Behind the story of Framed and Frosted by Kim Davis

Framed and Frosted and reality

“When I sit down to write,” Kim said, “I have an entertaining story in mind that provides escape from the pressing needs of life. We all need some escapism, right? Especially after this past year! However, as I wrote the book over the course of several months, my ire of what I’d heard on the news, read on friends’ social media posts, or experienced in my life, seeped into the story which influences how my protagonist reacts.”

In Framed and Frosted, several issues influenced Kim’s writing. A resident of a wealthy county in coastal Southern California, Kim said she doesn’t ’fit in’ with the entitled, “It’s difficult to avoid overhearing or seeing how they view the less fortunate members of our community or those that are ‘different’ than they are. In this book, prejudices against minorities make an appearance, not only in the form of the catering assistant accused of murder, but, also, somewhat against the new detective investigating the case.”

Kim also noted that the way women are sometimes mistreated, especially in situations where a man might have been drunk. “Society is getting better at acknowledging the problem, but we still have a long way to go. My protagonist, Emory, assisting her sister in catering an elite Fourth of July party, becomes a target of the host. She’s caught between a rock and a hard place because her sister, in dire financial straits, desperately needs favorable reviews and future business from the attendees. Yet she feels she needs to take a stand against the manhandling. It’s a conundrum so many women face, especially in the service industry.”

Who doesn’t love a holiday?

“I love themed books, whether they are holidays, parties, or community events. Trying to guestimate how long it would take to write and edit my book (it was a close call to finishing on time!) I decided on a Fourth of July theme. I adore fireworks (our area has a ton of firework events) and with a plethora of events going on, I knew it would give my protagonist an opportunity to find a new victim… err… murder to solve without killing off a core character or a previous character. I also like the idea of karma and in my book, the victim isn’t a nice person to begin with, not that he deserves to die. Still, it’s easier to accept the death of someone like that versus an innocent.”

Up close and personal

Kim said her Twitter tagline describes her well: writer, baker, recipe maker. Those talents are all squeezed into the time she’s not with her granddaughters. “I have a special needs granddaughter I spend three days a week with. Her high school-aged sister is busy, like all teen girls are, but I still try to find time around her schedule to keep in touch. They’ve always been my first priority so while I like to write and blog, it can often be sporadic. I think, too, that having a special needs child in your life helps a person find empathy with the community. I hope my protagonist reflects some of that in my story.”

Like everyone else, Kim found her life impacted by the events of 2020, including shutdowns and worries about her family’s health. “It was difficult to focus on crafting this story. With school out for such a long time, I had my granddaughter 3 full days a week. Between my blogging schedule, along with routine household chores (just how many stores did I have to visit to find that elusive pack of TP?!?!) I rarely found time to get the writing done. When it looked like there was hope for some normalcy in the form of the vaccine, I decided that if I wanted to move forward with the Fourth of July theme, then I had to finish the book. So, I buckled down and wrote over 60,000 words in 30 days… which is HUGE for me. I generally aim for 500 words a day five days a week when I keep a consistent writing schedule. Now all I need to do is find that kind of determination for the next book!”

It’s all about the food (cupcakes)

Kim said food, especially cupcakes, is a central part of Framed and Frosted. A few years ago, Kim started a cupcake cookbook based on unique cocktails flavors. “I managed to create about 30 cupcake recipes, often with multiple tries required to get each recipe perfected. As you can imagine, my family couldn’t consume all those cupcakes by ourselves. Instead, I’d load up my pink cupcake carrier once or twice a week and my husband would take them to his golf game to pass out. By the time I had finished with the recipes and my blog, Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder had expanded and inspired me, I decided to feature them in a series of cozy mysteries, instead of a standalone cookbook.”

While baking, Kim likes to figure out plotlines. It’s a process she describes as a win-win situation for everyone. But there was one time when the win-win was almost a disaster.

“One of the recipes I experimented with called for Fireball Whiskey. My first attempt with the cupcakes resulted in a whoosh of blue flames which flambéed the cupcakes when I opened the oven. Fortunately, nothing in the kitchen caught fire although my husband went out and bought not one, but two fire extinguishers just in case it happened again.”

Learn more about Kim Davis and Framed and Frosted at kimdavisauthor.com. Did you like this interview? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.