THE MODES OF A MYSTERY WRITER

 By Korina Moss

I can’t help myself – I’m one of those people who always makes at least one New Year’s resolution. Wishful thinking, perhaps? I prefer the term hopeful thinking. This year, one of my resolutions is to have more work-life balance. 

Now that my son is a college student, it’s just me at home, so the only schedule I have to adhere to is my own. Sounds divine, except it allows me to get into my modes. Yes, I meant to write modes, not moods (although they can be pesky too). I have work mode and relax mode and I have a hard time transitioning between the two. (This doesn’t include veg out mode, which happens pretty much every night.) When I’m working on a book, which has (thankfully) been continuous over the past three years, it’s mentally all-encompassing for me. I’m always thinking about it, even if I have to push it to the back of my mind. I’ve been mentally living in my series’ fictional town of Yarrow Glen with my protagonist Willa and her Curds & Whey cheese shop crew since the spring of 2020, and it’s not easy to pull myself out. 

This is especially true when I’m in crunch mode, as I was just a couple of months ago when my deadline for Fondue or Die, book 5 in my Cheese Shop Mystery series, was fast approaching. I’d been in a concentrated writing mode for the four months prior, trying to turn my sketchy outline and underwritten first draft into a worthy manuscript. As the deadline got closer, I was also in heavy publicity mode for my newly released book 4, Case of the Bleus. Last fall, I had three out-of-state appearances, plus book signings, and all the extra online marketing that comes with a new release (blogs, interviews, and podcasts). So, I was in crunch mode squared. 

Signing books at the St Louis Cozy Con

Once my manuscript was submitted and the publicity machine wound down, I immediately turned to thinking about book 6, wanting to get an outline done before the Fondue or Die revision suggestions would come back from my editor in mid-January. I had a couple of weeks to brainstorm and outline before my son came home for his college semester break. Then I promised myself (and him) I’d take a break for the holidays. I even took time off from my early morning part-time job. 

Book 5 in my Cheese Shop Mystery series

The first few days of switching off work mode, I felt mentally restless. I was so used to the constant thoughts of my books or my social media marketing, it was a tougher transition than I’d expected. I made an effort to post and scroll on social media significantly less frequently. I told myself it was okay if I didn’t keep up with everything that was happening in the mystery writing community. Although the habits were hard to break, what a relief it was! I was so much more mentally present. I stayed up late and slept in! (Not compared to my 19-year-old son, but both times were later for me.) I fell into a happy relax mode. My son and I made some short overnight trips and had a great holiday break, and when he left for his ski trip with his dad, I felt rejuvenated and ready to get back to work! 

Macy's in Herald Square, NYC

Alas, my relax mode was no less stubborn to leave behind than work mode had been two weeks prior. My alarm clock was waking me up at 5:45 AM, but I was not ready to relinquish my newfound mode. The book I’d been outlining was tapping me on the shoulder to come up with those final chapters, but my muse was also in no hurry to get back to work. Now that it’s been a couple of weeks, slowly but surely, I’m easing back into it. My New Year’s resolution for more work-life balance may be a little harder to achieve than anticipated, but then again, I’ve always done too much hopeful thinking. 

Did you make any New Year's resolutions for this year? 

PODCAST NERVES AND HOW I COMBAT THEM

 

by Korina Moss

Happy Easter and Passover to all those who celebrate! 

I recently celebrated the release of the third book in my Cheese Shop Mystery series, CURDS OF PREY. I enjoyed all the buzz and excitement on that day and the days leading up to it. With each book in the series, I’ve been getting more publicity opportunities, such as written interviews and guest blog posts. I’ve also done more podcast/YouTube interviews in the last two months than I had in the last two years. I don’t know how you feel about public speaking, but I’m not used to it (Hello! I’m a writer!), so it was nerve-wracking to know I’d have to talk about myself and my books on camera. 

As live appearances began to fill my calendar, I wanted to be able to look forward to them instead of being anxious about them. My stress comes from thinking I’m going to lose my focus or stumble over my words or draw a blank or say too much or… You get the gist. So how to combat that fear? I keep the following in mind. 

1. You will not literally die from embarrassment.  

It was a lesson I learned at last year’s Malice Domestic convention when I introduced my first book, CHEDDAR OFF DEAD, at the New Authors’ Breakfast, an in-person event. Several things factored into why I was flustered, but I’ll just say that my five minutes in front of an audience of authors I admire felt like five hours when I couldn’t even properly describe my own book. Which leads me to my second recommendation…

2. Prepare, prepare, prepare, and then go with the flow.  

It’s better to over-prepare than to under-prepare. Many podcasters will give you the topics they plan to discuss or even a list of questions they may ask, and it always makes me feel better to run through my possible answers aloud. But another thing you have to be prepared for is going where the conversation takes you, even if it’s not what you practiced beforehand. Before that embarrassing New Author appearance, I thought, how hard can it be to talk about my book? I know it cover-to-cover and I’ve talked about it before with friends and family, even acquaintances in social situations. I thought I’d do fine “off the cuff.” The difference is that in social situations, you don’t have to be as concise as when you’re speaking to an audience about a specific topic. Think about what you really want potential readers to know when you introduce your book to them. Can you describe it in a few sentences? Nowadays, if I find myself rambling instead of getting to the point, I’ll stop and simply say, “I’m getting off course. Cheese. It’s got cheese.” Luckily for me, that usually does the trick. Which leads me to my next recommendation…

3. Humor is good and so is vulnerability. 

It’s okay not to sound perfect. In fact, admitting to a flub often breaks the ice. You’re not giving a TED Talk (and if you are, I am definitely not the person to come to). The advice of Elise Hart Kipness, an author and fellow Sisters in Crime – CT member who used to be a broadcast journalist, stuck with me: If you lose your train of thought or you realize you’ve gotten off track, just be real and say so in the moment. The podcast host will almost always bail you out. Which leads me to my next recommendation…

4. Pretend you’re having a conversation in your living room with a friend.  

This might be a tall order since you still have to prepare and be relatively concise. However, at least the audience isn’t in front of you, staring at you, and you don’t have to pretend they’re in their underwear. (Am I aging myself with that old piece of advice?) Before doing Liz Mugavero’s Get Writing podcast, I was surprised that I wasn’t nervous until I realized it was because she was a friend. It wasn’t that she was any nicer than any of the other hosts I’ve encountered. (In fact, they’re all exceedingly kind and I was previously acquainted with several of them.) It was because I was excited to chat with her about writing. It made me change how I perceive these interviews going forward. Now I try not to think of them as interviews or even call them interviews. I think of them as chats and it makes me approach them differently. 

With each upcoming appearance, I keep all these simple things in mind, and now any nervous energy I might still have is founded in excitement. For the times I still stumble or say “um” too often or anything else I wish I hadn’t done, I only have to remind myself of recommendation #1. Hey, I’m still alive to talk about it. 

If you’d like to listen to or watch any of my recent podcasts, click on the above photos, which will take you to their site, or listen on your favorite platform. You can aways find my updated news & events on my author website at korinamossauthor.com

Writers: Do you enjoy or think you’ll enjoy doing live interviews? Readers: How do you feel about public speaking?

A WRITING RETREAT ON A CRUISE SHIP? GO FOR IT!

 by Korina Moss

When I’m feeling writer’s block or a deadline is nearing, I’ll sometimes search for a place to retreat to for a few days to spur my writing. A change of scenery gets me out of my routine, gives me permission to ignore most of my obligations, and tends to put the mojo back in my muse. I’m able to get a lot of writing done in a short amount of time. However, the most recent retreat I’d planned wasn’t intended to increase my word count—book 4 of my Cheese Shop Mystery series had been sent to my publisher the week prior. What I needed this time was to renew, refill, and recharge my creative energy. I was low on fuel from the intense month behind me and burning lower in anticipation of the busy months ahead. 

The release of book 3 in the series, CURDS OF PREY, on March 28th has filled my calendar with extra blog posts, podcast interviews, giveaways, and in-person and virtual events. My editor would soon be sending her feedback on that book 4 manuscript I’d just turned in, expecting my new revisions before the end of the month. And let’s not forget, the clock for my next book in the series has already begun ticking, which means brainstorming and outlining book 5 is also on the agenda. Thus, the need for all those aforementioned re words. A solo retreat was in order, but what kind would trigger my creative energy and preempt burnout? 

Nothing makes me feel better more quickly than being out at sea, but I’d never tried combining writing with cruising. After hesitating to try it for years, I finally decided to pull the trigger (sorry, it’s the mystery writer in me) and take a week-long solo writing retreat cruise. If you think a cruise is the last place to have a successful writing retreat, let me tell you why it worked for me. 

No responsibilities or decisions. Unless you count which food to eat or where to write, I was completely carefree. There was nothing to figure out, no meals to plan, buy, or cook, no dishes to wash, no chores to do. I didn’t even have to make my bed. 

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. To borrow from Jimmy Buffett, new scenery and a warmer climate are good for the soul. Speaking for myself, a new perspective is good for my writing. Booking at a time when there were no school vacations and leaving from a northeast port made the cruise more convenient for me, less expensive, and less crowded. I could write wherever I wanted, whether it was outside by the pool or in the cozy wine bar, while listening to live music or in the solitary space of my balcony cabin, or while in the shade or soaking up some sun. And I got to be in the Bahamas in February. New attitude, here I come!

The vibe. An atmosphere conducive to writing was achieved through good planning coupled with good luck. I chose Anthem of the Seas—not a small ship, but also not in Royal Caribbean’s fleet of largest ships. The research I did showed lots of cozy indoor and outdoor writing spots for cool and warm weather. This particular ship had three pools but no big slides, and all the children’s activities were in one central indoor gaming area. There was also an adults-only solarium providing wide vistas and a smaller, quiet café. I felt all this would bode well for me to find adequate places to write and brainstorm and snack (an essential part to my writing and brainstorming). I’ve been on three-day cruises out of Miami, and I’ve been on school vacation cruises with my son. Both are as crazy and crowded as you’d expect them to be and wouldn’t have worked for my purposes. Luckily, the vibe on this cruise was decidedly chill—perfect for my retreat. I also chose a cruise with four sea days, and I skipped the two ports that didn’t entice me. This meant more time to settle into ship life and focus on my writing.

The view. Almost every spot on the ship had a great view. What better place for your imagination to roam than the expanse of the sea? Getting to be in a beautiful location sure made “working” easier. My balcony room instantly put me in the right frame of mind every morning, no meditation required. Going to sleep and waking up to the sights and sounds of the sea was a direct route to all those re words.

Limited internet. It would’ve been best to eliminate internet entirely and really unplug for the week. However, I felt I had to be available to my editor and publicist for any inquiries that might come my way, since this was my book release month. (Sure enough, I had several events that needed to be scheduled.) I also enjoyed taking my friends and social media followers along on this trip with me, but I kept it in check, as there’s nothing more creativity crushing than spending time scrolling social media. The good news is that internet is slow and sometimes hard to access on a ship. I brought my laptop to post my retreat updates and I checked my email twice a day. The rest of the time, I only had a pen and notebook. Forcing plenty of quiet time on myself—time without talking, scrolling, mindless TV, or reading all day—focused my mind on creative pursuits. 

Time for play. How often do your daily writing breaks at home include purposeful recreation? With so much at my fingertips, I made my non-writing time count. I indulged in pool time, I attended a musical, I listened to the guitarist at the pub, I participated in a Sudoku challenge, I chatted with other cruisers, I enjoyed leisurely dinners, I read on my balcony at night under the stars… I even took a whole day off to enjoy the beach when we docked at the ship’s private island. If I’d come with someone else, I would’ve been too tempted to play all day. Cruising solo with my mind set on the trip as a retreat, my limited but purposeful “play” time was restorative.

My solo writing retreat cruise accomplished all the re words. It was the reset I needed to support my creativity and my mental health. I’d love to be able to take a cruise whenever I feel the pressures of a writing career unbalancing me, but alas, I have yet to win the lottery or a six-figure publishing deal. Until then, I’ll carry over some of the lessons learned from this retreat into my daily life at home. Now if I could only replicate that view…

Readers: Would you consider taking a solo cruise? Where would your dream retreat take place?

To read Korina's daily log from her solo retreat cruise and see more photos, go to her author FB page.

Korina Moss's latest book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series, CURDS OF PREY, releases March 28. To learn more, visit her website. 

NAME THAT SHOP!

by Korina Moss

I’m in the final stages of writing the fourth book in my Cheese Shop Mystery series. Each book continues with the core cast of characters and introduces new ones, most of whom then become regular characters in the series (if they’re not the culprit or the victim, of course). These characters, original and new, live and work in my fictional town of Yarrow Glen. When I created my small Sonoma Valley town, I made a drawing of what it looked like and the shops and businesses it would encompass. The town center is only a few square blocks with wide brick-lined sidewalks dotted with crepe myrtle trees, a large park, and a sole traffic light.

This photo of Paso Robles, CA comes close to
how I envision part of downtown Yarrow Glen 

Main Street includes the major buildings: town hall, the library, post office, church, and the new security complex (the police and fire stations). There’s also Ron’s Service Station where you can pick up an old-fashioned curvy glass bottle of Coca-Cola for a dollar while getting your car fueled, washed, and serviced. The turn-of-the-century Inn at Yarrow Glen is where visitors stay. My protagonist Willa can usually find the latest newcomer she wants to question in the attached pub, The Cellar. The former wine cellar is also where the locals regularly gather, including Willa and her friends. It’s only a few buildings down from Apricot Grille, the only fancy restaurant in town. However, when Willa’s not making one of her cheese-filled dishes, she and her friends prefer to grab a quick bite while on a case at the Let’s Talk Taco truck, which is parked across from the Glen Gazette newspaper building.  

The Inn at Yarrow Glen was inspired by the
Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake, CA. 

The last block of Pleasant Avenue is where Willa’s cheese shop, Curds & Whey, is located. The street is a hodgepodge of mostly older flat-roofed buildings, which were renovated into shops and cafés with second-story cozy apartments where the shop owners reside. Willa lives above Curds & Whey across the street from perpetual flirt, Roman, owner of the Golden Glen Meadery. Her best friend Baz, the handyman, lives next door above Carl’s Hardware. Lou’s Market and Read More Bookstore complete her side of the street. At the end of the block is Rise and Shine Bakery where Willa gets her daily fresh breads for customer cheese sampling.

As you might be able to tell from that description, not every business in the town center is mentioned. This was done purposely, as I wanted to leave myself the creative freedom to add certain shops for future storylines. One of these new businesses is a bicycle shop and it needs a name. I decided to do something different and involve cozy mystery readers in the creative process. I thought it would be fun to allow you the opportunity to name the shop. From your suggestions, I will choose the bicycle shop name I like best and use it in my cheese shop mysteries series. The person whose name I choose will receive a signed copy of Book 4 when it releases and will be credited in the acknowledgements. 

If you’d like to suggest a fictional bicycle shop name for consideration in my book, go to my Facebook author page here and find the pinned post with the photo of this bicycle. 

Leave your suggestion in the comments section under the post. Be sure to hit the follow button on my page so you’ll be notified if your bicycle shop name was chosen. You can suggest as many names as you like, as this is not a random drawing. If more than one person has suggested the same name, the person who commented first will be credited. If you don’t have social media, you can email me at korinamossauthor@gmail.com. I’m taking bicycle shop name suggestions through this Wednesday, January 12th. Have fun and good luck! 

If you'd like to learn more about my Cheese Shop Mystery series, please visit my website at korinamossauthor.com