Josi Avari - Murder, Mystery and Chickens

Josi Avari is a mountain girl who found the ocean. She discovered the inspiration for the Aloha Chicken Mysteries while on a writing retreat in a cozy little Hawaiian paradise where she met a feral hen and her chicks. As our Author of the Day, she tells us about her book, Nest Egg.

What inspired you to write a murder mystery featuring an amateur sleuth and chickens?

I was staying on Oahu and a little family of feral chickens was living in the front yard. Every morning I watched the hen bring her little chicks out to scratch in the island sunshine, and the idea was hatched.

Why did you pick Hawaii as the backdrop for your story?

Mostly because I love Hawaii--its beautiful scenery, its diverse plants and animals and fish, and the ocean surrounding it. It's a place that holds power and mystery all its own. A perfect setting for mysteries.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I've kept chickens for fifteen years--I had a backyard flock before it was trendy! And I love to hike and travel. I think I have a secret cooking superpower--I love to experiment in the kitchen!

Interesting cover. Please tell us more about how this came about.

The covers are actually based on the Aloha Shirts, with each cover's unique fabric pattern giving clues about major items or themes in that book. The other major element of the book covers are the title letters. The type of each book forms a pictorial image of the title. As you see in Nest Egg the letters form an egg, in the next book the title "Hen Party" is in the shape of a hen.

This is book 1 of a series. Can it be read as a standalone? How do the other books in the series tie in with this one?

Each book in the series contains its own mystery, which is solved by the last page. However, there are some fun overarching plotlines that carry through the whole series, so readers will want to read on and see what happens!

What did you have the most fun with when writing this story?

The chickens, the delicious food, and the quirky small-town characters. Chickens each have their own personalities, and that was a lot of fun to explore as I created each chicken character in the book. As I said, I love to cook, and including delicious dishes from the islands was delightful. I used many of my own favorite recipes and even invented some new ones for the series.

Tell us more about Saffron. What makes her tick?

Saffron is a tetrachromat. She can see more colors than most people. That helps her solve mysteries, and it also gives her a unique take on brilliant, colorful Hawaii.

Do you have any interesting writing habits, what is an average writing day like for you?

I write from five to seven o'clock in the morning. That is when my ideas are the freshest, my imagination is the keenest, and my kids are asleep.

What are you working on right now?

The final books of this series and the beginning books of two more cozy mystery series are in the works.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

My website; is AlohaChickenMysteries.com and my Facebook page is Author Josi Avari.