette, urged me to indie-publish. See that? I couldn’t bring myself to use the words self-publish. My reluctance was an ego thing. Many people, including myself, felt self-publishing didn’t equal published. The perception was that if it didn’t go through the professional publishing process the quality wouldn’t be there. So I stuck with my dream and with a lot of support from family and friends, the week before my 72nd birthday, WHEN IT’S TIME FOR LEAVING was traditionally published. And although it went on to get an Agatha First Novel Nomination, I wondered, is that all there is? Then I started noticing excellent indie books by friends such as Susan Hubbard (Life at Last), Sharon Daynard (Murder Points North), and P. Jo Ann Burgh (State v. Claus). I picked their brains and learned the secret is professional editing and a professional cover. The marketing and publicity from most smaller publishers falls on the author anyway. At the rate I was going, it was either become a hybrid author or wait until I was 102 before the next book. So I went for it and voila! Quincy and DIET OF DEATH became a reality. 


The short answer to your question is, though I drove myself a little crazy, I’m happy with the results. What about you Reds? Have you ever done something you loved even though it drove you crazy? 

 

About DIET OF DEATH: Betty Ann Green is the Oprah of the cooking world. No wonder cookbook authors, celebrity chefs, and weight-loss experts alike would kill for a mention in the “Cooking with Betty” column in On Topic Magazine. Diet Guru, Dr. Alan Tolzer, is no exception. He craves the chance for instant success for his latest Westport Diet Book with an interview by the columnist. It’s enough to make him swallow his pride and try to patch up his long-standing feud with the reclusive Betty. No surprise there. Everyone sells their soul in one way or another in the cooking industry. But murder is on the menu when Betty’s assistant, Quincy Lazzaro, arrives for the interview. Quincy becomes entangled and his complicated relationships with both Betty and investigating police sergeant Nina Estevez is nothing less than a recipe for disaster. Bringing the murderer to justice without exposing the secret to Betty’s success proves to be more difficult than a fad diet.


About the author: Ang Pompano’s short stories have appeared in many anthologies, including Malice Domestic’s MYSTERY MOST EDIBLE. His first novel WHEN IT’S TIME FOR LEAVING, was nominated for an Agatha Best First Novel Award. A member of Mystery Writers of America, he was a awarded a Helen McCloy/MWA scholarship for a novel in progress. He served for many years as a board member of Sisters in Crime New England and has been on the New England Crime Bake Committee for fifteen years. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette, and their two rescue dogs.




46 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your decision to publish “Diet of Death,” Ang . . . I’m looking forward to reading it [but I confess I’m not too sure about Quincy’s Twinkie Tiramisu] . . . .

    Have I ever done something I loved, even though it drove me crazy?
    Well, I can drive myself crazy preparing for something, like teaching a space science class for teachers, and I only love it once it’s over [assuming, of course, that it all went well] . . . .

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    1. Hi, Joan. As Mary Ticarelli says in the book, “If you’ve had one Tiramisu, you’ve had one Tiramisu.” Who knows? You might like Twinkie Tiramisu. How interesting that you teach a space science class for teachers. I remember my third graders dropping “space capsules” with eggs in them from a balcony. I could have used your class.

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  2. Congrats on the new book. I'm going to have to read it since I do love me a culinary cozy. And it's refreshing to see a male main character. I'd like more of them in the genre.

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    1. Thanks, Mark. It was fun to write. I think cozies are evolving. It’s nice to see main characters that reflect the real world. Male characters aside, it’s especially nice to see diverse characters who have been overlooked in the past.

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  3. So many congratulations, Ang! I can't wait to dive into this. Twinkie Tiramisu? Bring it!

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    1. Edith, I know you’re a great cook, so I’m laughing that you like Twinkies too! I hope you enjoy the book.

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    2. If you had asked eight-year old southern Californian me what my favorite foods were, I would have said avocados and Twinkies!

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  4. Can't wait to read the new book, Ang--it sounds charming. So glad you decided to take the indie plunge!

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    1. Susan, it was your wonderful Sisters in Crime New England workshop on indie publishing that inspired me. Thank you!

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  5. Congrats on the new book, Ang, and on indie publishing!

    Honestly, I think Twinkie Tiramisu sounds amazing!

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    1. Annette, thanks. Judging from the responses, Twinkie Tiramisu may catch on.

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  6. Congratulations on your new release! I'll take Tiramisu anything.

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    1. Thanks, Margaret. Yes. When it's made correctly, isn't it the best desert?

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  7. Welcome Ang and congrats on the book. Just from the interview, I'm putting your book (thank you) at the top of my list. Beer Butt Chicken, oh my. I can't wait to see what Quincy gets into.

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    1. Hi, Dru. I hope you like the book. The best part of Beer Butt Chicken is you drink half the beer before you put the chicken on the can!

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  8. Congratulations, Ang! I have to say, you had me at "tiramisu made with Twinkies." I'll look forward to reading this book on my upcoming vacation!

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    1. Thanks, Brenda. I think I’m going to set the culinary world back fifty years with that Twinkie Tiramisu recipe. Have a great vacation!

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  9. Good morning Ang, and happy anniversary, happy book birthday, and happy Friday! I follow you on FB, and I look forward to your new production.

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    1. Hello my Facebook friend! Thank you for all the good wishes, Ann. I hope you have a great long weekend.

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  10. Welcome to JRW, Ang, and congratulations on your new book. I'd love to read a cozy with a male protagonist so your new book is going right onto my TBR list. The fact that Quincy is writing a column for a non-existent food expert has me laughing before I even read the first page. Is this the second Quincy book?

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    1. Thank you, Judy. My friends always make me feel so welcome here. DIET OF DEATH is the first in a new series. I’m working on the second Quincy book, KILLER VIEW.

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  11. Congratulations and welcome to the dark side! I love the idea of a male protagonist in a cozy. Definitely on my TBR.

    PS Happy anniversary!

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    1. I appreciate your good wishes, Kaite. Reaching the 48 year milestone with Annette makes me a very lucky guy. I hope you enjoy the book.

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    2. Sorry for the typo in your name, Kait. This keyboard has a mind of its own today.

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    3. No worries, Ang - mine often does, too!

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  12. Ang, congratulations on that first book, on leaping into indie-pub, and on those 48 years with Annette! I was just musing the other day, when looking for something to read, about why all the protagonists in cozies seem to be mostly women. And here's Quincy! Yay!

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    1. Thanks, Flora. I wouldn’t have a published book without Annette’s support and encouragement. I’m very lucky. As I said above, I think cozies are starting to better reflect society. I hope you enjoy the book.

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  13. Congratulations on the book, Ang, and thanks for an interesting post. Your books sound great!

    I have a complex relationship with cozies. There are many that I adore, yet I have to say there are also many that seem painfully formulaic to me. To my non-author eyes, it looks to me like way too many writers succumb to the publishing industry's advice to crank out what they think sells. I'm all for a male protagonist. I'm also all for diverse characters, pets or no pets, cooking or no cooking. All I really want is good writing that it not saccharine sweet or predictable, and characters who feel three-dimensional and make me care. A touch of humor is a much appreciated bonus.

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    1. Hi, Susan. In Hollywood they look for something fresh but familiar. It’s the same with writing. There definitely is a cozy formula, small town, no sex, violence should off the page, etc. As you know, we can thank Agatha Christie for that. I admire the many authors who do it well and keep it fresh. I bend the rules a bit in both books. Westport isn’t a village. Also, I put in a little more action than usual. But I also try to respect the fact that cozy readers are looking to escape to a better place.

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  14. Bravo, for the male protagonist in a cozy! I enjoy reading male perspectives, so count me as a potential fan, for sure. And funny food makes it even more fun, as long as I only have to taste it in my imagination. LOL

    You hit the nail on the head regarding self-publishing. My first book was self-pubbed in 1994, and it was an uphill struggle for legitimacy, mostly in my own mind. But I did have a professionally designed cover, format, and editing.

    The job I loved that drove me crazy was selling insurance, in particular, life and health. It was a love/hate relationship, thanks to the laws changing every blasted year.

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    1. Karen, I admire you for self-publishing in 1994 and only can imagine the uphill battle you faced. Selling insurance can be in intense job. But it’s also the perfect job for an amateur sleuth. And love/hate relationships lead to great plots.

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  15. This is great news - a male protagonist in a cozy! Truth to tell I was getting a bit tired of the same ole females. Except for age, they all seemed more or less the same to me so I am looking forward to reading your books and getting a fresher take on crime, so to speak.

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    1. Judy, maybe it will work both ways. Maybe more men will read cozies in general. I think many already do. It reminds me of when the Beatles came out. Not a boy in school would admit they liked the group. Now every other song request on the radio is from an old guy asking for a Beatles song.

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    2. Ang, I never knew that about boys and Beatles back in the day. Maybe because my two older sisters and I were obsessed with them, and my little brother was too young to care! Am off to ask Hugh about his experience - he's the same age as you. ;^)

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  16. Intrigued and will look for DIET OF DEATH. Is it based on your short story?
    I will pass on the dessert, as I have found real tiramisu a life-saving comfort at times of need and . . .
    I worked for a week or so at a Hostess factory back in the '70s and have avoided their products for very good reasons ever since. ;-)

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    1. Hi, Mary. How nice of you to remember. I do have a story called “Diet of Death” in PARNELL HALL PRESENTS MALICE DOMESTIC MYSTERY MOST EDIBLE. Quincy and Dr. Tolzer are in that story too. I added new characters and wrote a different plot for the book. That’s another advantage of being your own publisher. I think a traditional publisher would have wanted totally different characters. But I didn’t feel I was finished with Quincy and Dr. Tolzer. Yikes! I’m not going to ask you why you quit the factory. I don’t want to know what happens with those cupcakes with the squiggle on top. LOL

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    2. . .. like the adage about not wanting to see sausage being made. ;-)

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    3. . . . and why SHOULDN'T you do more with characters you, and readers, already know and love? Good for you in not abandoning old friends!

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  17. Congratulations, Ang! Your latest book sounds like my cuppa. I think authors have to at least consider becoming hybrid authors because the publishing world has changed so much - so many stories, so little time!

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    1. Thank you, Jenn. I’ve been aware of the changes in the publishing industry over the last twenty years but never understood the impact on authors until I had a novel published. Both traditional and Indie publishing have good and bad points. It doesn’t hurt to know both sides of a project.

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  18. Congratulations, Ang, on your second book! Quincy sounds like a great character, and I love that he's ended up being good at writing something he never imagined he would. The male protagonist is a great change of pace, too. It seems more and more authors are going the self-publishing route, and sharing that secret of professional editing and professional cover is great. Your cover is certainly one I'm drawn to.

    Right now I'm doing something I love, but it's driving me crazy. We just adopted an eight-year-old Brittany Spaniel, and while I love having a dog again, I'm the one she's decided to stick like velcro to. She doesn't like my husband yet, and it's rather like having another child again. Well, actually two children, because my husband is hurt that she hasn't taken to him yet, and I'm caught between.

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  19. Hi, Kathy. Thanks for the nice words about Quincy. He’s been in many short stories but never as a food writer. That is so great that you adopted the eight-year-old Brittany Spaniel. We always adopt our dogs too. In fact, my wife named one of our best dogs Quincy after my character. I know how your husband feels. Our two dogs follow Annette’s every move. It’s kind of funny. I tell her they think she’s their pack leader.

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  20. Hi Ang, and multiple congrats! I love the idea of a male protagonist in a cozy. Dean James has certainly been a trailblazer there, with his Charlie the librarian. Considering the success of that series, I wonder if Dean regrets using the female pen name (Miranda James)? I'm glad you are writing Quincy as yourself! Now I'm off to contemplate Twinkies. For me they are forever associated with riding my bike to the 7-11 and spending my allowance on a treat that was forbidden at home.

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    1. Thanks, Deborah. Yes, Dean James is a trailblazer and a master of the genre. Isn’t it funny how we associate certain foods with good childhood memories and we crave them once in a while. I think they have the power to put us in a better place. Or maybe it's just an excuse to eat junk food.

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  21. YAAAYYY!!!! Ang, you know I am SUCH a fan! And this is completely wonderful. And aw, I burst out laughing when you said you'd rather watch me--well, thank you, but Quincy sounds amazing. Are you paying homage to the fact that there was not a real Betty Crocker? Remember that? Lynn Cullen wrote a wonderful women's fiction about one of the woman who had to pretend to be Betty. And oh, the movie Christmas in Connecticut--isn't it? Have you seen that?
    Ang, you are fabulous--thank you for the kind words about JRW, but you are such a rock star in the community! Thank you for ALL you do! xxx

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  22. Thanks for the kind words, Hank. I’m one of your biggest book and TV fans. Maybe Betty Crocker was in the back of my mind when I named the character. I remember when I very young I thought my mother was Betty Crocker. And I sure have seen Christmas in Connecticut. It’s one of the holiday movies we watch every December. Yikes! I just realized that the character Barbara Stanwyck plays in the movie is Elizabeth Lane. Isn’t Betty a nickname for Elizabeth? Lucy Burdette is a psychologist, maybe I should ask her about this. LOL I can’t wait to see you in person at Crime Bake in November where you’ll be our Guest of Honor. So well deserved!

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