Returning to CozyLand - The Joys and Challenges of Writing Cozies by Kassandra Lamb

Returning to CozyLand ~ The Joys and Challenges of Writing Cozies by Kassandra Lamb

I recently had a little chat with myself about whether I should retire from writing. My third series is winding down (four if you count the romantic suspense I’ve written as Jessica Dale), and I was debating where to go next. I decided to go back to writing “just for fun,” and not worry so much about the business end of things.

And “fun” writing meant cozies for me. Why do I enjoy them so much?

First, they are more lighthearted than other subgenres of mysteries. The characters don’t take themselves quite so seriously, even though they’re still trying to solve a murder (or two or three).

And this ties into my second reason. The main character can be spunky, sometimes even snarky. My second series, The Marcia Banks and Buddy Mysteries, were cozies, and the MC, a service dog trainer, even had an alter ego whom she dubbed Ms. Snark.

In this new series, The Aging Ain’t for Wimps Mysteries, the protagonist is seventy-one, so snark might not wear as well on her. But she can be spunky. When Amy Parker suddenly finds herself widowed, she

begins to realize how subtly controlling her husband was. As she starts to spread her wings (and sets out to solve a murder), she finds her spunk.

Third, writing the first draft seems to go faster with cozies. Maybe that’s partly because of number one above, the more lighthearted tone. It may also be because the plots are a little bit less complicated, especially less so than police procedurals (my third series, The C.o.P. on the Scene Mysteries).

And a faster first-drafting experience means I get to the part that I like best sooner—the editing. I love editing. Watching the story shape up, getting all the rough edges polished off, is so much fun.

Fourth, the world building is fun too. Cozies are usually set in small towns, and populating a fictional town is kind of cool. There’s the local law enforcement of course, the sheriff and his or her deputies. Then the merchants and professionals—the grocer, the librarian, the veterinarian, the auto shop owner—and the nosy but also supportive neighbors.

And fifth, the characters can be quirky. Indeed, some of them are expected to be quirky.

Which brings us to the sixth reason, the MC usually has a pet.

And Amy’s pet is my favorite quirky character in this new series. She’s a gray tabby cat that Amy inherits from her sister. Her sister called her Misty, but Amy’s name for her is Nuisance. Nuisance is not a very friendly cat, and Amy starts out barely tolerating her. But as the story unwinds, she warms up to her some, especially after discovering why the cat is so standoffish.

But there are some challenges to writing cozies as well.

The main one being the rule about no swear words. That can be tough to pull off, especially when law enforcement folks are around (cops swear!), and still have the story feel realistic.

The age of most of my characters, in their sixties and seventies, helps here. Older gentlemen, even older sheriffs, try not to cuss in front of women. Indeed, gray-haired, bushy-eyebrowed Sheriff Andy Taylor is my third favorite character so far in this series, after Amy and Nuisance. (And yes, he gets a lot of jokes about his name, like folks asking him if he’s from Mayberry).

The other two main rules regarding cozies are easier to follow—no on-screen sex and minimize the gore. I’m not a big fan of gore myself, so that last one is totally easy.

And while I enjoyed writing sex scenes in my first series—The Kate Huntington Mysteries, with a psychotherapist amateur sleuth—they are not easy to craft. I’m just as happy not to have to deal with them here.

Indeed, I haven’t even decided yet if Amy will have a love interest. She’s still grieving her husband and also enjoying her independence. 

And I’m having so much fun helping her do the latter.

Which do you prefer to read (or write)—regular whodunnits or cozy mysteries?

What does it say about you when your coming-of-age story begins at seventy-one?

Kassandra Lamb has two loves: writing and psychology. In her youth, she discovered that writers need day jobs in order to eat. Partial to food, she studied psychology. Now retired from a career as a psychotherapist and college professor, she spends most of her time in an alternate universe with her characters. The magic portal to this universe (i.e., her computer) is in Florida, where her husband and dog catch occasional glimpses of her. Kass has authored over 40 books, including four mystery series and a romantic suspense trilogy.

WEBSITE: https://kassandralamb.com 

Troubled Water, An Aging Ain’t for Wimps Mystery (#1 in a new series)

Amy Bridges Parker asks herself that question as she resists her domineering sister’s attempts to take over where her subtly controlling and recently deceased husband left off. Then her sister turns up dead, and the sheriff suspects a young man claiming to be the grandson of Amy’s first husband, who died in the Vietnam War. Amy, however, is not convinced. Her sister—a mean girl back in high school—had plenty of old enemies. But who hated her enough to actually kill her?

AMAZON:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H7YZSQG3   

BARNES & NOBLE:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/troubled-water-kassandra-lamb/1150617824?ean=2940196583292

HOW TO INSPIRE READER LOYALTY

by Korina Moss

A photo posted by Dana, a loyal reader of mine 

Reader loyalty. Every author hopes for it. Cozy mystery authors count on it for their careers. One way to foster loyal readership is through marketing, but that’s putting the cart before the horse. First, you must write a series that inspires reader loyalty. 

Cozy mysteries are intended to be a standalone series. Writing a standalone means you have to focus on writing the best self-contained story you can. But writing standalones within a series means you also have to consider the books you'll be writing next. Ultimately, you want a connection among your books and a progression of your characters. These two things will help to elevate your series and inspire reader loyalty. How to do this? Here are 5 things to keep in mind that may help:

1. Give your protagonist a character arc throughout the series. 

Cozy mysteries are comfort reads, so although we want to write a three-dimensional protagonist (which likely means she’ll have some flaws and challenges), you need to put a light touch on them. Your protagonist must be likable from the beginning, and therefore, her issues can’t be so heavy or need such redemption that the reader isn’t riding with her from the start. With this in mind, you can introduce an arc that gets resolved in book one and then a bigger arc that runs throughout the series, or you can introduce an arc and show your protagonist’s growth incrementally throughout each book. Either way, don’t hit the reader over the head with lessons learned. Character arcs should also apply to your core series characters (those who help your protagonist sleuth and show up in every book). Think about what changes they might go through within each book. What small differences will readers be able to see in your core characters between book 1 and your later books? 

2. Keep in mind the time between when the books take place. 

Does your first book take place in the spring and the second book take place the following fall? Then you need to keep in mind when you write that second book that 6 months have passed for your characters. If your protagonist has just moved into her new apartment in book 1, she’s not going to be unpacking boxes at the start of book 2 if it takes place 6 months later. (Unless she’s like me, lol.) If two characters start dating in book 1, then you have to consider that they’ve now spent six months dating at the start of book 2. If your sleuth and the detective have been awkwardly flirting in book 1, and in book 2, you have them acting exactly the same, you need to mention why their status has remained the same. Have they avoided each other since the last murder investigation? Only seen each other in passing? Are both horribly shy? There should be a reason why their relationship is in the same place. Things will have happened in those months between books that readers didn’t get to see. Make sure each book simply acknowledges that. 

3. Make some community characters recurring.

If you introduce characters who play an important role in your book and they’re part of the community, readers are going to want to see them again and know what they're up to now. It’s a great way to make the town feel alive and slowly grow it. However, not every character can be in every book. They still have to serve a purpose to the mystery. You don’t want too many names and characters for your readers to have to remember. But using these recurring secondary and tertiary characters not only adds color, they help to make your characters feel like they actually live off the page. 

4. Keep the relationships between characters growing and changing.

In real life, romantic relationships and friendships change and grow. Especially if your protagonist starts out in a new town (like Willa does in my Cheese Shop series), you’ll want to show the progression of her friendships and the romantic relationships from book to book. This will have to be done a bit more slowly than in real life, but there are always ways to show growth and for relationships to get tripped up. I age my characters, but not every series does. I understand why and it may not be important to readers to see them age. However, I think if my characters are going to grow and their lives are going to change, and I'm writing different seasons and holidays and shop anniversaries, then my characters should also get older. 

5. Ground your setting.

You want your reader to have a good image in their head of your setting. One way to do this is to have a strong handle yourself on what your town looks like, what’s there, and where the places are located. It will keep you from making mistakes and also allow you to paint a better picture of your setting for the reader. Make note of the shops or locations that play a role in your books. You’ll want to show many of them again in future books, even if it’s just a mention of walking past them. If your protagonist has 3 places she always goes to—for example, her home, the local café, and the shop she runs—you want to describe not only these three places, but where they exist within the town. It will give your reader some idea of the size of the town, if it’s walkable, if your protagonist lives in a rural location, etc. Your setting is like those recurring characters I mentioned earlier—your readers want to be reminded that those places still exist even if they don’t play a role in that particular book. 

Readers become loyal to a series when they love the characters, the town, and the cozy feel. They like to feel like they’re returning to “old friends” in a place they’d love to live (minus those pesky murders). You want to make these things as real as possible for them. A progressing arc of your protagonist and core characters and their relationships not only makes them more realistic, it also gives your readers something to be invested in and look forward to. Connecting the books with many of the same community characters and town businesses leads to a comforting familiarity for your readers. I hope these five tips will help your series become one readers will want to revisit again and again. 

Readers: What makes you return to a series and become a loyal reader? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series, which includes the winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, as well as two novels short-listed for Best Contemporary Novel. Listed as one of USA Today’s “Best Cozy Mystery Series,” her books have also been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy mysteries. To learn more or subscribe to her free seasonal newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

Mother of the Bride and Mystery Writer by E. B. Davis

  

I’m helping my daughter enact her wedding plans because she is getting married on the beach on Hatteras Island, where I live, in June, followed by a reception at a wine bar/deli located a few miles away. It’s a casual wedding and the guest list is under forty people. The bride and groom are in their mid-thirties, so we pretty much let them dictate their wishes except that we insisted on paying (since we’d like them to save their money for a house down payment) and that guests be given a choice of entrée since not everyone loves fish, which, of course, is the best on Hatteras Island. As a mom, I think I’ve fulfilled my duties. But as a mystery writer, I haven’t yet begun. The groom’s sister-in-law has shown herself to be a diva and her daughter, a diva in the making. Should one be the victim?

 

But then I realized that there might be better victims, and I wanted to play the villain when I realized that

Rocky trying on his tux!

the NC Methodist Church took a week in June to have its conference and ordination ceremonies, and yes, it was the very weekend of my daughter’s wedding, and our young pastor was to be ordained that day, the last day of the conference in Raleigh, five hours away from Hatteras. I try not to ask hard questions, like what were they thinking? June being the most popular month for weddings—none of the pastors in the church are available due to internal business—statewide? Why not a miserable week in January? Luckily, I found our last minister, who retired nearby, to conduct the ceremony, but I’d still like to take my rolling pin to a few heads.    

 

My next victim was the National Park Service that requires a permit for beach weddings as all of the beach here is owned by the Federal government. I finally got one for the special event, as they term it, but hoops were jumped through in obtaining one. (And yes, money, too.) Dare County also requires couples to obtain a wedding license within a month of the ceremony. The only way to get one is to apply in person, Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, regardless that many couples from out of state get married here (a big revenue source) who work during those same days/hours. I’m not sure what they will do. I guess they have to take off work (cutting into their honeymoon time) drive four hours to get to our county seat and drive four hours home. Yes, the bureaucracies can’t have hours or extended time making it a bit more user friendly. I’ll let them be the perps on that one.

 

I ask myself when should the body appear? During the ceremony washing up on the beach or discovered by a guest behind the dunes? Maybe Rocky, my daughter’s dog, will find the body or his cousin, Biscuit, the white Standard Poodle. Will the body appear on the deli’s wide front porch sitting on the wicker couch? Or will someone be poisoned during the reception? The MC, me, will have to investigate to clear the caterer of wrong doing. Or maybe I’ll make my daughter the MC with her new spouse and their trusty dog to help investigate.

 

It’s no wonder so many cozies are set during weddings. What is your favorite wedding mystery?

COZY MYSTERIES: TIPS FOR CHOOSING A THEME

by Korina Moss 

A theme, as it refers to cozy mysteries, is the topic or hook that sets your book apart from others. Cozy mysteries all have an amateur sleuth, a close-knit town or neighborhood, likable sidekick characters, and a murder to solve. The focus is on solving the “puzzle” of the mystery and allowing your readers to try to solve it along with your sleuth. The biggest distinguishing factor for a reader on first glance is a cozy’s theme. It might be their profession: librarian, postmistress, or in my case in the Cheese Shop Mystery series, a cheesemonger. It might be a hobby: knitting, doing crossword puzzles, or antiquing. It might be a specialty of your protagonist: fixing old clocks, knowledge of botany, or being a history buff. Your choices are varied, but they are not limitless. There are important factors to consider when deciding on your theme. 

1. Does it interest me?

2. Can I make it central to each book?

3. Can readers relate to it and/or learn something new about it?

4. Do I know enough about it, or can I learn about it?

5. Are there cozy elements to it? 

6. Is it a theme that’s already been done to death? (pun intended)

7. How can I market it?

1. Does it interest me?

Although I was your average cheese eater before beginning the Cheese Shop Mystery series, I loved cheese. And the more research I did on it and the more cheese shops I visited, the more I loved it. Sharing your authentic interest with your readers will shine through.

2. Can I make the theme central to each book?

The theme is not meant just to be a backdrop. It should almost be its own character. It should be important to your protagonist, perhaps even their passion. The theme should be incorporated into the plot of every book. When readers ask me what idea I come up with first when writing my Cheese Shop Mysteries, I tell them I think of how some aspect of cheese will be the focus of the plot. In the first book, it was the opening of the Curds and Whey shop itself. In another book, it was a very valuable stolen bleu cheese. Another took place at a dairy festival. It was very important to my publishing editor that I went all in on the theme of cheese. 

My books go all in with the
cheese theme.

3. Can readers relate to it and/or learn something new about it? 

Everybody knows cheese and most people have a strong opinion about it. With so many kinds of cheeses, its long history, and its international renown, there’s also so much the average cheese eater doesn’t know about cheese. It’s relatable but there are so many more interesting fun facts to know about it. Incorporating something others love to do or eat is a great way to connect with readers. Giving them some interesting insider information about it through your protagonist is also something readers look for in a cozy. 

4. Do I know enough about it/are there ways to further learn about it?

You don't have to be an expert on your topic. However, you should consider the research aspect of it. How much time are you willing to put into the research? Are there ways to research your topic beyond online? (For example, I spent time with cheesemongers, cheesemakers, and cheese shop owners, as well as researching online.) You want your protagonist to feel authentic, so make sure you know as much as she or he is supposed to know.  

5. Are there cozy elements to it? 

Maybe the question to ask first is, what makes something cozy? Think about how your theme will fit into your book. Will it be a gathering place for members of your fictional community? Will the setting itself or the atmosphere give readers a sense of comfort or happiness? Will it offer your protagonist respite, joy, or time to reflect? It doesn’t have to be all of these things but if you can say yes to one or two, then it’s cozy. 

6. Is it a theme that’s already been done to death? 

If there are too many books already out there with your theme, you have to work harder to make it stand out. You may be thinking, it’s a different book with different characters; of course it stands out! But marketability relies on more immediate factors. You need to hook readers as quickly as possible, which means a striking theme or setting, an intriguing pitch, or an evocative cover. Preferably, all three if you can manage it. And if you can find a cozy theme that you haven't seen done before, all the better. 

Andover's theme is unique, made doubly
cozy by the literary-themed cocktails
served at the lounge. And this cover brings
the coziness home. 

7. How can I market it? 

You may want to consider if the theme offers interesting marketing ideas or specific places that would carry your book. Lucy Burdette takes advantage of her Key West Food Critic theme by holding many popular events in Key West, where she lives half the year. When I was in the gift shop of one of the Newport, RI Mansions, I saw a display of Alyssa Maxwell’s The Gilded Newport Mysteries. I’ve done Cheese and Murder Mystery Pairing events in conjunction with a local cheese shop, where I talk about my Cheese Shop Mysteries and a cheesemonger gives a guided tasting of some of the cheeses mentioned in my books. 

The cheesemongers at Spread Cheese 
prepare plates for one of our
Cheese & Murder Mystery Pairing events.

Choosing a cozy mystery theme isn’t like throwing a dart in the dark. It’s the foundation of your entire series. Your characters, setting, and plot are all determined by your theme. Before you start writing, ask yourself these seven questions. Choose wisely and have fun with it! 

Readers: Which cozy mystery themes automatically draw you in? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery, which includes the winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, as well as two novels short-listed for Best Contemporary Novel. Listed as one of USA Today’s “Best Cozy Mystery Series,” her books have also been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy mysteries. To learn more or subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

Tonya Kappes Killer Coffee Mystery Series: A Review by E. B. Davis

 

 

Murder, gossip, and freshly brewed suspense await in this charming small-town cozy mystery!

 

Welcome to The Bean Hive Coffeehouse in Honey Springs, Kentucky, where the coffee is hot, the pastries are fresh, and the gossip could make the strongest espresso seem weak. Roxanne Bloom, a spunky lawyer-turned-barista, has swapped legal briefs for brewing beans, opening the town’s first coffeehouse on the newly revamped boardwalk. Life feels perfect as she reconnects with her quirky Aunt Maxi, old friends, and even a spark from her teenage years.

 

But when Roxy finds Alexis Roarke—the beloved bookstore owner—dead among the stacks, a dark shadow falls over Honey Springs. With Aunt Maxi at the top of the suspect list and whispers of betrayal brewing in every corner, Roxy sets out to unravel the mystery before it ruins not just her aunt's reputation, but her new life in the town she’s come to love.

 

With a cast of lovable, quirky characters, small-town charm, and twists that will keep you guessing until the last sip, Scene of the Grind is the perfect read for fans of Laura Childs, Joanne Fluke, and M.C. Beaton.

Amazon.com

 

While I’ve been ever so patiently waiting for my hip replacement operation, I’ve not been able to read anything at all dark. Which has left me with lots of cozies to read. No hardship there! One author in particular, Tonya Kappes, has several series that I’ve liked, but I never read her Killer Coffee mystery series. The series is now on Kindle Unlimited and much to my delight has seventeen books—perhaps she’ll write more. 

 

As a reader, I like the series. The books are quick reads. There are great characters. The investigation doesn’t stagnate, and the case is satisfactorily solved. As a writer, I’m amazed by the series. Why? Tonya checks off all the right “stuff” in a writer’s box and an agent’s/publisher’s successful-series bag. Almost obnoxiously so, and yet—the books don’t cloy. So, the checkmark items: smart main character (MC) with multiple talents, weird backstory, a setting from childhood remembered happily, the old beau who never stopped loving her, the old quirky ladies around town who support the MC, the pets from the rescue shelter, the MC’s emotional connections, etc. Yes, if only all of us could put together all of those cozy mystery series elements—oh did I mention the MC owns a coffee bar with baked goods and there are recipes provided at the back of the books?

 

But why do they work? Just when the old boyfriend wants to immediately get married, the MC says—but wait, it’s been twelve years. We need to get reacquainted—so let’s not rush. If these books were in the romance genre, the books would be half the lengths because the MC would cathartically swoon and then cut to the wedding. But, these are mystery books, in which the MC may own a coffee bar, but she is also a former lawyer. Ha—good one Tonya. Not just a pretty face, and she can get the attention of the police and they aren’t condescending, just a bit respectful while trying to work the investigation a step or two behind the MC.

The MC’s dog is a schnauzer. Little, but easily vexed. No, the dog seems friendly enough and isn’t big enough to fight the MC’s battles, but he isn’t a cloyingly sweet pet. He’s got just enough cajónes to snap at the bad guys and cuddle with the girls. Of course, since the MC rescues a shelter dog, the boyfriend is easily convinced to do the same. He ends up with a Standard Poodle, not exactly a guy’s dog, but in a weird way the dogs end up with the opposite sex match that seems copasetic. 

 

Oh, and then estranged Mother comes to stay in the same town she professed to hate with a grudge against the MC’s beloved aunt. And dang if Mom has the best confession that changes everything.

 

It’s a good thing that MC serves coffee all day because she needs the caffeine to keep up with her life. Her day starts at 4:30 am all the while baking, serving customers, popping out with the help covering the store for her so she can solve mysteries, keeping the romance with the boyfriend brewing, adopting a dog, serving on committees, and volunteering at the rescue shelter.

 

It's a great series to lose yourself while your patience wears as thin.     

COZY MYSTERY WRITING TIPS: THE BODY by Korina Moss

Let’s talk murder. Every cozy mystery has one, but the question of when the body should be discovered is arguable. 

By and large, readers of cozy mysteries like to try to figure out the mystery along with your protagonist. If a murder doesn’t happen by page 50 in your manuscript, readers can get impatient. For this reason, some writers open with their protagonist finding the victim’s body. This gets the reader immediately curious as to what’s happened, so it seems like the perfect solution. I’m going to tell you why I advocate for holding off for a few chapters. 

Although the mystery is extremely important to a cozy mystery book, the coziness and the characters are just as important. For a sustainable series, they may actually be more important to readers. So, let’s take the time to set your scene first. Let’s start getting to know at least your main character (MC). This doesn’t mean you should start with a slew of backstory. (You can drop backstory like breadcrumbs throughout the book.) Rather, the best way to get to know your MC is through her interactions with other characters, especially your core secondary characters. This will demonstrate your MC’s personality, your cozy theme (her place of business or hobby), and the initial stakes. 

Initial stakes? Yes, it helps the tension to have something extra at stake beside solving the murder. Is there an event your MC wants to carry off without a hitch? Is there a person she’s trying to impress? Perhaps something your MC has been working toward that MUST go right… and then a wrench is thrown in when a body is found. Having more at stake is always a good thing. 

But let’s get back to the body. 

If you take one to three chapters to introduce your setting, what is initially at stake, and your most important characters, readers are immediately invested when your MC discovers the body, and the finger of suspicion is pointed at her or someone close to her. By waiting until the end of chapter three to discover the body, readers know and (hopefully) already like your protagonist and her friends. They might even love her cozy business and see themselves living in her town. They know something personal to her is at stake that now will be more difficult (if not impossible) to accomplish. All this happens the moment she finds the body and it allows your readers to instantly root for her. Readers connect to your book more strongly if they are rooting for your main character rather than merely being curious about the body she’s discovered.

The initial stakes help to keep your readers interested before the murder takes place, but you should also use these chapters to “set up” the murder, which means introducing the victim while they’re alive and one or more of your suspects. Therefore, when the body is discovered, your MC may already have a theory about motive and some possible suspects. The stakes are now raised, and no time is lost in beginning the investigation! It’s a slower build with a bigger payoff. 

Author’s Note: 

It’s always a slippery slope to tell writers what they “should” do, because books can successfully tell a story in lots of different ways. Most writing rules are merely suggestions and the tips I offer are no different. My editorial tips are based on the expectations—in my experience—of my publishing editor at Macmillan, my literary agent, and readers of cozy mysteries. My goal is to help writers make their cozy mystery the best it can be, but it’s okay that not every tip resonates with every writer. 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. To learn more about her books and editing services, or to subscribe to her free monthly #teamcheese newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

Virtual Book Club Alert! My second Cheese Shop Mystery, Gone For Gouda, is the January book for Little Bites Book Club. This takes place on Instagram Live and everyone is invited. Go to allison_vic on Monday, January 27th at 8PM EST/7PM CST. Click on her IG Live profile to watch and/or comment during the discussion. Keep up with her Little Bites Book Club on Instagram.

TEN TIPS FOR KEEPING MURDER COZY

by Korina Moss

Readers' expectations of a cozy mystery is right there in the title--they want a good mystery and they want it to be cozy. Readers often write to tell me how books in my cozy Cheese Shop Mystery series have comforted them during difficult times. Some might think that's odd to say about books that revolve around a murder. That's the challenge of writing cozy mysteries -- keeping them cozy. It's a balancing act between death vs. comfort and fast-paced suspense vs. a calming force. So how do you keep a book about murder cozy? Here are some tips:

1. Keep the murder off the page. This is one of the basic rules of a cozy mystery. Readers don’t want to see the murder happen, nor do they want all the gory details about the body. Giving readers nightmares isn’t cozy.

2. Make the victim unlikable. The reader will be able to shift more easily from the murder to the investigation (the mystery) if the reader (and your protagonist) isn’t bogged down with being terribly sad about the victim.  

3. Revolve the mystery around your cozy theme. The first thing I always think about when starting a new Cheese Shop Mystery is cheese, and how I can center the mystery within my cheese theme. Not only does this deliver what readers expect from the series title, but it also allows for scenes that provide the comfort and familiarity that your readers have grown to love. 

4. Don’t make all the suspects villains. Some writers make the mistake of making every suspect unlikable, thinking that equates to “suspicious.” But who wants to read an entire book with a bunch of characters you don’t like? Part of what makes a cozy mystery “cozy” is that readers want to be in your book. They want to hang out in your fictional town with your characters, and by default that includes the suspects. Don’t make them all greedy, horrible blowhards.

5. Make your readers root for your main character(s). Readers say that the main reason they become loyal to a series is because of the core group of series characters. They like feeling like the characters are old friends they come back to with each book, so you want to give them some depth. Yes, readers will root for them to solve the mystery, but adding an underdog quality—something readers can relate to and root for—will have them invested in your protagonist and sidekicks even after the mystery is solved. 

6. Make your main characters root for each other. I believe in characters having flaws that they work on throughout the arc of the series, however, for readers to feel comforted by your main characters, your protagonist and sidekicks have to have overwhelmingly positive traits like loyalty, empathy, and being supportive and encouraging to one another.

7. Include a community event. Incorporating community events is cozy element and allows your idyllic small town and its side characters to shine. While your main characters are investigating, make sure something cozy is also going on – a festival, a farmer’s market, a community dance, etc. and then intertwine it with the mystery, even tangentially, so you’re not pausing the plot. Everything that goes into a mystery must move the plot forward, but don’t forget to include the vibrancy and coziness of your town. 

8. Add humor. Humor is super important to a cozy mystery to lighten the tone and keep it cozy. Mildly sarcastic inner dialogue or some fun banter among characters goes a long way. 

9. Don’t delve into heavy topics. Believe me, it’s difficult to come up with fresh motives after writing several books, but it’s worth the extra effort to make sure they’re not super dark and heavy. It’s a line some cozy writers straddle, but we try not to trigger anybody in our books. What crosses the line is for every writer to determine for themselves, but topics definitely off limits are abuse against children or animals and sexual abuse.  

10. Don’t kill off a series regular. Some writers love to kill off readers’ favorite characters, but that’s a no-no in cozy mysteries. In order for readers to feel a sense of comfort, they have to feel a sense of security. In the world of cozies, there is justice. They have to know that the characters they’ve come to know and love won’t be the ones killed. In my upcoming sixth book, Bait and Swiss, I needed to kill someone from the local newspaper. There was a reporter that makes a brief appearance in just about every book in the series, and I considered making her the victim. Even though readers don’t know too much about her, she was still a recurring character and a part of the community. However, the more I thought about making her the victim, the more I thought this was a bad idea. When I asked my editor’s advice, she agreed I shouldn’t make her the victim. It's a matter of developing trust with the readers and then keeping that trust. 

If you want to write a cozy mystery series whose readers will clamor for the next book to come out, remember to keep it cozy. I hope these tips help. 

Readers: What cozy element is important to you in a cozy mystery? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in USA Today, PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer's Digest. To learn more or subscribe to her free monthly #teamcheese newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

Pick Your Poison by Teresa Inge

While participating on the Agatha Christie panel at the Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem event this year, we discussed Christie’s fascination with using poisons to kill many of her characters. Thanks to her work as a nurse and a pharmacy dispenser during World War I, her knowledge of poisons was extensive.

In her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, strychnine is featured, and it is described as an ideal poison for a writer due to its rapid onset and dramatic effects. But the poison she used most frequently is Cyanide, appearing in And Then There Were None and The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side. In other books, victims die from arsenic, digitalis, and morphine.

However, Christie was not the first writer to introduce poison in a mystery novel. She just used them with such incredible detail, that a reader could learn about a new poison and its effects instantly. This method made her novels quite sophisticated to readers during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction in the 1920s and 1930s, which is often referred to as the Golden Age of Poisons, largely due to Christie and her contemporaries who used toxins to dispatch characters in their novels.

The panel discussion continued with the methods of murder that mystery writers use today to bring about a character’s demise. These include stabbings, shootings, blunt objects, fire, drowning, and strangulation.

However, the use of poison still continues in culinary mysteries and other genres. Writers use plant poisons such as hemlock, lily of the valley, poisoned mushroom, Nicotine, and Oleander. Drugs and medicine include insulin, sedatives, Tylenol, and Fentanyl. All of which are fascinating to today’s mystery readers.

Since Agatha Christie was a "pick your poison" writer and most likely had fun with it, in many ways, poison became a personality in her stories which is almost a cliché today. But her novels live on due to her well-crafted plots, interesting characters, and realistic descriptions of the toxin's symptoms, which is why she is crowned "The Queen of Crime."

A TOUGH LESSON ABOUT SERIES CHARACTERS

By Korina Moss

I love writing the Cheese Shop Mystery series. Having more than one book allows me to keep the mystery at the forefront, while also growing my characters and their relationships. As the series progresses, I also get to introduce readers to more people and places in my fictional Sonoma Valley town of Yarrow Glen. I love populating Yarrow Glen with new shops and fun side characters. However, this is where it gets tricky. 

Those who have been reading my series from the beginning know my core four characters who make up the Team Cheese sleuthing group: my cheesemonger/cheese shop owner protagonist, Willa; her best friend and neighbor, Baz; and her Curds & Whey cheese shop crew, Archie and Mrs. Schultz. They appear in every book. When new characters and possible suspects are introduced with each book, some of them stick around as “regulars”: Roman from the Meadery, the octogenarian Melon sisters, Lou from the market and his dad, Cyrus (who Daisy Melon has the hots for), Sharice and Ginger from the used bookstore, Hope from the bakery… and on and on. Most of these characters played an important role in the plot in whichever book they were first introduced, but I like to bring them back in subsequent books so the town feels alive and real. 

While this might be great for series readers who’ve been slowly introduced to more and more side characters with each book, for a reader whose first introduction to my series is, for example, Case of the Bleus (book 4), each character is a brand-new person they have to visualize, remember, and understand how they’re connected to the others. It’s easy for a TV series (think Gilmore Girls) to throw in your favorites for a scene or two, but in a book, a reader can get confused or frustrated by too many characters.

This especially became an issue when I was writing book 5, Fondue or Die. This is the first book which primarily takes place outside of Yarrow Glen. For reasons having to do with the plot and progressing Willa’s complicated relationship with Detective Heath, I had to set the murder somewhere outside Heath’s jurisdiction. Hence, I came up with the Dairy Days festival in Lockwood, an adjacent town to Yarrow Glen. Willa and Archie have a cheese booth at the festival, and handyman Baz and Mrs. Schultz, with her background in teaching drama, are helping with the Miss Dairy pageant—the focus of the murder mystery. 

As I was outlining the book, this setup worked great. I had my victim and the six suspects, and all four Team Cheese members had reason to be at Dairy Days. But I also had new peripheral characters from Lockwood, pageant characters, plus a new chief of police. Uh oh, the character list was already bulging at the seams! When I started to sprinkle in our Yarrow Glen regulars who were attending the festival, well, my list pretty much burst. It wasn’t until after I finished writing the book that I fully realized it would be way too many characters for readers to keep track of. 

A lot of writers enjoy “killing off their darlings.” Luckily, none of my beloved regulars ever get killed off, but I did have to get tough with who made the cut for Fondue or Die. It all came down to whether they were essential to advancing the plot. Of course, all four members of Team Cheese are there. Detective Heath and Shep help out, as does A. J., the editor of the Glen Gazette. And I introduce a new Yarrow Glen shopkeeper and another character who might become a regular. (I can’t help myself!) It was tough to do, but it streamlined the mystery, concentrated on our Team Cheese sleuthing group, and gave Detective Heath more time on the page (and with Willa) than he’s ever had before. Overall, it was definitely necessary and made for a better book.

As I’m writing book 6, we’re back in Yarrow Glen, and I’ve brought in some important people from Willa’s past. Of course, there’s a murder and new characters who become suspects. I think it’s inevitable for your character list to grow with the number of books in your series. I’m keeping an eye on how many characters make an appearance in this one, so I can make the changes as I’m drafting it instead of after the book is written. Being ruthless about which ones get a place in each book is still hard for me. (I love the folks in Yarrow Glen!) But I know it’s a necessary lesson learned. 

Readers: Are you disappointed when your personal favorites from a series are omitted in some of the books? Writers: Have you had to wrestle with too many characters? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series (St. Martin’s Press) set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead and the Agatha Award finalist for Best Contemporary Novel, Case of the Bleus. Her books have been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, AARP, and Fresh Fiction. To learn more, visit her website korinamossauthor.com. 

THE WRITERS' CONNECTION

 by Korina Moss

Connection. That’s what good books are about, aren’t they? You connect with a fictional protagonist and their circumstances. They become someone real to you, often times long after you’ve read the last page. How many times have you stayed up late, racing toward the end of a book, only to dread it when you finally get there, because that’ll mean the book is finished? This is why cozy mystery series are so popular. What could be better than the opportunity to be back with “old friends” you loved from a prior book in the series as they maneuver through a whole new and exciting set of circumstances? 

As important as the plot is to a cozy mystery, the connection readers feel with the characters doesn’t come from the mystery solved. It’s the human connection—our protagonist’s plight, their quirks, and their vulnerabilities—the stuff our readers can relate to. The traits our characters possess that we hope to have in our real-life friendships is what makes them likable and worth returning to read about book after book. 

As an author, a connection is also what I try to achieve off the page. I’m a cozy mystery writer, but I’ve been a cozy mystery reader for over thirty years, long before my own series was published. So although the marketing aspect of my profession is time-consuming, it’s also a lot of fun, because I get to interact with other people who love reading cozies too. Although our foundation is our love of mysteries, we connect on other levels beyond books. Same with my connection to others in the writing community. I thrive on authentic relationships. My mindset is never one of selling to readers or networking with authors. It’s about having an authentic connection. 

When I was honored last year with the Agatha Award for Best First Novel for Cheddar Off Dead, it was the validation I needed that I’d begun to make that connection I’d been striving for in my books and within the mystery community. And this year, being fortunate enough to be nominated again for an Agatha Award, this time for Best Contemporary Novel for Case of the Bleus, makes me believe that connection is holding strong. I’m so looking forward to the Malice Domestic fan convention in April where the awards banquet will be held. After all, what’s better than being back with old friends? 

Reader: What makes you return to a series or an author? 

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series (St. Martin’s Press) set in the Sonoma Valley, including the Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel, CHEDDAR OFF DEAD and the current nominee for Best Contemporary Novel, CASE OF THE BLEUS. Her books have been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, AARP, and Fresh Fiction. For more information about Korina and her books, and to subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. 

Cozy Settings by Erica Wynters

Every recipe has an ingredient you can’t leave out without changing the fundamental nature of what you’re making. You can’t make chocolate cake without chocolate. You can’t make a taco without a tortilla. And you can’t make a cozy mystery without a charming small town. Small towns are such an iconic part of the cozy mystery genre that they often function as character in their own right. While it would certainly be possible to set a murder mystery that’s not overly graphic, has a great cast of characters, and a sweet touch of romance in a big city, it’s almost never done. Let’s look at what goes into the recipe for a captivating small town for your next cozy mystery.

 

Add a heaping cup of quirky characters. One of the best things about a cozy mystery is all the unique characters that help or impede our main character in their quest to solve a murder. Small towns are a gift because they are full of characters who have known each other most, if not all, of their lives. Those characters know each other’s secrets, know all the gossip, and have plenty of opinions about who among them has a motive for murder. Make sure your cast of characters has a wide age range. A retiree is going to see what’s happening in the story differently than the high school student that works at the local coffee shop. Cozy mysteries are rich because their characters live rich, interesting, and sometimes shocking lives.

 

Don’t forget a dash of charm. Cozy mysteries got their name for good reason. They allow us a cozy escape from the stresses of everyday life. We get to solve a murder alongside the main character, but never feel overly stressed or creeped out. Charming small towns are an important part of that recipe. Whether you create a fictional town or use a real one, you want your town to be filled with charming businesses, community events, and public spaces. A park with a gazebo is a great place to set a Fourth of July event where the main character can learn important clues while being surrounded by a large cast of characters in an idyllic setting. A Christmas tree lot covered in freshly fallen snow is a charming setting for the main character and the police detective to have a disagreement about the case while also building a budding romance. The charm of your setting keeps readers coming back. They don’t just fall in love with your characters, but with the local coffee shop, bakery, or flower shop. Even the local hardware store can add a nostalgic charm to your cozy mystery setting. Small towns in a cozy mystery give us an idealized version of American life. One most of us don’t get to experience on a day-to-day basis.

 

In my Camelot Flowers Mystery series, the town of Star Junction has everything a rural small town should have. Readers have loved Star Junction as much as they’ve loved the characters. What about you? What do you make sure to add to craft a cozy, charming small town setting in a cozy mystery? Or maybe you write a cozy mystery that bucks the tread and is in a big city. What have you found to be the benefits of that setting in your story?

 

 

Erica Wynters is the author of the Camelot Flowers Mystery series and The Alexandra Briggs Mystery novellas. She may have lived most of her life in the frigid Midwest, but now she spends her time in the warmth and sunshine of Arizona. She loves hiking, hunting down waterfalls in the desert, reading (of course), and napping. Can napping be considered a hobby? When not weaving tales of mystery with plenty of quirky characters, laughs, and a dash of romance, Erica works as a Marriage and Family Therapist helping others find their Happily Ever Afters.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING: EMBRACING THE MESS AT ANY AGE

By Korina Moss

I am very late to the party, but I’ve finally started watching Only Murders in the Building, a murder mystery series on Hulu starring Steve Martin (Charles), Martin Short (Oliver), and Selena Gomez (Mabel). I binged season 1 in two days and have started season 2. I adore the show. It’s exactly my vibe—quirky characters with a dash of humor who solve a murder mystery in a close-knit setting. It’s as close to a cozy mystery (with cursing) as you can get outside of the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.

I especially appreciate watching the intergenerational friendships formed between Mabel, who is in her late twenties, and the two older men, Charles and Oliver, who are in their seventies. The difference in age provides plenty of humor—whether it be the slang they use or signing their name to a text—but they also learn some deeper things from each other. Developing these types of friendships onscreen provides a way to highlight how similar people of disparate ages can be.

In my Cheese Shop Mystery series, there are age gaps among my 33-year-old cheesemonger protagonist, Willa, and the supporting characters who work in her cheese shop and also help her solve the mysteries. There’s Archie, who started the series as a nineteen-year-old still living with his mom, and Mrs. Schultz, who is “smack dab” in her sixties, as she likes to say. Although each character is at a different stage in their lives, they’re all starting anew in some way and have things to teach each other. 

Archie’s new chapter is typical of young adults who graduate high school without a sense of what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It’s not until he starts working at Willa’s cheese shop, Curds & Whey, that he begins to consider becoming a cheesemonger like Willa. As she shares her passion for cheese with him, he inadvertently teaches her about trust.

Hoping to avoid the heartaches of her past, Willa hadn’t set down roots before moving to Yarrow Glen to open Curds & Whey. When a murder occurs right outside her shop and she’s the number one suspect, she’s forced to trust the people who offer to help her—two of them being Archie and Mrs. Schultz. Willa realizes she’s been denying herself close friendships for too long. Through solving the mysteries and running her shop, she learns not only to trust others, but to trust herself, gaining a new level of confidence. 

Confidence was never something Mrs. Schultz lacked until she unexpectedly became widowed shortly after retiring from her job as a high school drama teacher. Without her husband of almost forty years by her side, retirement looked very different than she’d envisioned it. She found herself approaching life timidly for the first time. Working at Curds & Whey was a way to test herself. The new job and becoming a part of their mystery-solving team brought back her bright personality and gave her the confidence to try other things… like possibly dating? (You’ll have to read book 3, Curds of Prey, to find out.)

Through my cozy mystery series, I have the opportunity to show that it’s not just the people Archie’s age or even Willa’s age who find themselves navigating uncharted waters. I began middle age newly single with my first novel published—certainly a new chapter for me. I think Steve Martin’s character, Charles, described it best when he said he was ready to “embrace the mess.” Yes, life can be confounding—and beautiful—at any age. No matter how old we are, we still have new things to do and to learn, even from younger folks. It’s high time we see that represented more often in our books and on our screens. 

Would you like to see more intergenerational friendships portrayed in books and tv shows/movies? Which books or shows have these types of characters?

I will be zooming in LIVE in the Cozy Mystery Crew Book Club Zoom Room today, July 9th, at 4PM eastern time. Join the Cozy Mystery Crew private FB group to access the zoom link under “Featured.” I’ll be there LIVE to talk about Cheddar Off Dead and my series, and take your questions. And those attending will be entered to win one of my Cheese Shop Mystery books of their choice. Hope to see you! 

Elements of a Cozy Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen

Elements of a Cozy Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen

A cozy mystery is a subgenre of the traditional mystery. It’s a whodunit featuring an amateur sleuth, a unique setting, a limited number of suspects most of whom know each other, and a murder mystery to solve. These stories are “clean” in that they do not contain any explicit sex, violence, or bad language.

 So how is a cozy different from a traditional mystery? It’s all about reader expectations. Fans of this genre expect a lighthearted story with distinctive covers, punny titles, and interesting locales. Elements include, but are not limited to, characters, crime, clues, cooking, crafts, canines, cats, cultural quirks, and chuckles.

Characters involved in these stories include the amateur sleuth, suspects, and a recurrent cast. Readers adore series and they want the secondary characters to feel like friends. Meanwhile, the sleuth should have an interesting occupation that offers a chance for readers to learn something new. She needs to have an inquisitive and determined nature, so she will pursue the truth. It helps if she’s a good conversationalist to get people to talk and is clever at ferreting out relationships among the suspects. These characters should each have a secret that relates to other suspects.

The sleuth’s occupation may involve cooking or crafts, both very popular tropes among cozy fans, but this isn’t a necessity, and a fresh approach is always welcome. Pets also serve as cherished characters. Whatever animal you choose, never hurt the pet. That’s taboo for cozies. Children and animals are not to be harmed. Make sure the sleuth has a friend or family member that can act as a sounding board. You’ll want someone she can confide in because you want her to do a periodic review of suspects in the story.

Settings are another important element. Your cozy can be set in a small town, seaside resort, or other setting enriched with regional foods and unique cultural practices. Your reader will want to feel they are there through your use of the five senses, popular slang terms, and other details that give your setting its own flavor. This is the overall series setting.

Narrow this further to include the sleuth’s occupation, work environment, and colleagues. Then pick a locale for the murder to take place. This is what I call “the setting within a setting.”

As an example, my Bad Hair Day series takes place in southeast Florida. Marla Vail, my sleuth, own a hair salon and day spa. When she’s behind the chair as a stylist, she has the perfect opportunity to listen to gossip or question potential suspects. Meanwhile, each title centers on a different locale with a particular focus. “Shear Murder” involves a wedding party at fictional Orchid Isle. “Perish by Pedicure” has a murder at a beauty trade show.  “Killer Knots” is my cruise ship mystery. “Styled for Murder” involves a home renovation crew. You see how the setting within the setting varies for each story.

Regarding the murder, the reader wants a puzzle to solve. You have to play fair and offer clues leading to the killer. Then you misdirect the reader with false leads and red herrings. Just remember to keep the tone light. Cozy fans expect a fun story with characters they care about and a happy ending where justice is served.

 

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Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. These books have won numerous awards along with her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. Nancy is a past president of Florida Chapter of MWA. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising and visiting Disney World. Visit her at NancyJCohen.com