Blood Ties and Deadly Lies by Ang Pompano

 LUCY BURDETTE: It's always a pleasure to host my good friend Ang Pompano to the blog. Welcome Ang!

ANG POMPANO: Hello, Reds! It’s great to be back. I always feel at home here because Lucy, Hallie, and Hank were among the very first “real authors” I ever met. And they were so kind to me. Over the years, through conferences and book events, I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting Jen, Deborah, Julia, and of course Rhys. Each of you has been so encouraging that you truly feel like family.

And speaking of family…

Have you ever taken a DNA test? If so, did you discover anything that surprised you? Did you trust the results?

Those were the questions on my mind as I started writing Blood Ties and Deadly Lies, the second book in my Blue Palmetto Detective Agency series.

In the first book, When It’s Time for Leaving, retired cop Al DeLucia heads to Savannah to take over the detective agency given to him by the father who abandoned him. Al’s not exactly the sentimental type. If he has a soft side, it’s buried under layers of sarcasm, skepticism, and New Haven street smarts.



Al's Sachem Creek


Now, in Blood Ties and Deadly Lies, Al’s past crashes into his present when his high school nemesis, Abe Cromwell, a guy Al once dreamed of throwing into Long Island Sound, shows up with a wild story. Abe’s been arrested for assault and claims Al is his brother. Not a long-lost half-brother. A full-blooded, DNA-certified sibling.

Al doesn’t buy it. But something about Abe’s claim gets under his skin. When an old friend dares him to return to their hometown of Sachem Creek, Connecticut, to finally win the cross-Sound kayak race he was once cheated out of, Al agrees. Not to help Abe, but because he’s got a score to settle.

What Al doesn’t expect is to be handed hard DNA evidence that suggests Abe might be telling the truth. Before long, he and his partner Maxine are pulled into a case involving murder, family secrets, and a trail of lies that leads all the way back to colonial New England.

I won’t spoil how it’s possible for Al and Abe to be full brothers because trust me, it’s a twist. But I will say this: DNA doesn’t just tell you who you are. Sometimes, it tells you who you aren’t.

Writing this book got me thinking about how many people have taken DNA tests only to discover unexpected siblings, family secrets, or completely new cultural roots. It raises uncomfortable and fascinating questions. What really makes someone family? Is it blood? Loyalty? Shared history? And when a stranger shows up with scientific “proof” and says, We’re related, how do you even begin to trust that?

So I’ll ask you:

Have you ever taken a DNA test? Did you find anything that surprised you? Did you trust the results? And would you go to bat for someone just because the science says you share the same genes?

Ang Pompano is a mystery author, editor, publisher, and food blogger.  He writes the Blue Palmetto Detective Agency, and the Reluctant Food Columnist series, both published by Level Best Books. In addition to his writing, Ang is a co-founder of Crime Spell Books and serves as co-editor of the Best New England Crime Stories anthology. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette, an artist, and their two rescue dogs. His latest novel, Blood Ties and Deadly Lies, drops on July 1. Learn more at www.angpompano.com

Buy Link: https://amzn.to/43NNlaM 

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 48^th 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 72^nd 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.

When It's Time for Leaving by Ang Pompano

LUCY BURDETTE: I'm wriggling with delight as I introduce you to today's debut novelist guest. My pal Ang and I have been in the same writing group for close to twenty years. It's simply thrilling to see him publish his first book when he's worked toward that goal for so long! Welcome Ang!

Early Reds: Jan, Rosemary, Hank, Lucy, Hallie

ANG POMPANO: Lucy, I can’t believe I’m here on Jungle Red with all of you amazing writers! I’ve known most of you for a long time but I never thought I’d be above the comment line. Do you remember when Hallie asked me to take this picture of you at Crime Bake in 2010?

The group has changed and grown a bit but you all look just the same. As for me, it just goes to show that if you live long enough good things are bound to happen to you. 

LUCY: It's not only living long enough, you've worked hard for this moment! Tell us something about how you chose to set WHEN IT’S TIME FOR LEAVING in Savannah.

ANG: When I wrote the book, it was set on an island off Florida. I knew I wanted to tell a cross genre story that blended traditional mystery and action. I had a scene on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge where Al’s PTSD from a bridge shoot-out kicks in. I also had a scene in the Everglades with alligators. 

So, I emailed my agent: “I’ve got this story that’s a mystery inside a mystery, but it’s also got family drama, and action. It has bridges, it has alligators! What do you think?

She wrote back: “I love it. But I can’t sell it. The publishers say they have too many stories set in Florida. Change the setting.”

I said, "but it has bridges! And alligators! Carl Hiaasen writes about Florida.” 

She wrote back, “You’re not Carl Hiaasen. In fact, you’re not even Tim Dorsey. Change the setting.”

I said, “Fine I know L.A. It has the Vincent Thomas Bridge. I’ll change the Everglades to the desert. The alligators can become rattlesnakes.”

Her answer, “Too many set in L.A. And before you argue, I remind you, you’re not Michael Connelly."

Then it dawned on me. Savannah, one of my favorite cities, has a huge bridge. And it isn’t far from the Okefenokee Swamp which has alligators. Lots and lots of alligators. It was the best move Al and I ever made.

LUCY: It’s cheating a little to ask this because I know you pretty well. But are there aspects of the story based on your life, or did you make it all up? we’d love to hear about the father-son relationship…

ANG: Sometimes Annette, my wife, will give me a suggestion for a book or story. But usually they come about from an experience that I expand upon. For example, in When It’s Time for Leaving, the protagonist, Al, has a father who has Alzheimer’s. My father also suffered from the disease. But my father was a typical all-American Dad. To write a story about the two of us would probably win me a Nobel Prize for curing insomnia. So, I gave Al and his father, Big Al, a bad relationship, which changes over the course of the book.  

LUCY: Your first short story was published in 1990, but this is your first published novel—another overnight sensation! What has surprised you most about the process of getting published?

ANG: An agent once told me getting published was a long, rocky road. She didn’t tell me that after building the road (writing the book) you had to pave it smooth. You can’t have the attitude that once the book is written your job is over. There is plenty of help in our generous writing community, but even then, you have to take the initiative to get your manuscript noticed by agents and publishers.

LUCY: What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries?

ANG: I loved mysteries even as a kid. It all started when Chip and Dale stole Donald Duck’s Toy Train.   

I would write my own little books on folded paper. As I learned to read better I moved on to the Toms; Tom Sawyer and Tom Swift, Jr. In high school I wrote for newspaper and literary magazine. I liked to write humor that I patterned after my idol, Mark Twain. My early stories as an adult ran the gamut from humor to literary fiction. Then as a Yale-New Haven Teacher Fellow I had the chance to study Gender, Race, and Milieu in Detective Fiction with Paul Fry, the William Lampson Professor of English at Yale. I was so intrigued that my focus has been on mystery ever since.

LUCY: What do you find most challenging about writing?

ANG: Everything. The biggest challenge is to get myself into the chair and put my fingers on the keyboard. Once I get over that hurtle I spend a lot of time laboring over which words to use, sentence structure, and all of the “rules” of writing mystery. Am I telling too much? Am I playing fair with the reader by giving enough clues? Then when I think it’s halfway decent I send it to my wonderful writing group. 

Lucy, Ang, and Chris at Ang's book launch

That would be you, and Chris Falcone. We’ve worked together for 20 years and I can’t begin to tell you how important you guys were to getting this book into the world. Annette, who is a painter, has a saying, “A painting is never finished. It’s abandoned.” I think that applies to writing as well. My problem is that I never know when to “abandon” a manuscript. I know there are authors who write good books in a month. If I finish a manuscript in a year that’s quick. 

LUCY: What makes your books different from others in this genre?

ANG: WHEN IT’S TIME FOR LEAVING is a traditional mystery with a male protagonist. Most of the bigger publishers have this notion that women readers (most of the people who read traditional mystery are female) will not read a male protagonist. The publishers (all except mine, the amazing duo of Cynthia Brackett-Vincent and Ed Vincent of Encircle Publications) do not give female readers enough credit for being open minded enough to read a male protagonist. 

LUCY: What’s coming next for you?

ANG: I’m still writing short stories. I had one called “Diet of Death” in this year’s Malice Domestic Anthology. I also have a story called “Stringer” in the upcoming Level Best anthology SEASCAPE.  Most people don’t know that I sometimes work as a freelance videographer, i.e., a stringer. I thought it would make a good story. 

I’m working on a sequel to WHEN IT’S TIME FOR LEAVING called I HOPE YOU’LL UNDERSTAND. Plus, I have two other finished manuscripts with my agent. One is called KILLER VIEW and the other is called THE WESTPORT DIET MURDERS which is a novel that Malice story was based on. I hope to have news about them soon. 

Red readers, how do you feel about traditional mysteries that feature male protagonists?

About Ang: WHEN IT’S TIME FOR LEAVING, is Ang Pompano’s debut novel. He has stories in the 2019 Malice Domestic Anthology, and BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES 2019. His academic pieces include one on teaching detective fiction. A recipient of the Helen McCloy/MWA Scholarship for a novel in progress, he is on the Crime Bake Planning Committee and is a board member of Sisters in Crime New England. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette, and their two rescue dogs. 

More about Ang:

Amazon  

Website http://angpompano.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/A.J.Pompano/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AngPompano
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/angpompano/

***Congratulations to the winners of an e-copy of Eileen Rendahl’s COVER ME IN DARKNESS. 

Dena, Grandma Kootie, and Judi 

Please email Stephanie Thurwachter  at stephanie.thurwachter@aurorapublicity.com and she’ll see that you get your ebook.