We chat with author Mia P. Manansala about Guilt and Ginataan, which is the next delectably deadly installment in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series where Manansala authentically writes a young Filipina heroine who faces real, relatable issues as she solves mysteries a refreshing take on the cosy genre!
Hi, Mia! Welcome back! It’s been almost three years since we last spoke, what have you been up to?
The same thing I’m always up to: writing, eating, and playing video games. I’ve also been working on my tarot reading skills, both for myself (it’s part of my self-care/journaling practice) and also as research for my new YA series.
Guilt and Ginataan is the fifth installment in your Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Corny, both literally and figuratively (…it takes place at a corn festival)
For those who haven’t picked up the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, what can they expect?
My books are light-hearted, humorous mysteries centered around a family-owned Filipino restaurant as well as the café that my protagonist opens with her two best friends. As such, you can expect tons of mouth-watering food and drinks, family drama, nosy aunties, ride-or-die BFFs, a shocking amount of dead bodies for such a small town, and the cutest little wiener dog named Longganisa.
And for readers who have, what’s to come in Guilt and Ginataan?
I decided to get real Midwest with my setting and figured what’s more fun than dropping a dead body in a corn maze? This time, Lila’s bestie and business partner, Adeena, is being framed for the murder of a local politician’s wife and it’s up to Lila and her crew to clear her name.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Exploring the dynamic between Lila (my protagonist) and Elena (Adeena’s girlfriend and the third partner at the Brew-ha Café) was SO interesting. I already find friendship dynamics fascinating, but when you’re a trio that not only owns a business together but two of the members are dating…well, that’s bound to get messy, don’t you think?
The food! Can you tell us about some of the mouth-watering food featured in the new installment?
Ginataan refers to any food cooked in coconut milk, both sweet and savory, so it’s more a cooking style than a particular dish. Since this book centers around the Shady Palms Corn Festival, there are plenty of corn and/or coconut-milk based dishes represented.
One of my favorite Filipino comfort foods, ginataang mais, shows up in two different forms: the traditional porridge of glutinous rice and corn cooked in coconut milk and sugar, as well as a fusion take where I use the flavors from ginataang mais to put my own spin on Hawaiian butter mochi. The ginataang mais butter mochi has become one of my family’s favorite recipes since I first tested it on them.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing Guilt and Ginataan?
The same challenge I’m sure anyone who writes a series faces: How can I keep this book fresh and interesting for both me and the reader while still hitting all the beats that make my series what it is? It’s a balancing act between what satisfies me, a writer who wants to keep learning and getting better, and my readers, who are seeking a particular type of comfort in my books.
What’s next for you?
My YA debut, DEATH IN THE CARDS, comes out May 13, 2025, and the 6th book in my Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, DEATH AND DINGUAN, comes out Fall 2025.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on in 2025?
Books I enjoyed this year:
- The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai, translated by Jesse Kirkwood
- Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar
- Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
- Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett
- The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong (haven’t read this yet since it comes out Nov 5, but highly anticipated!)
2025 books:
- The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao
- Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura
- The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed
- A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera
- Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
