Jenn McKinlay: I am absolutely delighted to have one of my fave foodie mystery authors with us today. Jen has writeen multiple series all clever and full of...you guessed it...food. Here's Jen to tell her all about her latest, which I have on order, because of course I do as should you!
Jennifer J. Chow: The joy of introducing a new series is getting to dream up everything from scratch. My Magical Fortune Cookie series is set in a small town with a tight-knit community. The first book, Ill-Fated Fortune, gives affectionate nods to the cozy genre and provides loving connections to my own life.
Small towns are some of the best locations for a cozy mystery. I grew up reading Agatha Christie and especially loved Miss Marple and the village of St. Mary Mead. My protagonist, Felicity Jin, is a lot younger than Miss Marple, and lives across the ocean in the United States in Pixie, California.
The setting of Central California is inspired by my own childhood growing up in the geographic region. Although Pixie is fictional, I do, in fact, refer to real local landmarks. For example, in Fresno, there’s a fascinating underground gardens that’s mentioned in my novel.
I chose to call the town “Pixie” for multiple reasons. First, small is an accurate descriptor of Pixie. It’s also a play on Pixley, an actual place in California. Moreover, there’s a tie to my own Sassy Cat books, where one of the characters is named Pixie St. James.
There’s even a personal element to the magic featured in Ill-Fated Fortune. I add a cultural twist to the fantastical parts of the book. The magical bunny (yes, there’s a pet with powers!) has ties to Chinese mythology. And the Jins have their own backstory on how the ancestors from their homeland came to possess magic.
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| Pineapple Bun - YUM! |
I really liked crafting the baking duo of the mother and the daughter. The sweetest of relationships exist between Felicity and her mom, Angela. I wanted to have that particular pairing in this book to explore the complex and beautiful love between a mother and her child. It’s also a special chance to honor my own mom, who passed away in 2015 after a brief bout with cancer.
I’m grateful for the chance to launch this new series. Beyond the hidden love messages I’ve placed in Ill-Fated Fortune, I hope readers will enjoy my more obvious appreciation of food, especially fortune cookies!
Reds and Readers, what “loves” do you have in your life?
Jennifer J. Chow writes cozies filled with hope and heritage. She’s been a finalist for the Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Lilian Jackson Braun Award. Her newest series is the Magical Fortune Cookie mysteries; the first book is Ill-Fated Fortune. Her other series include the L.A. Night Market Mysteries and the Sassy Cat Mysteries. Jennifer currently serves as Immediate Past President on the board of Sisters in Crime and blogs at chicksonthecase.com. She is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America. Connect with her online and sign up for her newsletter at JenniferJChow.com.
