LUCY BURDETTE: Today I'm delighted to introduce writing pal, Raquel Reyes. Last year her debut novel was published to amazing accolades. (This was in the New York Times: "Mango, Mambo, and Murder furthers my belief that the cozy mystery has become one of the most diverse, and most vibrant, in contemporary crime fiction..."
Isn't that a wonderful introduction? Even more fun, for those of you who might be in Key West in November, I'll be interviewing Raquel at Books and Books on November 5. But today she's here to talk about her second book, Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking. Welcome Raquel!
RAQUEL REYES: I might be new to many of Jungle Red's readers. My second full-length mystery hit shelves (virtual and real) on October 11th, 2022. But a quick click or search will tell you something important about my writing. I use Spanish and Spanglish in my books. It's kind of my thing. I even wrote about it for Writer's Digest. But I'm not here to tell you about Spanish. The language I want to explore with you is the language used in book reviews.
I hope we can agree that not every book is for everybody. And that is alright. Actually, that is better than alright—It's ideal. Variety is good. Fiction is like a sampler box of chocolates. We all have our favorite and least flavor flavors. I prefer dark chocolate, especially the ones with nuts, and I don't mind an orange cream or a marshmallow filled on occasion. The one with the cherry in the center is my least favorite.
 |
| chocolates by Bennilover |
Have you ever seen someone bite into a chocolate from the sampler tray, find it wasn't the flavor they liked, then put it back in the tray? So, rude, am I right? I mean, all the person had to do was look at the flavor chart. They didn't have to ruin all the chocolates in the box. I'm sure one of their co-workers or family members probably likes the flavors they don't like. They could have left that chocolate for them to enjoy.
The same is true for book reviews. The language/word choice a reviewer uses can be the difference between the flavor chart method and the teeth marks horror. Take, for example, a recent review of my book Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking. (Here is the link to the full review.) received.
"I like Miriam. I think I'd enjoy having her as a friend. It might even bring back my neglected Spanish. That said, although new to this series, I was pleasantly surprised to find that after being thrown off my reading stride initially by the frequent use of Spanish, much of my Spanish came back to me. I wonder how much that might impact those who know little or no Spanish, however. To the author's credit, she makes no apologies for its use. Miriam notes that she and her non-Hispanic husband have made a real effort to raise a bilingual child, Manny. Having lived in Florida much of my life, I can attest to how valuable such a skill can be. Most was usually either indirectly restated or easily figured out, I'll note. Heck, we even learn a few words in Kreyol, such as "wi" means "yes"and "Mesi" means "thank you"." June Price. 10/12/22
This reviewer used the chart method. She informs that the novel has a flavor she learned to like but might not be to everyone's liking. I'm not going to show you the teeth mark reviews because I don't want to call anyone out. But trust me, I (and most authors) have gotten plenty of spat out bonbon kind. As a reader and an author, I find the chart kind most helpful.
Do you read book reviews? Have you ever written a book review?
~~~
RAQUEL V. REYES writes Latina protagonists. Her work has won a LEFTY award, and International Latino Book Award, been nominated for an Agatha Award and optioned for film. Raquel's short stories appear in various anthologies, including The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022. (Headshot by Morgan Sophia Photography.)
~~~
About Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking
It's time for a savory soirée—but something sinister is stewing—in Raquel V. Reyes's second delightful Caribbean Kitchen mystery, perfectly delicious for fans of Mia P. Manansala. Fall festivities are underway in Coral Shores, Miami. Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quiñones-Smith wakes up to find a corpse in her front yard. The body by the fake tombstone is the woman that was kicked out of the school's Fall Festival the day before. Miriam's luck does not improve. Her passive-aggressive mother-in-law puts her in charge of the Women's Club annual gala. But this year, it's not canapes and waltzes. Miriam and her girlfriends-squad opt for fun and flavor. They want to spice it up with Caribbean food trucks and a calypso band. While making plans at the country club, they hear a volatile argument between the new head chef and the club's manager. Not long after, the chef swan dives to his death at the bottom of the grand staircase. Was it an accident? Or was it Beverly, the sous chef, who is furious after being passed over for the job? Or maybe it was his ex-girlfriend, Anastasia? Add two possible poisonings to the mix and Miriam is worried the food truck fun is going to be a major crash. As the clock ticks down and the body count goes up, Miriam's life is put in jeopardy. Will she connect the dots or die in the deep freeze? Foodies and mystery lovers alike will savor the denouement as the truth is laid bare in this simmering stew of rage, retribution, and murder.
Come see us on Saturday!
