INTRODUCING DEBUT COZY MYSTERY AUTHOR TANZY KOHL

by Korina Moss

I'm giving over my spot today to Tanzy Kohl, a debut cozy mystery author whose first book in her Wigmaker Mystery series, Lethal Lacefront, recently launched. Here she is, in her own words, to tell you what she's learned as a new writer to the cozy mystery genre.

THE ART OF THE SLAY

Did you know that creating a custom wig requires lots of pre-planning? My amateur sleuth, Dee Alexander, will tell you: the dirt is in the details. And when I say “dirt” I mean the hard part that gets your hands dirty so to speak: exact head measurements from the client, their face shape, and the texture of their own hair are crucial details needed to fashion the perfect wig. It’s the same when trying to fashion the perfect cozy mystery. Planting the crime is just the beginning. Skillfully walking the reader through the story, and providing a satisfying ending, is what keeps them coming back.

As a wigmaker and YouTube wig reviewer, I wanted to make The Wigmaker Mysteries a place where readers could immerse themselves not only in solving the crime, but also in exploring a new world: the world of wigs.

SLAY, SNOOP, REPEAT

In Lethal Lace Front, book one of the series, I wanted to ensure that Dee and her best friend, Ruby Jackson, had an unbreakable bond, even when they disagree (and they do...a lot). Especially when it comes to investigating how the victim was killed and why. But I also wanted to weave in the day-to-day world of wig reviewing, so as Dee ticks off the suspects, she also relies on her wig community to assist her. And in between snooping, she shows the reader step-by-step tips on how to “slay” their wig to perfection. I wanted to include those moments to allow the reader to learn about a craft about which they may be unfamiliar. Since I love wigs, and know many others who do, creating a wig mystery was a no-brainer. 

UNTANGLING THE MYSTERY

One of my greatest challenges as a writer who normally crafts historical fiction tales, transitioning to cozy felt as difficult as plucking a lace front that has no lace. Practically impossible! But thanks to several cozy mystery experts, including my developmental editor, Cheese Shop Mystery series author Korina Moss, I gradually got the hang of it and was able to bring Dee, Ruby, and the other cast of characters to life.

I had to learn all the expected aspects of a cozy, when to release details and when to hold back. How to plant clues and red herrings, and how to tie it all up nicely, like the purple boxes Dee uses to package all her wigs. By book two, I had gotten the hang of it, and when book three releases, I hope to have it down like a good melt.

KEEPING IT ALL SEAMLESS

As I learn more and more about Dee’s world and the people in it, I want to spin a believable, interesting and humorous yarn from book-to-book, exploring new ways to involve wig making and wig reviewing, while also managing the growth of each character. I love how Dee’s citified attitude clashes with Ruby’s Southern-fried sensibilities. I love how Dee navigates her relationship with the retired Charlotte detective, Godfrey Nash. I also love how Dee carefully balances her motherly instincts with her desire to stay close to her daughter Pria, who’s soon to leave the nest. All these things must be sewn together in a way that keeps the readers’ interest and tells a good mystery at the same time.

Writers: What do you think? Is it hard for you to maintain a reasonable co-existence between the mystery and the sleuth’s craft? Readers: What do you like most: the crime or the craft elements? Tell me about it in the comments!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tanzy Kohl loves to create daring, fun, and interesting fiction. Her first novel, Farley Malone & The Fudged Fables, is her contribution to middle-grade fantasy featuring African American characters. Her adult novel, In 5, 4, 3..., is a psychological thriller that is fast paced with short chapters and multiple POVs. 

Her latest cozy series, The Wigmaker Mysteries, follows an amateur sleuth wigmaker and wig reviewer who leaves DC for small town North Carolina to start life over after abandoning TV news and a failed marriage.

Book one, Lethal Lace Front, is available in e-book and large print paperback edition on Amazon. Get the traditional paperback at www.tanzykohl.com, along with a free wig glossary and signed bookplate. 

Instagram: @tanzykohl  @mymaturestyle (real wig reviews)

Innovating With Short Stories by Jennifer J. Chow

 

I feel like there are authors who excel at short stories. I’ve enjoyed various such authors over the years, from O. Henry to John Updike to Sarah M. Chen. I’ve written a few myself, but it takes a different sort of skill to craft a novel than a short punch of a tale.

 

Last year, I decided to challenge myself by writing to a theme and submitting my work. I’m happy to announce that my short stories were accepted by two anthologies. The first, Festive Mayhem, is a collection of holiday-themed tales of suspense and mystery. The stories range in flavor from warm and cozy to downright cold. Here’s a rundown of the works you’ll find in the collection:

 

• "The New Year's Hex" by Carolyn Marie Wilkins. Carrie McFarland finds her New Year's plans derailed when a psychic vision pulls the 1920s African American amateur sleuth into someone's evil scheme.
• "Pipe Dreams" by S.G. Wong. In this hard-boiled Crescent City short story, infatuation and passion drive Minnie Chen straight into danger as she tries to best the City's most glamorous private detective in a reimagined 1930s-era Chinese Los Angeles.
• "A Christmas Tip" by Elizabeth Wilkerson. A surprise Christmas bonus becomes too tempting for Philadelphia nursing assistant Brianna Byers to resist—even if accepting requires some skillful skirting of the law.
• "The Stranger in the House" by Stella Oni. This London House Mystery prequel stars Elizabeth Ojo, a Nigerian housekeeper at a posh guest house, who finds her Christmas intersecting with that of a mysterious resident in trouble.
• "What Lies Inside" by Kia Dennis. A tormented university professor falls deeper and deeper into a destructive obsession in this harrowing tale of love and longing.
• "A Deadly First" by Delia C. Pitts. Thanksgiving takes a fatal turn when New York private eye SJ Rook finds himself thrust into his first murder case in this darkly atmospheric tale of noir.
• "The Holiday Murder Mélange" by Myra Jolivet. This Sarah Doucette Jean-Louis short story follows the Creole P.I. around the San Francisco Bay Area on her quest to figure out who killed a man outside of her office.
• "Those Holiday Blues" by Jennifer J. Chow. Jasmine, aka "Jazz," can't escape the tragic past when an old boyfriend asks to meet on the anniversary of his mother's death.
• "Holiday Holdup" by Paige Sleuth. In this Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Short, Imogene Little gets tangled up in a Christmas Eve bank robbery orchestrated by none other than Santa Claus himself.

 

The second anthology releases in fall of 2021. Spearheaded by our very own Abby L. Vandiver, it’ll be published by Crooked Lane Books. The collection will feature original mystery and crime stories from nineteen authors of color. 

 

(Photo credit: Abby Vandiver)

Although my mystery writing specialty is cozy series, I’ve veered off course for these anthologies. The stories in them are more chilling than my usual fare. I think I needed a break from the same type of writing, and I also wanted to stretch my creative wings. Sometimes I doubt myself and wonder if I should have strayed from my typical writing style. Share your thoughts below.

 

Do you prefer stories similar to an author’s previous works? Why or why not?