ABOUT THE BOOK
When Cherry Tucker’s invited to paint the winning portrait for Big Rack Lodge’s Hogzilla hunt contest, it seems like a paid vacation. Back in Halo, Georgia, a Hatfield-McCoy-style standoff builds, forcing Luke and Cherry to keep their relationship secret. She’s ready for a weekend away, hobnobbing with the rich and famous of hunting.But as the Georgia sunshine turns to bleak December rain, Cherry’s R&R goes MIA when she finds a body. While the police believe the town drunk took an accidental spill, Cherry has her doubts, particularly when a series of malicious pranks are targeted at the rifle toting contestants and she’s warned off investigating. With loyal companions at her side — sort-of-ex-husband Todd and a championship bayer named Buckshot— Cherry tracks suspects through a forest of pitfalls and perils. And all the while, a killer’s stalking the hunt party with Cherry and the contestants in their crosshairs.
INTERVIEW WITH LARISSA REINHART
Larissa, what's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Coming up with stories. I’ve always planned stories in my head as cheap entertainment. I still love to do that. The real work comes when applying those thoughts to paper. I’ve got so many stories waiting to write, it’ll probably take me through retirement to get to them all. Which is a good way to keep me off the streets. That and chocolate.
How long is your to-be-read list?
So long, I can’t even count that high. I stopped marking “Want To Read” on Goodreads because it just got ridiculous. Luckily, my mother and I share a Kindle account, so all the books that are waiting on me to read, she can work on. I’ve got a problem with trying a new author or book in a series, then dropping everything else to read the complete series. Then I’ll reread my favorites. I’m a big re-reader, which doesn’t do my TBR pile much good. And that pile is in print and digital.
What books do you currently have published?
The Body in the Landscape is my fifth Cherry Tucker book but sixth publication. The Cherry Tucker Mysteries: Portrait of a Dead Guy, Still Life in Brunswick Stew, Hijack in Abstract, Death in Perspective, and the prequel novella, “Quick Sketch” in Heartache Motel.
If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Does Netflix count as a TV station? I’m in Japan now, so I can’t get anything other than Netflix, although we do get HBO Now. That’s pretty sweet because I can watch all the old miniseries. Right now, I’m watching Benedict Cumberbatch in Parade’s End. But I’m a Netflix junkie. I love to binge watch series. Just like I love to binge read series. And all my guilty pleasure viewing is done on Netflix. You don’t even want to know, but if it involves teenage vampires, I probably watch it.
How do you feel about Facebook?
I love Facebook, despite its obvious flaws. I think the world is becoming a lonelier place, and Facebook is a great way to reach out and touch people’s lives, let them know they are not alone.
I’m living in Japan now and able to keep up with friends and family best through Facebook. I actually began Facebook the last time I lived in Japan. I meet new people all the time, people I’ve grown to consider friends although I’ve never met them in person. My street team, The Mystery Minions, are on Facebook and they’re like family to me. When I travel, I always get postcards to send to them. My girls love to help me pick out postcards for the Minions!
YouTube is . . .
Great for funny cat videos and . . . what else is on Youtube?
Who would you want to narrate a film about your life?
Morgan Freeman. He could make the phone book sound interesting. Which would be a similar reading.
What's your favorite treat for movie night?
I make popcorn on the stove. Just oil and kernels. It’s the best and the stove does all the work. I never touch the microwave stuff. If I wanted to go nuts, I’d add M&Ms to the popcorn. That’s my favorite childhood treat. They melt in the hot popcorn and get all gooey on your fingers. Salt and sugar. Sooooo goood.
Here’s my recipe: use a heavy bottom pot, cover the bottom in kernels, pour cooking (vegetable) oil to just cover the kernels. Put on a lid and turn the heat to medium high. Start your movie. When you start to hear popping, get out a bowl. When you haven’t heard a pop in three seconds, turn off the stove. Pour it in a bowl. Salt. Toss in M&Ms. My kind of cooking.
Yum! You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Lucy from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I named a daughter for her. Wouldn’t everyone love to meet Aslan and save Mr. Tumnus? Lucy’s such a spitfire and so wonderfully brave, despite her age and naiveté. Plus her love conquers all and isn’t that heart of the best stories?
Do you sweat the small stuff?
The small stuff is what drives my deodorant shopping. TMI?
What are you working on now?
Cherry Tucker #6, which is still untitled. However, it’s set back in Halo at an independent living home, Halo House. Cherry’s trying real hard to stay out of trouble, but the ninety-year-old CEO of Meemaw’s Tea likes Cherry’s suspicious way of thinking so much, she confides in Cherry that she’s afraid she’ll be murdered. Then has a heart attack. What’s Cherry to do but suspect Belvia Brakeman’s been murdered?
Lightning round:
Cake or frosting? Cake.
Laptop or desktop? Laptop.
Chevy Chase or Bill Murray? Bill Murray
Emailing or texting? Emailing.
Indoors or outdoors? Indoors with a window. And a couch. And some books. And coffee. And chocolate.
Plane, train, or automobile? Train!
Books in the Cherry Tucker Humorous Mystery Series:
• QUICK SKETCH (Novella prequel to PORTRAIT in HEARTACHE MOTEL
)• PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY
(#1)• STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW
(#2)• HIJACK IN ABSTRACT
(#3)• DEATH IN PERSPECTIVE
(#4)• THE BODY IN THE LANDSCAPE
(#5)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A 2015 Georgia Author of the Year Best Mystery
finalist, Larissa writes the Cherry Tucker Mystery series. The first in
the series, Portrait of a Dead Guy (2012), is a 2012 Daphne du Maurier
finalist, 2012 The Emily finalist, and 2011 Dixie Kane Memorial winner.
The fifth mystery, The Body in the Landscape, released December 2015.
Her family and Cairn Terrier, Biscuit, now live in Nagoya, Japan, but
still call Georgia home. Visit her website, find
her chatting on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads, or join her Facebook
street team, The Mystery Minions.Buy the book:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | KOBO
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
