Valerie Burns interviews Madison Montgomery from ICING ON THE MURDER

From Agatha and Edgar Award nominated author Valerie Burns, influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder first…

Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.

Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.

While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.

Valerie Burns interview Madison Montgomery from ICING ON THE MURDER

Me: Hi Maddy

Maddy: Hello.

Me: I see you brought your English mastiff, Baby. That’s great.

Maddy: Yeah, Baby loves meeting new people. Plus, he’s very photogenic. Would you mind if I took a picture with you, two?

Me: I’d love a picture. My two toy poodles may be jealous, but Baby is adorable.

Maddy pulls out her phone and snaps the picture. Her thumbs move across the keyboard like lightning. Moments later, my phone chimes as I’m tagged in the photo. #BabyLovesAndInterview #AuthorsAndMastiffs #WomenWritersWomensBooks

Me: Great! Now, Baby is an unusual name for a 250 lb dog. How did you two get together and is there a story behind the name?

Maddy: Baby belonged to my Great Aunt Octavia. She was a huge fan of Frank Sinatra. Baby’s registered name is Champion Crooner Ol’ Blue Eyes, One for My Baby. His Call name or nickname is Baby.

Me: That’s hilarious to think of this massive dog with a name like Baby.

Baby rolls over on his back with his paws in the air and wiggles his body, scratching his back with his head lolled to one side and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Maddy: As you can see, he’s a big goof ball who lives up to his name. (Maddy snaps another photo) #BabyBeingABaby 

Me: Okay, so Baby belonged to your Great Aunt Octavia, but how did you come to have him?

Maddy: Well, it’s a funny story. At least, I can laugh about it now. You see, I’m a social media influencer and a bit of a fashionista. I was also engaged to the absolutely WRONG man. He was a no show to our livestreamed wedding, and I was humiliated.

Me: Ouch!

Maddy: I was mortified. All I wanted was to find a rock to crawl under so I could hide until the media attention died down. That’s when I learned that I had inherited a house, a bakery, and Baby from my Great Aunt Octavia in New Bison, Michigan.

Me: Wow! I’m sorry to hear about your great aunt, but the rest of your inheritance sounds wonderful. Do you like to bake?

Maddy: Actually, I couldn’t even boil water when I moved to New Bison. In all honesty, I planned to sell everything and return to Los Angeles, triumphant. But, Great Aunt Octavia’s will stipulated in order to inherit, I had to live in the house, run the bakery, and keep Baby for one year.

Me: That had to be a bit of a challenge for someone who couldn’t boil water.

Maddy: Thankfully, Great Aunt Octavia had two great bakers, Leroy Danielson and Hannah Portman. Plus, she left me copies of her recipes.

Me: Portman? Isn’t that the name of your fiancé?

Maddy: Yes. Hannah is my fiancé’s grandmother. So, if it hadn’t been for Elliott running out on our wedding, I would never have found my way to New Bison and met Mr. RIGHT.

Me: I’m glad things turned out so well. Will you have another livestream wedding?

Maddy: NO! Michael and I will have a tasteful, but smaller wedding at the Carson Law Inn with our closest friends and family. Although. . . planning a wedding is a bit daunting. There are so many decisions. 

Me: I can only imagine. At least owning a bakery, should make choosing the cake easier.

Maddy: The cake is about the only thing I’m sure about. It’s everything else that keeps me awake at night. Who knew there were so many ways to fold napkins? And I waffle between ladderback and Chiavari chairs. Ugh! I feel so overwhelmed.

Me: Yikes! Do you have someone to help?

Maddy: I have some good friends, Sheriff April Johnson and Candy Hurston Rivers who are helping. Plus, there’s a bridal expo coming to New Bison. I should be able to get an idea of what’s available in the area. (Smiles, leans close, and whispers). I heard from a friend of a friend that Seraphina is going to be there.

Me: Seraphina?

Maddy: Seraphina! She’s the wedding planner of the rich and famous. She’s planned weddings for Austrian royalty, A-list celebrities, an Arab sheik, and even two past presidents. Last year, she planned a wedding at an ice cave in Greenland, and the year before that she planned a wedding on an active volcano. She’s brilliant! 

Me: Wow, an active volcano sounds impressive. It also sounds expensive.

Maddy: She is, but according to the grapevine, Seraphina is going to choose one lucky bride and groom to win her services for their entire wedding. And, I intend to do whatever I have to do to win, even if I have to knock off all of the other competitors.

Me: Well, that sounds like this contest might be deadly.

Maddy: (Shrugs) All’s fair when it comes to love, war, and weddings.

BUY ICING ON THE MURDER HERE

—Valerie (V.M.) Burns is an acclaimed mystery writer and a finalist for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Baker Street Mystery, Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Bailey the Bloodhound Mysteries. A member of Sisters in Crime and Crime Writers of Color, Valerie is also an adjunct professor at Seton Hill University.

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers