Cruising with a Mystery: Author Interview with Wendy Neugent

You’ve now published several mystery books, but what inspired you to write that first one?
I worked on cruise ships as an entertainer for a decade in my 20s and early 30s. I had the idea for this series back, but didn’t even know where to start. I got off of ships when I was five months pregnant with my oldest son and spent the next few years raising my two boys. Once my children were older, I finally had the time and the brainpower to be able to write the book that I had dreamt of writing when I was working on ships all those years ago.

Your book series Olivia Morgan Cruise Ship Mysteries features a guest who becomes an amateur sleuth and enlists the aid of crew members to solve murders. How did you use your previous work history into creating these stories.
From my years working on ships, I felt like a cruise ship would be a perfect setting for a mystery. You are trapped at sea on a ship with a killer, which ups the stakes. The people who work on ships tend to be larger than like characters, which makes them a lot of fun to write. Every cruise is a unique experience. You have new passengers and an international crew which gives me lots of interesting options for the characters in my book.

Chico is my sleuth’s pet sidekick and my favorite character to write. I worked with parrots in my act and I have so much fun writing Chico. He tends to be a reader favorite, too, which makes me so happy.

How do you go about plotting your mystery?
With my cruise ship mysteries, I usually start with an event or a situation that actually happened to me when I worked on ships, such as the ship crashing into the dock (Yikes!) or a fire breaking out onboard (Double Yikes!) and build the mystery around it.

Do you pick the victim or the murderer first?
I almost always pick the victim first. I sometimes don’t know which of the suspects is the murderer until I get to the end of the book. I had one character in one of my books who I had planned to be the murderer, but the character just wouldn’t cooperate! The characters have a mind of their own and no matter how much plotting and planning I do, they don’t always do what they are told!

What do you think makes for a perfect murder mystery?
I wish I knew what made the perfect murder mystery. Unfortunately I never got to meet Agatha Christie so I couldn’t ask her. 

Yes, I agree. I'm a big fan of Christie books. Would have been intrigued in meeting her and talking to her about her writing. Now please tell my readers about your Clue Crew Book Club!
I started The Clue Crew Book Club with my cousin, Jen. She is an avid reader and we thought it would be fun to have the perspectives of an author and a reader. We feature a different author every month. The book cub is currently on hiatus for the summer, but our YouTube videos are available. You can watch them and get to know our featured mystery authors. https://www.youtube.com/@TheClueCrewMysteryChannel

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
I’m very lucky that my family is very encouraging of my writing and my first mystery, "Murder Takes a Bow” was a 'Cozy Mystery Indie of the Year' Finalist. That honor really encouraged me to keep writing, but the support of my readers is what keeps me sitting down at my laptop every day. I’m really grateful for my readers. I have an active Facebook reader group that is my happy place on the internet and I am so happy that many of The Clue Crew members feel the same way. I’d love to have you join the group and come hang out with us. We talk about books, share pictures of our pets and support each other in good times and bad. I’ve been lucky enough to even meet some in person on my Clue Crew Cruise we took together in January and at book signings. https://www.facebook.com/groups/wendyscluecrew

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
A couple of years ago I decided that I didn’t want all of my eggs in one basket and took most of my books out of Kindle Unlimited. I opened my own online bookstore and sell my books directly to my readers.

My books are still on all retailers but I can build a closer relationship with my readers and give them better deals when they buy directly from me. I’ve used Amazon ads, Facebook ads, I post on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and I send emails to my readers.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That I could do it. I wanted to be an author my entire life. I remember dreaming of writing books when I was reading Jane Eyre in third grade but was always told that you can’t make a career out of being an author.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
To just sit down and write. The words don’t have to be perfect because you can edit any words you have written, but you can’t edit what you don’t have.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
If you write 1,000 words a day, you’ll have a first draft of a book in just a couple of months!

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
My next book is coming out later this month. It is called Ernest Endeavors and is book two in my Key West Mysteries series. Key West was one of my favorite ports, so I thought it would be fun to write a series set there. I get to “visit” Key West while I am planning and writing the books in the series.

Here is a little bit about the book:

When antique shop owner Beth Fletcher discovers a 1930s diary, she's captivated by its intimate glimpses into Ernest Hemingway's Key West life. But this glimpse into the past becomes deadly when museum curator Regina Winters is found floating in the Hemingway House's famous pool – just hours after hinting she'd made an extraordinary discovery about the author's long-lost manuscripts.

Armed with her research skills, her sassy cat Agatha, and her sister Sarah's perfect pastries, Beth navigates a maze of historical clues and modern dangers.

Despite warnings from the handsome detective assigned to the case, Beth can't help digging deeper.

She moved to Key West for a fresh start, not to get tangled up in murder, but in a town where history whispers around every corner, sometimes the past refuses to stay buried.

That's all for today's interview. Love the book blurb for the new Key West series. I've been to the Hemingway house and that's a great setting for a story. I've read several of Wendy's books and I hope you'll want to start reading some as well. Here are some links to get you started.

Website: https://wendyneugentbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wendyscluecrew
YouTube channel for her audiobooks:https://www.youtube.com/@wendyneugentauthor

And here's a bonus from Wendy for all my readers... Visit her website https://wendyneugentbooks.com/ and use code “TheWriteChris” to get the eBook or audiobook of Murder Takes a Bow for free!

Murder Mysteries as Puzzles: Author Interview with Valerie Taylor

What inspired you to write your first cozy mystery?
It’s not what inspired me, it’s who! Readers of my romantic comedy trilogy (fondly known as the What’s Not series) suggested I write a cozy mystery. They believed my fluid writing style, relatable characters, and true-to-life dialogue would work well with cozies. If it weren’t for readers’ encouragement, I probably wouldn’t have begun the Venus Bixby Mystery series that so far consists of A Whale of a Murder, published in 2024, and Switched at Death, releasing on April 22, 2025.

How did you create your imaginary town setting?
When I visited New Bedford, MA, in 2016 (the year I retired from corporate America), I couldn’t have predicted that this historic whaling village would be the model for my cozies. But when I began imagining my story, my day in New Bedford popped into my mind. Since it’s situated between Providence and Cape Cod, I named my fictional town Chatham Crossing. From there, I made the whaling museum the focal point of the story. Next, I created my amateur sleuth who owns an oldies music store and cookie bakery. And since the town borders a bay, it was easy to build out the town from there.

How do you go about plotting your mystery?
Unlike my romcom, which I truly wrote by the seat of my pants, I learned from an online course how important it is to outline a mystery, cozy or otherwise. A cozy must have a sleuth, a detective, a victim, a villain, and a cast of supporting characters who may or may not be suspects. On top of that, it needs a setting people will love and a murder they know occurred but never witness. Bonus points for things like pets, food, book, music and red herrings sprinkled along the way. It’s a recipe for disaster for the writer who doesn’t think through most of this ahead of time. For my mysteries, I use multi-colored markers and sketch pads to mind map those key elements, drawing pictures and arrows to depict how and when they interact.

Do you pick the victim or the murderer first?
In both A Whale of a Murder and Switched at Death I knew who the primary victim would be at the start. However, I actually changed who the murderer would be halfway through the first draft of Switched at Death. You could say I kept with the theme of that story!

What do you think makes for a perfect murder mystery?
A murder mystery is a puzzle. People love puzzles! Look at the millions of people who play Wordle each day! A perfect murder mystery, then, is a puzzle cloaked in intrigue that implores the reader to search for clues as to whodunit. The clues can either be blatant or hidden, but the story should motivate a reader to reflect on what they caught or missed after they’ve turned the last page and closed the book.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
Throughout my career I was a writer, in one form or another. For most of my life I wrote business or marketing communications. As such, I was stifled by having to comply with rules, especially legal ones. In the last few years before I retired, I shared the idea for my first novel with colleagues. To a person, they all encouraged me to go for it. Get that book written! If I hadn’t heeded their advice, I wouldn’t have five books under my belt today.

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
Friends and family might not agree, but I really am an introvert. So, you’d think online marketing would suit me just fine. Yet, I find, I’m also like the Energizer bunny. Once you wind me up, I can talk about my author journey, writing, and the stories I tell for hours. So, for me, participating in book fairs and craft fairs are generally worthwhile and fun. You just never know who you’ll meet!

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
I don’t think I ever thought of writing as an addiction. But it is! I can’t believe I’m in the process of writing my sixth book. I bet I think about writing during most of my waking hours. Even reading or watching television provides fodder for a future story.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Don’t compare yourself to other authors. While that’s commonly-given advice, I suspect it’s difficult for many of us to adhere to. Whether it’s a writer’s storytelling talent or an author’s trajectory to a best seller’s list, I believe it’s human nature to put ourselves in their shoes and wish it were us.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Know thyself. Sounds like an answer to the above question! What I mean to convey is this: write the book you want to write. Switch genres, as I did, if it makes you happy. Be honest about how much time, energy, and money you’re willing to invest in a career where people you’ll never meet will have much to say about what you put your heart and soul into. If you’re thin skinned, don’t read reviews!

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
The second book in the Venus Bixby Mystery series  was published this week. In Switched at Death, Venus Bixby and her meddlesome sister are back. When the beloved mayor of historic Chatham Crossing collapses and dies when the Christmas tree explodes in flame during the annual tree lighting, Venus drags her feet before getting involved in the investigation that follows. Once her cookie bakery is implicated in the mayor’s death, she has no choice. As clues begin to emerge, Venus fears someone she knows and loves may also be involved. Will her clever sleuthing skills save the Christmas holidays for one and all in this charming whaling town?

That's all for today's interview. Hope you'll check out Valerie's books. Here are the links to do just that...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B084JGPQX1  
Website: https://www.valerietaylorauthor.com  

Subscribe to my newsletter, Behind and Ahead: https://www.valerietaylorauthor.com/subscribe  

Facebook.com/valerietaylorauthor  

Twitter @ValerieEMTaylor  Instagram @ValerieETaylor

And here's a bonus for my readers... Leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of Valeria's eBooks. Their choice of either A Whale of a Murder or Switched at Death! So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next weekend!

Get the Book Written! Author Interview with Carmen Radtke

What drew you to writing cozy mysteries? 
I’ve always loved reading mysteries, starting as a child and then teenager with Trixie Belden, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers. When I was working as a reporter for a local daily newspaper, I was too busy to do any writing on the side, but in what little spare time I had I felt more and more drawn to cozies. They were far removed from the crimes and tragedies I dealt with when I was covering the crime beat, delivered justice and restored sense to bad things.

What inspired you to write the first novel?

The plot of my first published novel, The Case of the Missing Bride, practically fell into my lap when I lived in New Zealand as a young mother and no longer worked seven days a week, but only part-time as a relief reporter. I’d been researching a few feature ideas when I cane upon one paragraph in an old newspaper. In 1862, a group of young women were sent as brides from Australia to the young province of British Columbia in Canada. They never arrived.

That’s all that’s known. Everything else to do with these women and their fate is idle speculation. I can’t imagine any scenario that would have ended well for them, but they deserved better. A cozy mystery formed in my mind, one that would explain everything, and that would save them (apart from the titular bride). The series continues with The Prospect of Death and the lives they should have had.

I was incredibly lucky with The Case of the Missing Bride. The New Zealand Society of Authors selected my first draft for a coveted assessment done by an established writer. They paired me with the fabulous Paddy Richardson (check out her books! You won’t regret it), who loved my novel so much she supported me all through a rewrite that became the published book. It’s one I’m very proud of, because these women were real, and they deserve to be remembered. It took me ten months to research and to write, and then the rewrite took five days, working on it from dawn to dusk. Or rather, from ten to ten.
 
How do you go about plotting your mystery? Do you pick the victim or the murderer first? 
I usually know the murderer and the motive first and start writing when it hits me that I might have picked the wrong victim. I do apologise to them, if they’re nice people, though. If they get their just deserts, I might gloat a little while writing.

What makes a perfect murder mystery? 

I’m a sucker for an unusual setting. Nobody does it better than Agatha Christie (although Elizabeth Peters comes close with her Amelia Peabody series). A locked room mystery never loses its appeal, and the best mysteries are perfectly obvious and logical in hindsight and fool you all along while you’re reading. Again, nobody can touch Agatha Christie in this regard. The best cozy mysteries are as much fun when I re-read them, because there’s so much to discover or to remember.
 

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The support from the New Zealand Society of Authors, and having The Case of the Missing Bride become a Malice Domestic finalist! And later, hearing from readers how much they loved my stories and my characters.
 
Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks?
Marketing is my weak spot. I’ve only started to regularly invest in paid ads last year. So, it’s early days for me. This year I want to spend more time learning the ropes.
 
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That it’s a good idea to come up with comparable titles or shows before you even start writing, something I’ve never done yet but will! No wonder “Jaws in Space” sold the movie Alien.
 
What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
The best I’ve had: First get it written, then get it right. It stopped me from agonising over every paragraph that had sounded so perfect in my head at 3am and fell flat when I finally had a chance to type it. No book is ever perfect, so you get it as good as you can and move on.
The best I can give: Find your tribe in the writing community. Most writers are lovely, supportive people who will help you, cheer you on or commiserate with you, and together you’re so much stronger.
 

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone has their own process, strength, weaknesses, and their own way of doing this. And, most of all, enjoy it. Love your stories. Nobody else but you can write them, no matter if you keep them to yourself, or they find a dozen readers, or turn you into a household name, with a lavish income (I wouldn’t mind trying that …)
 
What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
Jack and Frances will have a final adventure in London in 1932, before it’s time for them to head back home to Australia. I hope to have it done sometime in spring. Although I’m a full-time writer, most of my working hours include writing paid content articles on different topics. But hopefully one day, fiction writing will be my only job.

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Carmen's writing, check out the links below.

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Carmen-Radtke/author/B075F6X38C  

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carmen-radtke  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcarmenradtke

Website: https://carmenradtke.com/

And here's a bonus for my readers... Leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of Carmen's eBooks. The winner can choose between an ebook of The Case of the Missing Bride or her latest release, Murder by the Letter. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner at the end of next week!

 

Let's Get Cozy with Mysteries: Author Interview with Karen Sue Walker

You’ve now published several books, but what inspired you to write your first mystery? How long did it take you to write your first book that was published?
I had read at least 50 cozy mysteries (maybe even a hundred!) when I thought I’d try my hand at writing one. “How hard could it be?” I asked myself.

As it turns out, quite hard! Three years later, I found an editor and decided to publish it myself since it didn’t meet the requirements of the Big Five traditional publishers. They have very strict requirements on length, and I didn’t want to spend another year or two when there was no guarantee I’d get a contract. I was also inspired by Jana de Leon, one of the most successful indie mystery authors.

Your tea book covers attracted my attention immediately as I’m an avid tea drinker. What made you decide to go with the idea of just using a tea cup and teapot for the covers rather than an image of a shop like your bridal shop mysteries? 
My cover artist, the brilliant Mariah Sinclair, offered the covers I now have as a premade. That meant that I could change the title and author name but nothing else. Since my budget was tight, I bought them, although they weren’t exactly what I was looking for—after all, there’s no hint of the ghost or murder on the cover! Or the Victorian Tearoom! But they have brought exactly the right readers to me, which is the job of a cover, so I’m very happy I made that choice.

Mariah Sinclair did the covers for the Arrow Investigations series which I absolutely love! But I’m not sure they’re attracting the right reader, so we’re discussing making a change.

I had two other sets of covers for my first series—the Bridal Shop Cozy Mysteries—that I was never all that happy with. I ended up doing my own, which are the ones I have now. The only reason I could do my own was because of everything I’d learned over the previous several years—and going forward, I only do my own covers for stories I’m giving away.

Do you ever have that middle book slump? If so how do you handle it?
I have don’t have a midpoint slump, although in my early books, I rushed from the midpoint to the conclusion. I began plotting using Save the Cat beats, which fixed that. I’ve learned that all the story structure theories are pretty much the same, but I like how the STC beats are described and presented. For instance, Jessica Brody suggests a party or gathering at the midpoint or introducing a ticking time clock, among other things. A second murder works quite well as the midpoint twist, but I try not to overuse that. I don’t want readers to expect it.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The best encouragement has come from critique partners but most of all - from readers. There’s nothing better than an email or review that says a reader can’t wait for the next book!

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks?
My best marketing has been my newsletter. I’ve also used free promos for the first in series extensively, which work great especially for long series. They are becoming less effective since I hear that many readers have hundreds of free books loaded to their kindles.

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
I wish I’d known that what works for other people often does not work for me. And what worked last year or even last week may not work. For me, writing is almost like jumping off a cliff with no idea of where you’ll land—it’s exhilarating, terrifying, and liberating.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Just write. Keep writing.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Writing is better than therapy if you are willing to face your demons!

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
Tea is for Talisman released last week. Here's a short blurb about it.

April May takes her assistant Jennifer on a long-promised trip to New Orleans. Their relaxing trip turns into chaos when George and Pearl, two ghosts from the vaudeville era, follow them to The Big Easy. The ghosts show up in April’s room the first morning with another ghost in tow. Cedric LeBlanc has been murdered and everyone, including Jennifer, think April should help find his murderer.

Their investigation takes them through the back alleys, voodoo shops, and cemeteries of the French Quarter and surrounding areas and attracts the attention of a police detective who thinks April knows a little more than she should.

That's all for today's interview. The new book intrigues me as I'm going to be in New Orleans next month! If you'd like to learn more about Karen's books, check out these links.
Bridal Shop Cozy Mysteries:  https://karensuewalker.com/

Haunted Tearoom Cozy Mysteries: https://karensuewalker.com/books/

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of  Karen's eBook, Tea is for Trouble. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!

The Elements of a Cozy Mystery: Author Interview with Shannon Symonds

How do you go about plotting your mystery? Do you pick the victim or the murderer first? What do you think makes for a perfect murder mystery?

I love plotting. I begin with the characters. If you don’t love the main character, and aren’t hooked on page one, you probably won’t read on. I create a character relationship map with the main character smack in the middle. Then I create a small community around her. I always make a minimum of three love triangles for motivation. When I see a clear motive, the victim and killer become obvious. I create a minimum of 5 red herrings using the relationships on my chart. I try to create flawed, three-dimensional, characters. 

I use a program that I have loaded with the basic outline of most great mysteries. Once I have an outline, I reach out to my kids! My kids include two medical examiners, a nurse, a detective, a veteran, and more! I share the plot with them and they give me ways to spice it up.

I had no idea I was creating a fun think tank for murder when I was raising my kids!

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?

In thIn the beginning, my sister was my greatest inspiration. She walked with me through the entire process of writing and finding a publisher for my debut novel. Sadly, she passed from cancer. I was able to show her a copy of the book the last day I spent with her. 

After my first novel was released, I learned the incalculable value of good reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I care about what readers think. I read each and every review. Good reviews bring me great joy.

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?

I recently had a blast connecting with The Cozy Mystery Tribe's book club. I spent the day with their facebook group and gave away books! It was so fun and my sales were excellent. I find Facebook takeovers and getting to chat with reader's fun and a great way to get my books out there. 

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?Everything! When I wrote my first book, I knew nothing about the process. From the second my publisher accepted, I began learning at an overwhelming pace. Marking your book matters. I am still working on ways to reach readers and have fun doing it.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?

Just write! Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone has a story in them, I believe. If you want support in the process, reach out to Storymakers conferences or writer's groups in your area. 

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?

I love strong heroines, flawed and real people. Some of the greatest women in history had difficult experiences, but went on to find joy and change the world, like Maya Angelou or Oprah. I hope that when you read my books you see yourself in the pages, and stay up all night turning pages.

What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?

Book 2 in the Balefire Bay Series is due out in April. I still have to have a cover made, finish the book, and find a new copy editor. So! Cross your fingers and pray for an April launch. 

In book 2, Ivy is settling into living in Balefire and happy, when Xander's mother returns with an entourage of friends and family. Her name is Rhoda. Just as Ivy tries to get acquainted with her, Rhoda reminds her that she is just an employee. Is it any wonder someone is murdered? 

John Ivy and Balefire at the Saturday Market and help Ivy solve the mystery of the Cinnamon Roll.

I love the fun titles of cozy mysteries, and their stories. If you'd like to learn more about Shannon's books, here are some links to get you started.

Website: http://shannonsymonds.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/shannonsymondsauthor/ 
FB Author page: https://www.facebook.com/shannonsymondsauthor 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B06Y5X6BYN 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16539647.Shannon_Symonds 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shannonsymonds7 
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/shannon-symonds?list=author_books 

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of one of  Shannon's eBook, Booked for Murder.  So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Tuesday!

Getting Cozy with Mysteries: Author Interview with Julia Koty

You’ve now published multiple cozy mysteries, but what inspired you to write that first one?
I had been in the children’s market for a number of years struggling to find my niche. I began to cowrite YA dystopian with a friend, and we were having the best time researching the genre, planning the outlines for the 3-book series. It was so much fun. We wrote 1.5 books about a dystopian future that was post pandemic…and then an actual pandemic hit, and we were living it. 

At that point it wasn’t fun anymore. We still keep in touch, but we wanted to write lighter topics. She decided to move to romance, and I chose to move to cozy mystery. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve enjoyed watching every version of a cozy mystery on TV. My absolute favorite is Psych, which helped me to keep my sanity during quarantine.

Are you active with any mystery writers critique groups. If so,  what would you tell others about joining one?
I’ve been writing for about 20 years now, so I now have editors that I work with. But when I first began writing I worked for years to find a critique group that worked for me. Finally, four of us got together, we were all in the same phase of our careers, we were all driven to complete a novel and publish within a year and so with that drive the 4 of us pushed each other, in loving ways, to get better. I would tell writers to keep looking for your people, and keep getting input on your writing and your career that you feel helps and supports you. If it doesn’t, keep moving until you find your people, they’re out there for you!

Do you think writing cozy mysteries are a harder genre to write in than others?
I think every genre has its challenges and its fun parts. I don’t think mysteries are any different. For me I love their episodic nature more than anything and I love coming up with new suspects and new villains for each book.

How do you go about plotting your mystery? 
This is a great question. Because I was switching genres, I had to learn how to create mysteries, so I sat down at the computer and scoured the internet, bought every craft book, and systematically read cozy novels. I wanted to create a plotting workbook for myself because I knew I wanted to create a series, which meant multiple books. Once I refined the workbook, it helped me put out books much faster than I thought I could, which was thrilling. I knew I had to share this with other writers, so I developed a workshop on writing novellas and novels using the workbook. My first step is to focus on the suspects and their relationships with each other and the victims (I like 2 body drops in my books). 

What makes a perfect murder mystery? 

One where there’s a twist and you don’t see the reveal coming! I think that’s why Knives Out was so popular.
 

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
The best encouragement I’ve received in writing is from my friend Heather Kelly who, rightfully so, is a book coach. She talked me down from all the fears I had about publishing and got me to commit to being an indie author. The second-best encouragement came from my first readers and reviewers. Nothing is as thrilling as when someone you don’t know buys your books…and enjoys them.
 
Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produces more sales rather than just clicks?
I would stress building your newsletter list. I use Bookfunnel’s group promotions to do this and have been very successful in building my list. Every book launch I can easily email my list and get the word out which leads to sales. The only cost is the time I spend nurturing my list by emailing them weekly to keep them up to date and sharing free novellas from time to time (before I put the novella for sale).
 
What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
 Being an author is a long road with many pit-stops. But you are always a writer, always. You’ll eventually come back to it again, maybe in another iteration like I did when I moved from children’s fiction to mystery. Just keep working forward and do things that make you happy and joyful.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
 Make your primary job to be HAPPY doing what you do. Have joy in what you are doing, everything else in the business is secondary. The ups and downs of sales and reviews won’t affect you in the same way if you are working to be happy in your life and with your writing.

Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
The one thing I’ve learned about being a writer is that you really need to know yourself and how your brain processes and creates information. Every single writer is different, it’s your job to find out what works the best for you. No other writer can do that for you, although they can give you tools to try. 

Try writing sprints to discover if you work best early in the morning or late afternoon, that you enjoy binge writing as opposed to daily writing, or you need to hyper focus instead of working multiple projects or tasks. I’ve been doing this a long time and I’m still fine-tuning my process and trying new things to see if they help me work better and enjoy my process more. 

Tell me about your latest book.
My latest book is actually my first nonfiction book: How to Write a Cozy Mystery Step-by-Step: A proven system to create reader-favorite cozies FAST.

Ready to write a cozy mystery but aren’t sure where to start? Are you already writing cozy mysteries but need to streamline your process? This book will walk you step-by-step through writing a cozy mystery, including developing your sleuth, building a cast of supporting characters and identifying a solid suspect list that will keep your readers guessing until the very end.

There’s no guesswork for you, the writer. Inside you’ll discover a solid four-act structure and how it applies to cozies. Natasha breaks down the story into chapters and scenes that will keep the pace and tension high enough to keep readers turning the page.

That's all for today's interview. I've thought about writing a cozy mystery (it's one of my favorite genres to read) and have put together a cast of characters, but that's as far as I've gotten. So that might be a book for me. If you want to learn more about Julia's writing or learn more about writing cozy mysteries, here are some links to get you started.

Author Website: https://www.juliakoty.com/  
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Julia-Koty/e/B08XZX9WMS
Writing workshops: https://www.natashacsass.com/
How to Write Cozy Mysteries book: https://amazon.com/dp/B0BLQF3PK3
Facebook Group for Cozy Mystery Authors:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/cozymysteryclubhouse

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive an eBook copy of either How to Write Cozies or her first book in the Mira Michaels Mysteries series, Cats and Catnapping. So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Friday!

A Ghostly Tale of Writing: Author Interview with Mallory Pierce

You’ve just debuted your first book.  How many rewrites did you do on it?
I’ve always been fascinated by ghosts and haunted places, and it occurred to me that ghost stories aren’t generally written from the point of view of the spirit. That’s when the character of Gwendolyn Frink (don’t call her Gwen!), a ghost who’s been haunting the halls of her family’s old Victorian home for over a century, was born! 

What made you choose to write a mystery with a ghost aspect?

I’m a big fan of light-hearted mysteries with a male/female pair of sleuths, so I teamed up Gwen with horror writer Nolan, gave them a murder to solve, and That’s the Spirit! was the end result.

How many rewrites did you do on it?
I do a lot of editing along the way while writing a first draft because I loathe doing massive rewrites. My process is to write the first draft, do one round of edits to check on continuity and fix any issues, turn the manuscript over to my beta readers, do another round of edits based on things they’ve pointed out to me, proofread the manuscript until I want to cry (LOL), and then I’m done.

How do you go about plotting your mystery? Do you pick the victim or the murderer first?
I start with the victim and figure out all the details of the murder and how the body is discovered. I don’t decide on who the murderer is until I’ve got all the suspects on the page, and I’ve run through all the possible scenarios in my head. The murderer usually reveals him(or her!)self to me about a third of the way into the book (I write my chapters in chronological order).

What do you think makes for a perfect murder mystery?
For me, what makes a good murder mystery is having a sleuth that’s interesting and fun to follow along with as s/he solves the crime. And I like to be surprised by something in the story: whether it’s the murderer, the motive, a red herring, or a plot twist.

 
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
Many moons ago, I wrote fan fiction for some of my favorite genre shows like Angel and Smallville, and I got such a tremendously positive response from readers online that it emboldened me to start writing my first novel. 

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
Right now, I’d say that my best marketing tool is newsletter swaps with other authors in my genre. It’s a win/win because it costs nothing and my readers/followers love to learn about new releases, books on sale, and seasonal reads. As a bonus, I’ve discovered some really wonderful authors and books through doing swaps. 

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That there is not only one road to success. Authors have so many options these days and there is no right or wrong way to get your books into readers’ hands. You have to do what works best for you.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Your book is both a product and a reflection of you. So, make sure that your product is polished to a very bright shine before you submit it to an agent/editor or publish it. Editing, proofreading, cover art, blurbs – all of those things are important and will make the difference between you looking like a professional or an amateur.

Tell me about your book.
The afterlife gets a lot more exciting for Gwen when she’s able to communicate with the newest resident of her family home, and the two of them find a corpse in the attic! Gwen insists that a reluctant Nolan help her find out who killed real estate agent Morgan Charles. Can they solve the case before Woebrook’s annual Festival of Frights, or will Nolan be the killer’s next victim?

That’s the Spirit! is filled to the brim with Halloween goodness! It’s available in e-book, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited on Amazon: 

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Mallory's writing, here are some links to get you started. 
Author Newsletter: https://paranormalcozyauthor.eo.page/zknn4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MalloryPierceAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallorypierceauthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mallory-pierce

Amazon: https://mybook.to/ThatstheSpirit

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of Mallory's eBook, That’s the Spirit! So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Friday!