Readers, today I interview debut author Kate Lansing. She once read for her chapter mates at Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America. After the room exploded with laughter, I thought this woman’s gonna be big. After reading an ARC of her debut novel Killer Chardonnay, I have to say, I love it when I’m right. Please welcome Kate Lansing.
Donnell: Kate, first congratulations on your first novel-
length amateur sleuth mystery. Most of the authors I read write older protagonists. Killer Chardonnay is based on a millennial protagonist. Are there a lot of millennial amateur sleuths these days? And do you think, as do I, that Killer Chardonnay might appeal not only to mystery readers but to New Adult readers as well?
Kate: Thanks so much for your kind words, Donnell, and for all your support! It’s true that cozies traditionally feature older protagonists, but I’ve been seeing more and more millennial amateur sleuths lately which is great fun! With the popularity of Knives Out and new cinematic adaptations of Agatha Christie classics, it seems like a fantastic opportunity to broaden the reach of the genre.
Donnell: You set up major roadblocks to keep Parker from realizing her dream as a vintner. Do you have a business/marketing background and/or did you interview business owners? Did any of their advice provide you with aha moments when you knew you could write this book?
Kate: My background is actually in mathematics (nerd alert!). While I did work for a marketing company, most of my research comes from wineries I’ve visited with my husband over the years. One winery stands out in particular; it was a small label in Boulder, operated by a woman who did everything herself, from crushing grapes to bottling to selling. When I first started writing this book, I thought of her and realized it was possible for someone like Parker to take on this venture.
Donnell: Like most people Parker’s age, she is adept at social media. And social media plays a huge part in this book—even in the title. Will social media be important in every Parker Valentine novel?
Kate: Social media plays such an integral role in all our lives, and especially for businesses, I can’t help but include pieces of it. I also find it to be a fascinating topic to explore—reality versus perception, the way information (or misinformation) can spread, how easy it can be to forget that a real person is behind an avatar.
Donnell: You place your story in Boulder, Colorado. Loved reading about familiar landmarks and appreciated that Parker gets around in an Uber. Perfect! Is C.U. your alma mater and/or did you spend a lot of time there to write this story?
Kate: Yes, CU Boulder is my alma mater (go Buffs!). Much like Parker, Boulder will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I had my first apartment, met my husband, got married. When I was trying to decide where to set this story, Boulder immediately came to mind because it’s such a beautiful and quirky town.
Donnell: Parker goes to a climbing gym to exercise and release her frustrations. Are you a climber?
Kate: I used to climb, but haven’t in years! I loved it as a form of exercise because it was like a puzzle for the mind in addition to a good workout. How can I leverage my limbs and muscles to reach the next grip? What’s the best path to take to the top? There’s also something so Boulder about the sport, I had to include it!
Donnell: You engage in some impressive psychological depths—particularly in getting Parker to understand herself, her brother, and her parents. These characters show immense growth from start to finish. Did you know your characters very well at the start or did you learn more about them while writing?
Kate: Thanks so much for saying that! I knew Parker fairly well from the get-go and what I wanted her arc to be, but some of the other characters surprised me, especially Liam, my main character’s mess of a brother. I had so much fun writing scenes with him and kept finding even more ways to integrate him into the story.
Donnell: No amateur sleuth mystery would be complete without a hint at a love interest. So far, Parker has two potential beaus in her life. A hunky homicide detective and a dynamic chef opening his own restaurant. Do you have any idea, or will you let future stories guide you?
Kate: Oh yes, I have ideas… Both potential beaus are in the next book, and Parker’s feelings are really put to the test when Reid—the dynamic chef—is implicated in a murder outside his new restaurant.
Donnell: You’re obviously a wine connoisseur; I might even
suspect expert. One of your characters is a wine expert from France. You touched on the competitive nature of vintners. Can you tell the difference between a French-made and a California wine, and will Parker ever travel to France?
Kate: I wouldn’t go so far as to say expert, but I’ve been tasting—and enjoying!—wine for about a decade. I do notice subtle differences in wines from different corners of the globe. Whether I could accurately pick which wine comes from which region sounds like a very fun test to try 😉 Right now, the only destination slated for Parker and her crew is a ski resort in the mountains, which is where the third book will take place!
Donnell: You write in first person, present tense. I thought it made the story immediate. Was that a conscious decision? Did you try different inceptions?
Kate: I’m a huge fan of first person, present tense, in large part because, like you said, it adds so much immediacy to the plot, but also because of how it can be leveraged to showcase Parker’s voice. I’ve tried writing with different narration styles and always seem to come back to it!
Donnell: You do a nice job setting up red herrings, upping the conflict, and keeping the reader guessing. You also incorporated some police procedure. How different is Killer Chardonnay from your first draft to the published version?
Kate: My editor at Berkley, Miranda Hill, is absolutely brilliant and through revisions, we really worked on obfuscating the mystery elements even further—adding red herrings, amping up suspects, that sort of thing—to make it even harder to predict!
Donnell: Kate, thank you for being my guest. I loved that you dedicated this book to your daughter. I was also exceedingly hungry throughout and especially afterward with these recipes. When will we see book two, and do you have a title?
Kate: Thanks so much for inviting me to be a guest! Book 2 is tentatively titled A Pairing to Die For and is slated to come out March 2021!
Donnell: My pleasure!
About the book: A young winery owner won’t let one sour grape ruin the bunch in the first installment of this exciting cozy mystery series.
Parker Valentine has always dreamed of opening her own winery in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. But she gets more than she bargained for when a food and wine critic unexpectedly shows up at Vino Valentine on opening day. A negative review could be fatal for her business, and not only does he seem to hate her chardonnay, he also collapses and dies shortly after drinking it.
Although Parker hoped that the attendees would put a cork in it, soon her winery is at the center of a social media firestorm. With #killerchardonnay trending online, Parker’s business is in danger of closing, and she has no choice but to investigate the murder herself.
To restore her reputation, catch a killer, and keep her struggling business open, Parker needs only one thing: some good proof.
About the Author: Kate Lansing is an award-winning short story author. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and a chair-napping tabby cat named Maple. Killer Chardonnay is her first novel.
Website: http://katelansing.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmlansing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lansingkm/
This cozy sounds like so much fun that I skipped over halway through reading the post and bought a copy! Thanks for introducing us to Kate, Donnell, and congrats on your debut, Kate. Looking forward to devouring it after I finish Donnell’s “Buried Agendas”!
Ah, thanks, Sarah! I think you’ll enjoy Killer Chardonnay. And thanks for checking out Buried Agendas! Cheers 🙂
I love the social media element. Sounds like a fun story. Congratulations and best of luck for future books.
Thank you so much, Sarah! And I really hope you enjoy!! Isn’t Buried Agendas fabulous?
Thanks so much, Polly!! The social media element was so much fun to incorporate 🙂
This sounds wonderful and being a wine person also I love the idea! Great interview!
Thanks, Allie!! Donnell asked such thought-provoking questions, they were so much fun to answer. Cheers!
Kate, thank you so much for giving me a sneak preview of Killer Chardonnay. I’ve been sitting on my hands. I’ll be sure to leave reviews. Wishing you a fantastic sell through of book one and onto book two!
My pleasure, Donnell! Thanks so much for reading it, and for having me on your blog!! <3
Was thrilled to have a chance at a sneak peek..love this book! Congratulations, Kates! xo
*Kate, not Kates!