Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Truffles Interviews...Creme Brulee from JJ Cook's Death on Eat Street (w/Review & Giveaway)




Hey everybody, Truffles at the keyboard! Today I'm excited to be interviewing a budding new star, Creme Brulee from JJ Cook's Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mystery Series. Creme Brulee and I have something in common...we were both named after delicious desserts!

Have you even eaten from a food truck? Unfortunately, they're not that big a thing here in Vermont. Tell us in a comment below for the chance to win a paperback copy of Death on Eat Street. (US entries only, ending at noon eastern on April 15th.)

Anybody know if there's a Fancy Feast food truck?

How did you come to live with Zoe? 
Zoe’s Uncle Saul gave me to her for Christmas a few years back. I was kind of a house-warming gift too. Zoe was living in her first apartment. I didn’t like it very much – not enough afternoon sunlight. You know how annoying that can be, Truffles. Needless to say, we moved soon after!

What's life like on a food truck? 
It’s great! I love it when I get a few extra snacks here and there. People smile when they see Zoe taking me for a walk with my rhinestone leash. Zoe likes it too because I make her look good! I don’t plan to ever stay home in that dingy diner when Zoe goes out.

Do you partake in any of Zoe's deep fried biscuit bowls? You look a little chubby on your book cover! (teehee) 
Pleasingly plump, Truffles, please! I have a slight glad disorder that makes me gain weight on practically nothing! The biscuit bowls are good, especially with egg and sausage in them. I’d like them better with some milk dumped on them, but that rarely happens. Better than those poor cats who eat LIVE mice! Why would anyone do such a thing?

We're both named after yummy desserts! Is there any particular meaning behind your name? 
Well, Truffles, when I first adopted Zoe, we cooked together all the time. The girl was green! She needed my help. She was about to serve a really bad pan of Crème Brulee to her boyfriend. I stopped her by walking through it. It was the least I could do. After that, she started calling me Crème Brulee. My first name was Tiffany – don’t tell anyone!

What kind of trouble do you get into in Death on Eat Street? 
I don’t get into trouble at all, Truffles! I have to work to keep dear Zoe out of trouble. Dead men in the food truck? I ask you – does that seem right? And I saved her life when – oops! I almost forgot. I can’t give away the plot. But I DID save her life!

Now onto some important cat stuff: do you have a favorite toy, food, and napping spot? 
My favorite toy is Zoe. She’s so much fun! I roll on my back, and she rubs my tummy. Food is easy – TUNA! Sometimes Zoe forgets that, and I have to remind her by not eating. She gets that cute little frown face, and gets me something decent to eat. My favorite napping spot is the front seat of the Biscuit Bowl food truck now. Zoe gave up our wonderful apartment with the big windows. She’s promised to find us something better once she’s on her feet. The food truck will do for now.

Any idea what your upcoming adventures will be? 
Oh, yes! Our second book in the Biscuit Bowl Food Truck Mysteries is FRY ANOTHER DAY. It takes place during a food truck race between Charlotte, North Carolina and my hometown of Mobile, Alabama. It’s fraught with intrigue, danger, and good cooking. I’m in the thick of things, of course. Right where I belong to keep Zoe safe. I can’t give you all the details, but I can tell you there is at least one murder – and Zoe becomes a roller skating-singing delivery girl at one point. And there’s the big kiss – oops! That’s it for now. It will be out in January 2015!

Thanks for interviewing me, Truffles. I read your blog all the time, you know. You have a way of getting right down to the basics, my dear. Seriously, you should have your own TV show! TTFN!


death on eat street

Death on Eat Street (Biscuit Bowl Food Truck)
BRAND NEW SERIES
COZY MYSTERY
Series: Biscuit Bowl Food Truck (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (April 1, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-0425263457
E-Book ASIN: B00F9EZAUW

Synopsis
Zoe Chase always wanted to own her own restaurant—but first, she’ll have to serve up a heaping helping of meals on wheels, with a side of mystery. When she’s once again passed over for a promotion at work, Zoe decides to take the big leap and go for her dream. She quits, gives up her fancy digs, and buys a fixer-upper diner in a shady part of town. To keep above water during the renovation, she buys a used food truck to serve the downtown and waterfront of Mobile, Alabama. Zoe starts to dish out classic Southern food—but her specialty is her deep-fried biscuit bowls that blow traditional bread bowls away. After a promising start, things start to go downhill faster than a food truck without brakes. First, someone tries to rob the cash register. Next, Zoe is threatened by the owner of a competing food truck for taking their spot. And when the owner ends up dead inside Zoe’s rolling restaurant, Zoe and her sole employee, Ollie, find themselves hopping out of the frying pan into the fryer. They need to find the real killer, before both of them get burned.

Mochas, Mysteries and Meows Review: Zoe Chase proves to everyone that she's in charge of her own life when she gives up her job as a banker to follow her dream of owning a restaurant. She buys a real fixer-upper with the intention to renovate it using the money she makes from her food truck. She's looking forward to the future until a competitor, Terry from Terry's Tacky Tacos is found dead in the front seat of her truck on her first day out.

This book is filled with colorful characters. Favorites include Zoe's Uncle Saul who lives on the swamp and potential love interest Miguel, a lawyer with a tragic past. Zoe's constant companion is her chubby tabby Persian Creme Brulee, who rides along with her in the food truck all day because he's afraid of the rats in the restaurant! He is grumpy and downright adorable, and ends up playing a key role in the apprehension of the killer.

While reading this I desperately wanted to try one of Zoe's deep-fried biscuit bowls! The descriptions of the various sweet and savory fillings had my mouth watering. This is a fantastic new culinary cozy series with a feisty, determined protagonist who I look forward to watching make her dreams come true.

About J.J. Cook
J.J. Cook writes award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, Joyce and Jim Lavene, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family. Visit them at www.jjcook.net.

Author Links
www.tellingstoriesthrupictures.blogspot.com
www.jjcook.net
@authorjlavenehttps://www.facebook.com/BiscuitBowlFoodTruckMysteries
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18492486-death-on-eat-street

Purchase Links
AMAZON       B&N      Book World

19 comments:

Life with Dogs and Cats said...

Food trucks are great. I used to eat at one called the Wok and Roll during college. The best vegetarian Chinese food ever.

--Purrs (and woofs) from Life with Dogs and Cats.

Unknown said...

I ate from a food truck once, it was okay. i can see how people like to eat from them: easy, convenient, decent food.

traveler said...

Food trucks are new for me. I would try one for sure. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

I haven't as yet tried a food truck but they are very popular. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I know there are food trucks in the general area, but I haven't managed to meet up with one, sadly.
libbydodd at comcastdot net

Rita Wray said...

No, I've never eaten from a food truck.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Cathy Keisha said...

If you’re from NYC, you definitely have eaten from a food truck.

Sue said...

No food trucks here in northern Minnesota, either. Another great interview, Truffles--you make me want to read this series and meet Creme Burlee.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

da tabbies o trout towne said...

truffles....ewe haz just hit on de eye dea oh de cent u ree ♥ ....a fancee feast food vehicle....ewe shuld contact FF & tell em bout thiz, they will name ewe CEO & CFO & give ewe keyz ta de plant we bet !!!!

Dru said...

That was a fun interview. They have food truck festivals in NYC. Awesome food.

Book of Secrets said...

Hi, Creme Brulee! I loved how you would give Zoe love bites and then lick her "wound." So sweet! Fun interview, Truffles. :-)

(Not an entry; I've read the book!)

Anonymous said...

Creme Brulee sounds like such a cutie! It takes a great kitty to save their people from bad cooking. Manna saves me from mine all the time. :)

M. K. Clinton said...

I love both of your names and the desserts that you were named after! The book sounds great and I love the cover!

Pawesome Cats said...

Great interview Truffles!

Patricia P. said...

I live in an area where there are zero food trucks, so,no I've never eaten at one. Would like to, though.

Karen B said...

I've never eaten at a food truck - none around here that I know of - but my son in Tampa swears by them!
kpbarnett1941@aol.com

Mark Baker said...

Food trucks are big here in Southern California, but I don't seem to eat at them too often. I have eaten from a taco truck a couple months back, however.

carstairs38 @ gmail dot com

Anita Yancey said...

I have never eaten food from a truck before. They don't really have them where I live. I would love to read this book. Thanks for having the giveaway.

ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com

cyn209 said...

I live in NYC.....food trucks are part of the scenery!!!
thank you for the giveaway!!

cyn209 at juno dot com