Dear Friendly Readers,

The biggest news this past month was that A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS won the gold medal in popular fiction from the Florida Book Awards. As you can imagine, I am honored and thrilled!

When not basking in the glow of the award this month, I’ve been working full-bore on my 15th Key West Food critic mystery, my 23rd, or is it the 24th book altogether? Wouldn’t you think by now that I know how to write one? But each story develops differently. As a brand-new writer, I tried to map everything out in a giant outline, because I really had no idea how to make a mystery plot come together. As I’ve grown in experience and confidence, I’ve gotten comfortable launching a book with a big idea, or a startling character development, or something new about Key West that I want to highlight. As I figure out the bones of the story, I can plot ahead and make sure my motives and suspects and red herrings are tucked in where they should be.

After I finished A POISONOUS PALATE, which has two timelines, and one heck of an exciting denouement, it was hard to think of a bigger plot. So I had the idea of blowing a boat up right off Mallory Square. My librarian friend Michael Nelson wondered if I was plotting a cozy mass murder? No, it isn’t that, but it starts out with a bang—literally! More to come on that story…

I’m embarking on a new project too. (Really Lucy, do you need another job?) Do you remember the scenes in the Key West Woman’s Club from the 12th book, A DISH TO DIE FOR? It’s a beautiful historic building on Duval Street, and I’ve been getting more involved with this group of powerhouse women. I will be helping them over the summer with a revised edition of the Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook, which was very much a central plot point, in A DISH TO DIE FOR.

For the August book, A POISONOUS PALATE, the Netgalley edition is available if you read and review for them. Otherwise, I’d be terribly grateful if you consider pre-ordering! Pre-orders make a big difference in what the publishers decide about next books. I will also have a Key West cookbook coming out in July—LUCY BURDETTE’S KITCHEN available on Netgalley as well.

That’s it for now—back to the keyboard. I hope you will enjoy some lovely April weather, and lots of good books. Thanks so much for reading!

Love, Lucy

PS: for this month’s sweet treat, please enjoy what might be my best chocolate frosting recipe ever!

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