Spotlight/Author Interview-Another Man's Poison

About the book (provided by Great Escapes Tours)

Crime reporter Colleen Caruso has an appetite for romance…and trouble. When someone tries to poison Ken Rhodes (her handsome boss and boyfriend), Colleen vows to hunt down the culprit and serve them up to the police. She’s whisked away into the scrumptious world of restaurants and gourmet food as she tangles with four culinary divas from Ken’s past.

Trouble is, Colleen doesn’t know when to turn down the heat.

Is this Jersey Girl’s investigation a recipe for disaster?

Or will the poisoner get their just desserts?

Author Interview

Hello Jo-Anne Welcome  I am delighted to have you visit the blog!

What an enjoyable way to spend time! Thanks for allowing me to visit, Sherry!


I am looking forward to reading  Another Man’s Poison for The Great Escapes Tour.
Is this your first tour with Lori at Great Escapes?

This is my second time around with Lori. The folks at Great Escapes always schedule such fun and interesting stops on a blog tour. The result is pure entertainment and I learn so much from readers when they leave comments.

Before we get into the new book I have a few fun questions.  At least I hope they are fun!

Do you have any little guilty pleasures that you indulge in when you writing?

I play music when I write. It's generally rock (what I guess most people would refer to as "Oldies") because that's the music that makes my brain come alive. Not that I'm old -- okay, who am I kidding? -- but the fast tempo really gets me into the writing groove. I also drink lots of coffee, but that's not a guilty pleasure; it's more of a necessity. I don't want to doze off in the middle of good scene and drool on the keyboard!

Which is more intriguing as a place to write.   A private island?  A cabin in the woods?
The busy city?    Have you ever written in any of these places?

Though I've never written in any of the places mentioned, I think a cabin in the woods would probably be the most productive place to write. The quiet location, surrounded by nature for inspiration, would certainly help the writing process.

The Jersey Girl series sounds fun.  I am wondering does the reader need to start the series from the beginning?

All the books could be read as stand-alones, but the main character, Colleen Caruso, has grown so much since the first book. I think readers would get a charge out of how she's gone from an insecure mom and newspaper stringer, to a flawed-yet-confident mother and a competent, hard-nosed reporter. 

Are you a Jersey girl?

I am a Jersey Girl! I have moxey and unruly hair -- a solid combination for solving crimes and facing a cruel world. I like to think every woman has a pinch of Jersey Girl in her DNA. 

Is there a little ‘you’ in Colleen?

There is mostly me in Colleen Caruso! How totally embarrassing! When my newspaper editor finished reading the first book, she sent me an email saying: Oh my God! She's you, Jo-Ann! Right down to the expressions you always use and the newspaper files you can never locate to attach to the emails for a story. I'd recognize you anywhere!

And in times of turmoil, I take great comfort in a gin and tonic with a slice of lime -- just like Colleen Caruso. Obviously, I write what I know.

I’m curious does Colleen have any sidekicks that help her solve crimes?

Colleen has several go-to people to help when she's on the hunt for clues. Her best friend, Bevin Thompson, will usually accompany her if the snooping might be dicey or dangerous, and her younger sister, Kate, can always be counted on -- as a last resort! As with many kid-sisters, she is a bit of a ditz. There is also a very young cop who views Colleen as a mom-type who gets in way over her head when she investigates for her crime column. He serves as her "Deep Throat" anonymous source for her newspaper stories.

If you were to have a little time for a chit chat with one of the cast who would you choose?   What would you serve?  Coffee, tea a glass of wine?

My chat would be with Ken Rhodes, Colleen's love interest. He's a man of mystery and Colleen has to dig deep to unravel his past -- as she does in Another Man's Poison. He can be tight-lipped, but I'd ply him with lots of scotch -- his beverage of choice.

If you were to transplant Colleen what city would you send her?

I could see Colleen leaving Tranquil Harbor, her current town, and taking up residence in Atlantic City. She would still live near the ocean in New Jersey, and she'd be in close proximity to slot machines -- the perfect activity for a long afternoon or evening.

You’ve gotten me really interested!  I can’t to receive my copy!

I hope you enjoy Another Man's Poison, Sherry!

Now that this one is on the shelves can you give us a little sneak peek at what your working on?

I'm considering a fourth in the Jersey Girl series (I already know who will be murdered and the odd location where the body is found), but at the moment I'm mapping out an entirely different series, with age twenty-something main characters. It takes place, where else? -- on the Jersey shore.

Congratulations on the new book!

Thanks so much. I'm thrilled to be stopping by My Reading Journeys for a heart to heart chat, Sherry.

Thanks so much for chatting today.  I hope you have a Great tour!

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