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One Feta in the Grave by Tina Kashian
A Kebab Kitchen Mystery Book 3
Kensington • February 26, 2019

As summer comes to an end in her Jersey Shore town, Lucy Berberian continues to manage her family’s Mediterranean restaurant. The Kebab Kitchen also has a food tent at this year’s beach festival. But now a local businessman is under the boardwalk—dead by the sea…

With a sand castle contest and live music, Ocean Crest bids a bittersweet farewell to tourist season. Summer will return next year…but Archie Kincaid won’t. The full-of-himself store owner has been fatally shot, soon after a screaming match with Lucy’s best friend. Katie’s far from the only suspect, though, since Archie had some bitter rivals—as well as some relationships no one knew about. It’s up to Lucy to look into some seedy characters and solve the case before the wrong person gets skewered…

Recipes included!

Fast Five with Tina Kashian

Hi, Tina! Thank you so much for stopping by Brooke Blogs today to chat. I am thrilled to have you here to answer my Fast Five Interview Questions. Congratulations on your newest release, One Feta in the Grave!

Hi, Brooke! Thank you for featuring me on your blog. I’m excited to be here.

1) What does a typical day look like for you? Do you write every day?
After I help my two girls get on the bus for school, I sit at my computer. I check email first, then I start writing. But I’m just like everyone else and some days I can work well and others…well…the word count doesn’t happen or I’m pulled away by friends and family. But I love to write and have lots of new ideas of books in the works.

2) If you could spend time with one of your characters, who would you choose and what would you do together?

I really love my amateur sleuth, Lucy Berberian, and would enjoy spending a day with her. Lucy is now the manager of her family’s Mediterranean restaurant, Kebab Kitchen, at the Jersey shore. I grew up in the restaurant business where my Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years in South Jersey. Also, I’ve always vacationed at the Jersey shore and take my girls there every summer.

If I spent a day with Lucy, I’d love to spend the day on the beach. We’d visit the boardwalk and eat pizza, then indulge in fudge and salt water taffy at one of the many candy stores. In the evening, we’d hang out at Kebab Kitchen and indulge in the hummus bar as an appetizer and then eat shish kebab. We’d have fun chatting with the waitstaff, the customers, and Lucy’s boyfriend and head chef, Azad.

3) What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I’m spending time with my two girls after school. I’m like every other parent, and chauffeur them to their activities, soccer or swim team practice, piano lessons, etc. I also love to spend family time watching movies. I enjoy cooking and date nights out with my hubby, too.

4) What type of research did you do for One Feta in the Grave?

Because I grew up in the restaurant business, I used my own experiences when writing those scenes. I worked almost every job in the family business—rolling silverware and wiping down tables as a tween, to hosting and waitressing as a teenager. The tips paid for my prom gown.

Also, my summers at the Jersey shore came in handy. I’ve walked the boardwalks and beaches many times. I felt the sand between my toes, pictured the seagulls soaring above the water, and heard the calming sounds of the ocean waves as I wrote.

Thankfully, I do not have any experience murdering someone. I had to research the forensics to make the murder believable. There is also a boardwalk psychic and I had fun researching how to read tarot cards.

5) What is your favorite part of being a cozy mystery author?

I love plotting my books. It’s so much fun. Even my family gets involved when I’m plotting how to murder a villain and come up with a list of suspects. The writing can be hard, but it is also very gratifying when the book is finished.

Thank you again for featuring me!

Thank you again for visiting Brooke Blogs! I know my readers will enjoy reading your answers as much as I will.

About the Author

Tina Kashian is an attorney and a former mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. Tina spent her childhood summers at the Jersey shore building sandcastles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business, as her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. Tina’s books have been Barnes & Noble top picks, and the first book in her Kebab Kitchen Mediterranean mystery series, Hummus and Homicide, spent six weeks on the B&N bestseller list. Please visit her website at www.tinakashian.com to join her newsletter, receive delicious recipes, enter contests, and more!

You can also connect with Tina at:
Website: www.tinakashian.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TinaKashianAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TinaKashian1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinakashian/