Launching A SCONE OF CONTENTION @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE:

 Yippee, A SCONE OF CONTENTION, the 11th book in the Key West food critic mystery series, is out today! I can’t wait for you to read it because I had so much fun writing it. Since you are my Jungle Red family, I thought you might be interested in some of the hidden backstory behind the new book. As you’ll see, the work starts years before the book is published.

 

At Governor Livingston Regional High School in New Jersey, named after Governor Livingston, the first governor of New Jersey and a signatory of the US constitution, our mascot was the Highlander. To continue carrying out the Scottish theme, the cheerleaders were dressed in short plaid skirts and sporty caps. I desperately wanted to be one of those girls. I did try out, but sadly, did not make the cut for the squad.

Lucy is facing the camera

In addition to the cheerleaders, my high school was proud to have the only all girl bagpipe band in the country, including highlander sword dancers and drummers and bagpipers. The Highlander girl piper costumes were authentically Scottish Highland pleated kilts in the Royal Stewart tartan, and a sporran that was worn dangling from the waist of the skirt. I dabbled with drumming for a couple of months, but it did not catch my enthusiasm. Next, I tried out for the sword dancing troop. This photo is of the team in action, with the bagpipers at the rear. Here’s another with me and my mom in 1970 or so, where you can see a few details of the costume. 

 

 Above is one of the sword dances that we often performed. I danced for a year or two, then moved on to editing the yearbook (called the Claymore, named after a Scottish Highlander sword) and singing in the chorale. I had never been to Scotland and I can’t remember feeling the urge to know more about the Highlander history and connection with our high school. In the summer of 2019, I went on a musically-oriented small group tour of Scotland with a few dear relatives and friends. I found the country to be gorgeous and fascinating, and wrangled permission from my editor to take Hayley and Nathan there on their honeymoon for the next book.

As I was writing A SCONE OF CONTENTION, I began to feel as though I'd come full circle. Hayley and Nathan and assorted friends and relations are in Scotland, where Nathan rocks a kilt, they eat their weight in scones, and Miss Gloria stars in a pivotal scene in Glencoe, in the Highlands. I only wish I had thought to add Highlander dancers to the plot (thunks head.) I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Question for the day: Have you traveled with a familiar series to a new setting? How did you like the change? (One that comes to my mind is Louise Penney’s ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE, in which the characters travel to Paris. I happen to adore Paris, so I loved this change! And of course, Deborah Crombie took Duncan and Gemma to the Cotswolds, and Rhys Bowen has taken her lady Georgie all over the place...

You can buy A Scone of Contention (Book 11 in the Key West food critic mystery series) wherever books are sold.

I have some fun (mostly virtual) events set up, each one different and special. Hope you can join me at one or more! They are all free but you'll need to sign up to get the link--and please support the indie bookstores who are hosting by buying books from them!

August 10, 7 pm, sponsored by RJ Julia in conversation with my sister Susan Cerulean, who was also on the Scotland trip. If you are local to Madison CT, I will be signing books in person that same day at 11 am at the store. Otherwise, email the store to obtain the Zoom link.

August 13, 7 pm, I'll be joining Ellen Byron, Deborah Goldstein, Jennifer Chow, and Libby Klein at Murder by the Book.

August 16 7 pm, Mary Cheney Library, 586 Main St, Manchester CT  860-643-2471 IN PERSON! But do call ahead and let them know you're coming.

8/18 Murder on the Beach chatting with our own Jenn McKinlay and Oline Cogdill, reviewer for the Sun Sentinel. 

8/19 Virtual event at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore with a wonderful crop of Crooked Lane authors including Ellen Byron, Carole Bugge, Betty Hechtman, and Audry Keown.