It’s been nearly ten years since I founded Meez, and in that time hundreds of people have shared their stories with me. I love hearing what’s happening in your lives and how, in a small way, Meez has helped make it a little easier and a lot more fun.
Today I’m sharing some news of my own: I’m a mystery writer in addition to being an entrepreneur, and my first novel comes out in just a few days!
Murder in the Piazza follows Maggie White, a middle-aged American newly arrived in Rome on her husband’s expat assignment. She’s spent the last twenty years juggling career and family, but now her kids are in college and she’s been downsized from the high-powered job that gave her an identity. She thinks offering painting instruction to well-heeled travelers on a luxury tour will unlock the secret to living the dolce vita, then she discovers her boss shot dead in his penthouse. And when the police discover the dead man was blackmailing Maggie, she finds herself the prime suspect.
Murder in the Piazza has gotten some really lovely pre-publication reviews from Kirkus and authors who I respect enormously, and I hope that it will bring a little joy to my readers in the same way Meez brings joy our diners.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Order the book! Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon
- Join my mailing list! Be the first to get news, updates and special invitations
- Special for Meez customers! Enter to win a bundle of books from my favorite mystery bookstore
Thank you for making Meez a part of your family and for joining me as I embark on this new journey.
Happy cooking! (And happy reading!)
– Jen
Jen, you might like this story.
A Meez Meal Goes Awry
It is 11 am and the Meez Meal arrives – Asian BBQ Salmon with cabbage and carrots. Mid-afternoon I ask my son to come over and help us move a couch. A half hour later a change of plans, I told my son no need to do it today. It is 4:30 and I lay out the Meez Meal – four packages easy breezy. I’ll be ready to cook in 30 minutes. My son calls at 4:40 and says he and two of our grandsons (ages 7 and 3) are coming over to move the couch. Oh, and the boys will be hungry.
We have frozen hot dogs and some Hawaiian buns. Kids’ food. Our dinner is on hold, we are defrosting hot dogs and buns. My son and grandsons arrive at 5:10 and one goes to the basement for the Lincoln Logs and one goes to the family room and pulls out the barn, jungle animals, play school, and police helicopter. Yes, they all work together. We do move the couch out to the garage for a Salvation Army pickup. And my son informs us he will be back at 6:30 with his other 9 year old son. (Baseball practice is over then).
We cook hot dogs for the boys first (extra dogs for the 9 year old) and the Meez meal sits back in the frig. The boys wolf down the hot dogs and go back to their toys. We decided to cook and eat in the temporary quiet. While I’m preparing and cooking, my wife decides the boys need another activity. She breaks out the snakes – 20 rubber snakes. SNAKE HUNT IS ON. My wife (grandma) and one grandson hides the snakes, the other grandson tries to find them. I read the recipe and start cooking. It is easy breezy if I tune out the snake hunt. Believe it or not, we enjoy the dinner while the boys are queuing up for another snake hunt. I clean up the kitchen and put some salmon cabbage leftovers aside.
At 6:35 my son and our 9 year old grandson arrived and quickly hit the food. My son finishes the leftover salmon and cabbage (“pretty good Dad”) and the 9 year old polishes off 2 hot dogs. Then all three grandsons actually talk to us about school and e-learning. My son soon announces “hey guys, we need to go home. Mom has dinner for us…”. And you know, it was a good night, we are blessed but tired grandparents.
Jim Sullivan
jsully1558@gmail.com