Meet Joanne Fluke

-- How did you start writing food mysteries?

My editor at Kensington, John Scognamiglio, asked me if I’d like to try my hand at writing a cozy mystery series. I asked him what that was, he explained, and as he was explaining I remember that book I’d tried to sell years ago. It contained many of my family’s cookie recipes and I had been very disappointed when it hadn’t been published. I asked John if I could put recipes in my cozy mysteries, he said yes, and Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar in Lake Eden, Minnesota, was born.

-- How did you come up with the idea of a murder based on different dishes? When you started, did you envision a long-running series? How many books do you plan for the series?

When I started writing the Hannah Swensen series, I limited myself to cookie and bar cookie recipes. When the first book did well, John and I discussed it and we decided to branch out to desserts. Gradually, since Hannah entertained her two boyfriends so often for dinner, the books began to include main dishes and quick breads.

-- Have you always been a cook? What are your favorite dishes to serve others?

I’m not like Hannah Swensen’s mother, Delores, I DO cook and bake. I started baking when I was four years old by stirring the bowl for my mother and grandmother. They encouraged me and I kept it up, all through high school and college. Whenever I get a hankering for a particular dessert, main dish, or bread, I experiment and come up with something. We’ve eaten some great meals throughout the years and I’ve also had some colossal failures. A word to the wise; Don’t put tomato soup in a tuna casserole! The night I tried that, we called out for pizza.

Attempting to choose my favorite dishes is difficult. It makes me too hungry! But because you asked me, I’ll give it a try. I have two favorite cookies, Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies in Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, and the new cookie that will be published in RASPBERRY DANISH MURDER, Chocolate Butterscotch Crunch Cookies. My favorite main dish is John Brady’s Irish Chili in Sugar Cookie Murder, my favorite pie is the Lemon Meringue Pie in Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, and my favorite bread recipe is the one for Blue Apple Muffins in Blackberry Pie Murder. My favorite cakes are Red Devil’s Food Cake in Devil’s Food Cake Murder and the Cherry Cheesecake in Cherry Cheesecake Murder. And because I didn’t mention bar cookies, my favorite is the Double Fudge Brownies in Double Fudge Brownie Murder.

You’ll have to excuse me for a second. I’m going to preheat the oven because I’m really getting hungry!

-- You’ve cooked many cookies for fans. How did that start? Do fans cook for you?

I began bringing cookies to book signings and book fairs from the very beginning. It just seemed like a natural thing to do. I don’t do that as much as I used to because it’s not easy to travel with cookies or anything that can crumble or break.

The Hannah fans occasionally bake for me and bring yummy things to book signings. They generally accompany their baked goods with a favorite family recipe. If I really like the recipe, I’ll use it in a Hannah book, but I always give credit to the Hannah fan who gave it to me. If you see that Hannah got a recipe from Genevieve, an old friend she knew in college, or from Lisa’s cousin, Toby, and those names don’t belong to any characters in the books, you’ll know that I received those particular recipes from Hannah fans named Genevieve and Toby.

-- What was it like having your books made into TV movies? Any surprises?

It was wonderful to actually see Hannah on the screen. And even though Alison Sweeney is not a redhead and she isn’t overweight, she’s completely believable as the “movie” Hannah. The whole cast and crew are incredibly talented and I couldn’t be happier. At first, the Hannah fans were anxious about the differences between the characters in the books and the movie characters, but after the first movie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery, aired on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, they emailed to say that they thought it was just as wonderful as I did. With such a talented cast and crew, the Hannah movies are like a dream come true for all of us.

--Did they make more Hannah movies?

Yes. They’ve done three so far, Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery, Plum Pudding Mystery, and Peach Cobbler Mystery. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there will be many more movies in the Hannah Swensen franchise.

-- What do you think makes the cozy mystery genre so popular with readers? Do all of your books include a romance thread?

I think one of the reason that cozy mysteries are so popular is that people need a chance to get away from the everyday trials and tribulations of their lives. Cozy mysteries are set in a kinder, gentler world (except for the murders, of course). There’s a little humor, a little romance, and a little jeopardy, but everything always turns out all right in the end.

-- What’s your favorite thing about writing food-themed mysteries?

My favorite part is testing the recipes. I always make them at least three times and they must turn out perfectly all three times to be included in a Hannah book. After I test them, my son’s girlfriend tests them. My dear friend Trudi tests certain recipes for me. Trudi and I have great fun talking about the various common and unusual ingredients we might combine to come up with something delicious.

-- What’s next in the series? And beyond?

The next book in the series is RASPBERRY DANISH MURDER which will be released on February 27, 2018. Then there’s CHRISTMAS CAKE MURDER coming in October 2018. We’ve already got our plans ready for a Hannah mystery in 2019 and my editor and I have decided on the title. It will be CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE MURDER. I’m experimenting with Hannah’s version of that pie right now.

-- Anything else you’d like to add?

I think we’ve covered everything. And now, I’m going off to the kitchen to bake a Chocolate Cream Pie.