FRIENDS MEETS MIAMI VICE: DECEPTION IN MARIPOSA BEACH, A NEW COZY MYSTERY

Books bodies/cozy mystery/murder/mystery/Strong Female Protagonist

Interview with Teresa Michael, author of the Mariposa Cafe Mystery Series

How long have you been writing?

I spent a good deal of my career in professional and technical writing in the healthcare industry in various positions including a hospital department director of health information management, a senior clinical and financial business systems analyst, and sales and marketing for a healthcare software vendor. But I’ve been making up stories and writing them down since I could hold a pencil. I took creative writing classes in high school and college and have a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. In fact, my thesis project ended up being the backstory for the first book in the series, Murder in Mariposa Beach. Though it took nine years for those interconnected short stories to evolve into the first book.

Why do you write what you write?

For books, movies, and television shows, I love the mystery and thriller genre especially if there’s some romance in the story line. So, it makes sense that would write what I love.

What’s your approach to writing? Are you a plotter or do you follow your characters’ flow (Pantser)?

I’m sort of a hybrid. I’ve tried outlining, but it doesn’t really work for me. I’m a pantser in that I let the characters take me where they want to go, but I go into the project after thinking about the characters, the situation, researching, and writing down scene notes. In writing mysteries, I need to keep track of timelines, clues and where I’ve left those little breadcrumbs the lead up to the resolution. I can’t keep them all in my head. There’s too much rattling around up there already.

What inspired this particular story?

My own experience inspired this story. In Deception in Mariposa Beach, Libby Marshall, discovers a family secret that changes her life, her perception of herself and how she views the people in her life, especially those who chose to keep this secret. I share a similar experience with Libby and wanted to explore the situation through her and the people in her life who care about her. And, of course, she solves the crime.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I read a lot, especially during this period of isolation. I’ve read about sixty books since January. I love to travel and, like so many others, I miss it and look forward to when we can once again hit the road. I must admit, I love ghost tours and like to go on a tour in the cities I’ve visited. I keep a travel journal and hope to do some travel writing. I’ve been to 49 states. Someday, I hope to make it to the 50^th state

What is the theme of this book? If it’s part of a series, how does this book fit into the series?

The underlying theme of Deception in Mariposa Beach, is mothers and daughters, family secrets and how those secrets impact the people involved once the secrets are revealed. Of course, rolled up into that, the characters must figure out who committed the crime. This is the third book in the series and I’m working on the next one.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Invisibility. If I were invisible, I could be the proverbial fly on the wall. I get some of the best ideas and one-liners from overheard conversations. Can you imagine what you could learn if you were invisible. Think about it.

Speed Round for fun!

Favorite movie: Casablanca

Favorite book: Too many to list but lately – Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale
Last book read: I’ve just finished Shirley Goldberg’s Middle-Ageish

Worst date ever: When I was in high school, I went to the drive-in with this guy. We went to the concession stand during

intermission. I went to the restroom, but couldn’t find him when I came out. Then I couldn’t find the car. That guy did not get a second date.

Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers: Flipflops or sneakers
Coffee or tea: Both
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: All of them
Pencil or pen: Both – depends on which notebook I’m writing in

Favorite dessert: Anything chocolate, but I also love tiramisu

Favorite junk food: Peanut butter filled pretzels

Favorite thing to do to relax: Read out on my patio or watch movies

Champagne or gin: Champagne

Paranormal or Historical: Historical with a touch of paranormal

Wonder Woman or Top Model: Wonder Woman, of course

Deception in Mariposa Beach

Welcome back to Mariposa Beach for the third book in the Mariposa Café Mystery Series, where it’s all about fun Florida mysteries featuring fearless, female sleuths.

There’s a new, big-time New York City director in town–Jerry Mann–but whether or not he’ll live to see opening night of the play he’s there to direct isn’t a guarantee. With several new crimes to solve that appear to have followed Mr. Mann to Mariposa Beach, Libby Marshall, a former prosecutor, and her super-hot detective boyfriend, Jack Seiler, will need all the help they can get from the quirky crew and patrons of the Mariposa Caf

But, this time, it’s more than a little personal for Libby. Her Aunt Julia appears to have a mysterious past with Jerry Mann, and it’s looking like a past that will have a major impact on Libby’s future.

About the Author

Teresa has always loved a good mystery and has turned her love of writing and mystery stories into the Mariposa Café mystery series. She likes to read and belongs to a book club whose members have pushed her out of her comfort zone into enjoying all genres, though a good mystery or thriller is still her first choice. After retiring from a career in health information management and technology, she is now a fulltime author.

She loves to travel and has visited forty-nine states having spent nine years on the road working for a healthcare software vendor. She also spent many years as the Team Manager of the U.S. Archery team for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, and the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, as well as other international tournaments all over the world.

She lives in Sarasota, Florida, with her husband and two cats, Lily and Lido. She is a member of Florida Writers Association (FWA), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), and is the Vice President of the local chapter of Sisters in Crime. She enjoys visiting her children and grandchildren and spending time with her family creating new memories. She’s busy on the next Mariposa Café mystery, developing a new mystery series, planning the next trip, and still trying to get to that fiftieth state.

Deception in Mariposa Beach is the third book in the series and is available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited and the print will be available soon