Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Guest Post: Why Writing Cozy Mystery is For Me

by Julie Anne Lindsey

Holly's note: Julie Anne Lindsey and I share the same publisher, Carina Press. Yesterday, we both had books come out and to celebrate, I invited her to write a guest post for Do Some Damage. Take it away, Julie!

I’m a total genre jumper. Flaky. It’s true. Trolloping from YA to romance to mystery on a whim and back again. I’m shameless about it. Flamboyant even. I can’t be still. It’s in my nature. (There’s also a LOT of coffee in my nature). Regardless of the genre I read or write, I find that two things are ever-present in those that keep my interest.

1. Chemistry between a hero and heroine
2. A mystery.
Imagine my pure delight when I tried my hand at writing cozies. Did you hear the angel choir sing? I did. (It could have been the Keurig…. potato-potato).

Anyway - The third book in my debut cozy series, The Patience Price Mysteries, from Carina Press released on September 29th and I’ve already secured a contract for a new series I’m calling The Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder. As it turns out, cozy mysteries are the perfect match for my love of all things girlie, funny and mysterious, PLUS I can toss in a side dish of romance anytime I want. (Only a side dish, but really, who needs more than that with a community of conspirators and plenty of threats to keep a girl busy?)

If you aren’t yet convinced to love cozy mystery, let me share some of my favorite things about them:
1) Amateur sleuths are so much fun. They bumble and fall, dust off, and get back in there.

They learn as they go, and who can't relate to being miles away from their comfort zone? At least I never have a killer chasing after me while I figure things out... or a live audience.

2) The amazing set of friends and family who support the heroine, even when they don't agree with her, because they love her.


3) Fun settings


Or you know


4) Quirky, relatable heroines


5) Anything can happen. That's my favorite part.


About MURDER IN REAL TIME:

Mayhem, murder and a sexy secret agent follow downsized FBI worker Patience Price as she returns to her sleepy seaside hometown of Chincoteague, Virginia. When two members of a traveling reality television show are killed in a room at the local B&B—a room usually occupied by Patience's FBI agent boyfriend, Sebastian—she finds herself on the case. Sebastian doesn't want Patience ruffling any feathers but, as always, she can't help herself.

Bio:

Julie Anne Lindsey is a multi-genre author who writes the stories that keep her up at night. She's a self-proclaimed nerd with a penchant for words and proclivity for fun. Julie lives in rural Ohio with her husband and three small children. Today, she hopes to make someone smile. One day, she plans to change the world. Find her online at julieannelindsey.com.

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