tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post5106692776273611331..comments2024-01-24T05:13:06.164-08:00Comments on Not Your Usual Suspects: 20 Tips for Writing the Cozy or Traditional MysterySusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286314155783213006noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-90403862217540914662018-09-07T08:30:46.287-07:002018-09-07T08:30:46.287-07:00In your opinion, are there any cozies that you wan...In your opinion, are there any cozies that you want to read multiple times? When it comes to mysteries, I might read Ms. Marple or even Sherlock Holmes again despite knowing the solution -- even the Clue books aimed at kids from the 90s have their charm on the second read through -- but I find that with a lot of cozies, I have no desire to read them again, so I regret buying them and wish I had picked it up at the library instead. Maybe some of the side characters were likable, but the sleuth is dull, pretentious, judgmental, cliche, and/or unpleasant so it was a chore to read it the first time.<br /><br />So, are there cozies you would want to read multiple times regardless of knowing whodunit?RJhttps://www.deviantart.com/bunnyjoycenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-62209522672336038532017-12-27T18:46:37.726-08:002017-12-27T18:46:37.726-08:00It's true... You kill an animal, you've lo...It's true... You kill an animal, you've lost me FOREVER. Goes for any book in any genre, any TV show, any movie. I just can't handle it lol Defiant Pandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05374426784183498550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-17564882546149511912017-06-22T19:57:12.468-07:002017-06-22T19:57:12.468-07:00Awesome and well written article! it is probably g...Awesome and well written article! it is probably good advice for other genres too. Thank you for posting thisPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09724421487449266091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-22215272272835078452016-09-03T16:57:35.278-07:002016-09-03T16:57:35.278-07:00Great article! I'm hoping it will kick me back...Great article! I'm hoping it will kick me back into finishing the cozy I've been writing for two years. My problem with mysteries when I read them is I have no patience and end up jumping to the ending to find out who did it and once I know who did it, I have little desire to go back and read. I'm finding as a writer, it works the same - I know who the killer is, but I have to treat that individual as a normal individual so that the readers don't groan and toss the book in the bin. And since I KNOW who did it, it's hard to plot out the full thing so it is novel length. <br /><br />But I love the characters so much I just have to finish this thing. LOL<br /><br />ThiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-5674740577349507452016-08-14T14:38:32.037-07:002016-08-14T14:38:32.037-07:00So funny. I randomly started writing one of these ...So funny. I randomly started writing one of these the other day and have been trying to find out what a good word count is. I have the 42 year old barre studio owner attracted to the slightly younger police detective. It's tragic, bit I have his wife scheduled to be murdered in book 3. Thanks for the tip on including different ethnicities. The detective in Hispanic, but I'll be sure to diversify the barre clients.gatorgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04411603197893266715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-14112964907118181272016-08-14T14:38:27.304-07:002016-08-14T14:38:27.304-07:00So funny. I randomly started writing one of these ...So funny. I randomly started writing one of these the other day and have been trying to find out what a good word count is. I have the 42 year old barre studio owner attracted to the slightly younger police detective. It's tragic, bit I have his wife scheduled to be murdered in book 3. Thanks for the tip on including different ethnicities. The detective in Hispanic, but I'll be sure to diversify the barre clients.gatorgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04411603197893266715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-73836909250450396032016-06-18T15:01:35.445-07:002016-06-18T15:01:35.445-07:00NUmber 20 is taught in the writing classes I have ...NUmber 20 is taught in the writing classes I have been in. Thanks for the wonderful tips.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08736700805286067191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-72722491653525664462015-08-24T06:36:35.001-07:002015-08-24T06:36:35.001-07:00Mahrie, thank you for your kind comment! I'm h...Mahrie, thank you for your kind comment! I'm happy you found the blog useful.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-5563907709324444022015-08-24T06:20:27.659-07:002015-08-24T06:20:27.659-07:00Malcolm, only the most puritanical reader could po...Malcolm, only the most puritanical reader could possibly object to a few "damns" and "hells" in a mystery novel. Those are extremists and not worth listening to. <br /><br /><br /><br />Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-32665563439921942122015-07-04T13:35:37.322-07:002015-07-04T13:35:37.322-07:00I'm confused. I've read Hercule Poirot my...I'm confused. I've read Hercule Poirot mysteries for years (and Nero Wolfe, and Sherlock Holmes, etc. etc.), and every time I find a blog or discussion about so-called "cozy" mysteries, one thing jumps out at me -- "no bad words." Now I quite understand (and agree) that cozy readers don't want to see f-bombs and the lord's name in vain and sexual references. But I just finished another Poirot mystery called "Death in the Clouds," and in this book, by one of the biggest of all cozy authors ever, is full of "damn" this and "hell" that, sometimes several on one pages. Yet, in many cozy discussions it's stated that "any bad words of any kind are forbidden." Somebody please explain to me why my cozy detective can't say an occasional damn or hell but it's perfectly okay for Agatha Christie.Malcolmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416259722168224526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-81845846407215968042014-09-18T16:09:47.083-07:002014-09-18T16:09:47.083-07:00Love this - restores my passion for the cozy myste...Love this - restores my passion for the cozy mysteries I write (with a touch of romance.) I write them because I loved to read Nancy Drew, Agatha & Mary Stewart plus more modern authors. I love to write them for the same reasons...my small but dedicated base of readers read them,I think, for the same reason. One of the best set of details of the genre that I've found. Thank you.MahrieGReid.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686353549411567403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-28216807858071188542011-01-20T10:20:38.948-08:002011-01-20T10:20:38.948-08:00Rebecca, I'm with you. I never saw a problem w...Rebecca, I'm with you. I never saw a problem with the term "cozy," although I do see now that the cozy "rules" are more restrictive than the simple Traditional Mystery. <br /><br />I do think the spirit of the cozy is very appealing -- which is why it continues to have a devoted audience.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-90718003186252672412011-01-20T10:18:34.745-08:002011-01-20T10:18:34.745-08:00Clare, I've come to the conclusion that you ca...Clare, I've come to the conclusion that you can't please all the people all the time. You just have to look at it as...you're the driver and the reader is the passenger. They can comment on your driving, but basically if they don't like the journey, they need to get out of the car. <br /><br />And too bad if it's a place with no signal and no taxi service.<br /><br />Seriously, though, after years and years of listening to this stuff I've come to the conclusion that it's just better not to listen to this stuff. ;-DJosh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-85673694629902734302011-01-20T10:15:05.238-08:002011-01-20T10:15:05.238-08:00Missy, the traditional or "cozy" mystery...Missy, the traditional or "cozy" mystery is actually one of the most respected of literary genres (except by those who despise all genre fiction). Granted, when you add sex to the mixture we lose all credibility. <br /><br />What IS it about sex that scares people so?Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-45532206711335879232011-01-18T08:16:34.038-08:002011-01-18T08:16:34.038-08:00I love the name "cozy." I've read a ...I love the name "cozy." I've read a few over the years, but this post makes me want to rent a cabin in the woods, light a fire, bake some cookies, wear flannel, and read a pile of 'em for a week straight.Rebecca Rogers Maherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17328283811756853851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-37687542825228145782011-01-18T05:53:37.353-08:002011-01-18T05:53:37.353-08:00Great post, Josh! Particularly the point about nev...Great post, Josh! Particularly the point about never killing the cat LOL. Seriously, I think you sum it up when you say it's all about the fun and the characters. Which you write so well! <br /><br />Do you ever get response from readers chastising you about some element in the book? When I've received feedback like that it's always something that hadn't really registered with me - but it's obviously very important to the reader, so I need to take that into account in future :). I think these tips cover mnost of the expectations, and really well.Clare Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09392142798976142547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-87889515496782717392011-01-16T12:14:06.500-08:002011-01-16T12:14:06.500-08:00I love this post! Between whoazies, #17 and The Lo...I love this post! Between whoazies, #17 and The Lost Commandment I got the laugh I really needed today. Thanks for that. And thanks, too, for making me think my "terrible" attempt at one of these might not be so terrible after all. Odd that I'm cool with having someone read a short PWP I've written, but I shudder to share a little mystery story. LOL :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-30961321510617931952011-01-15T10:26:24.829-08:002011-01-15T10:26:24.829-08:00Thanks, Shirley. It's always interesting to re...Thanks, Shirley. It's always interesting to read the things that readers say they will and will not accept. <br /><br />I think I must have some pretty flexible readers given how tolerant they are of my genre jumping.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-10696060931190216162011-01-15T03:39:55.323-08:002011-01-15T03:39:55.323-08:00Great post, Josh. I love reading a good cozy but i...Great post, Josh. I love reading a good cozy but it's just as well I don't write them because I've killed a cat. That sucker had to go. ;)<br /><br />Will look forward to reading about Holmes and Moriarty!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05938431508430656253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-82207220227656528662011-01-14T21:35:27.501-08:002011-01-14T21:35:27.501-08:00Thanks, Maureen! :-DThanks, Maureen! :-DJosh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-40773012016516195542011-01-14T15:42:08.209-08:002011-01-14T15:42:08.209-08:00Excellent post, Josh. And "whoazy" I l...Excellent post, Josh. And "whoazy" I love that! I think I'll consult your post before I sit down to write my next book :)Maureen A. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16432964748852427405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-52383512617192220272011-01-14T15:37:04.834-08:002011-01-14T15:37:04.834-08:00Hi Joanna! Thanks.
Yes, I love the layout of this...Hi Joanna! Thanks.<br /><br />Yes, I love the layout of this blog. Kudos to my blogmates for that.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-59254450555920965492011-01-14T15:35:20.638-08:002011-01-14T15:35:20.638-08:00Hey there, Susan. Yes, every genre and sub-genre h...Hey there, Susan. Yes, every genre and sub-genre have their little rules of the game.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-59087786044038447712011-01-14T15:14:03.960-08:002011-01-14T15:14:03.960-08:00Josh, thanks for sharing these writing tips with u...Josh, thanks for sharing these writing tips with us. BTW This is a really nice blog. I love the design and the pretty covers.Joanna Terrerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148330199725301929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-17703994834349363202011-01-14T14:47:15.696-08:002011-01-14T14:47:15.696-08:00I never thought about the rules for cozies. I like...I never thought about the rules for cozies. I like the 'don't kill a cat' rule.Susan Gourley/Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02669793865290876168noreply@blogger.com