Interview with Sal Casamassima, Author of Cafe Brulot

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

The real answer to this question resides with my first book, Black Velvet, which is now part of the Theo Holmes Murder Mystery Series. The inspiration behind my second book, Café Brûlot, is to create the series and continue the development of my characters. Black Velvet, however, is where it all began.

In my prior life as an attorney, my writing experience was confined to drafting legal documents, and I never wrote anything resembling a book. Following my retirement, I frequently annoyed my daughter by expressing a latent desire to write a mystery novel. In an attempt to stop my endless banter, she told me to put up or shut up by taking on the NaNoWriMo challenge—completing a 50,000-word novel in a month. I failed, of course, to complete the required word count, but was bitten by the writing bug and trudged forward to complete my first book. Having survived the experience, I decided to move forward with book #2, Café Brûlot.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?

Black Velvet’s title is a song that’s directly connected to the crime being solved in the book. The song is an homage to Elvis Presley, first performed by Alannah Myles. You can check out the great Myles video of the song by going to the video page on my newly launched website, SalCasamassima.com. Scroll down and you will see the YouTube link to her video. It will serve as a prologue to Black Velvet.

Café Brûlot is not a song (it’s a great coffee drink). However, if the book had background music, it would be filled with New Orleans jazz and electric Cajun Zydeco. Because Café Brûlot is loaded with references to the delicious Creole and Cajun food of South Louisiana, the song I’d pick to best represent the book and its characters would be the Hank Williams classic Jambalaya (On the Bayou). I can taste the jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo just listening to the song.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

The two questions are a bit in conflict with each other. All but the most talented authors select a genre in which they are capable of writing a book. I might be able to dabble in science fiction or horror, but I could not write a romance novel to save my life. Although I really like most literary fiction, I am excluded from writing in that genre since it implies exquisite character development, artistic prose, and deep, meaningful themes—stuff reserved for the likes of Steinbeck and Hemingway. So, I stick to a genre that I can do without embarrassing myself.

To answer the first question, I’m genre-agnostic. One litmus test I have is that great books often translate into great movies or plays. Think The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, The Exorcist, The Godfather, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Old Man and the Sea, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Silence of the Lambs, Forrest Gump, The Shining—the list is endless. These great books and the movies derived from them crisscross multiple genres. They are all great reads.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

All Sherlock Holmes books, regardless of whether I’ve read them before. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is probably turning in his grave because I had the audacity and chutzpah to write murder mystery novels about Sherlock’s great-great-grandson, Theo Holmes, without reading all of his Sherlock books. I also need to revisit Agatha Christie’s classic mysteries, as one of my characters is the fictional president of the San Diego Agatha Christie fan club. I do not want Miss Marple coming after me with one of her sharpened knitting needles.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Ooh, this is a tough one, as I have several favorites. In answering the question, I’m eliminating all scenes that might be spoilers to anyone reading this interview. I’m also tightening my interpretation of the question, because it doesn’t ask for my favorite scene, but rather my favorite to write. I therefore selected a scene from each book that I personally experienced.

In Black Velvet, Holmes illustrates what triggers a serial killer by showing his Minpin dog, Loofy, attacking a toy Meerkat. This scene is based on my dog, Zuzu, being triggered by the same innocent Meerkat. You can see this scene in action by going to the video page on my newly launched website, SalCasamassima.com. It’s video #13, and you will see my cute little dog turn into a killer.

In Café Brûlot, my favorite scene derives from the title of the book and my personal experience seeing this drink being made at the great New Orleans restaurant, Commander’s Palace, which is also featured in the book. The making of this drink merits its own video that you can also see on my website video page, next to the Alannah Myles video. When this drink was made for me and my daughter, the restaurant suddenly became silent. All eyes were fixated on this mystical concoction as the flaming orange rind and sparking cinnamon cloves put on a show. By the way, the drink is simply delicious.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

A huge one. Although my background and personality might lead one to believe I’m a plotter, I am not. I’m a hardcore pantser, meaning I write my books by the seat of my pants—totally ad lib. I begin writing my books without a final script or outline in mind. I know how the book starts (with a murder), but I don’t have a clue how the mystery gets solved.

I have conversations with my characters, leaving it to my protagonists to solve the case for me. I’m their stenographer and simply type what they are speaking or thinking. That’s why I mainly use present tense. This approach sounds loony, but it is an antidote to writer’s block—something I never experience.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

This question prompted me to come up with a motto. Think big, have fun, and challenge yourself. Life is short, so don’t waste time sweating the small stuff.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Holmes's lack of bias. He’s genetically incapable of judging anyone by their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other feature over which we humans have no control. His focus is solving crimes and doing so as quickly as possible. When he hires Delaney Watson, who is trans, as his assistant, she believes she’s totally unqualified for the job. Holmes sees her through a different lens and recognizes her great instinct and intuition. and interpersonal skills. He hires her for the content of her character. What a novel idea.