What is a Cozy Mystery?

 Nikita has her copy of Dead Ahead, Book 1 of the Ruthless-the-Killer Mysteries.

I recently attended a large writers' conference where a successful author of cozy mysteries took a session focusing on the characteristics of that genre. Having recently published my first-in-series cozy mystery, Dead Ahead, I wanted to know how close I’d got to the ideal.

Before I go further, this is an Australian blog and I should spell cozy, as cosy, right? I usually do. However, as the US spelling is used for much of the discussion of the genre online, I use 'cozy' when I'm talking about the genre. If someone is snuggling under a cosy blanket, I use the Australian/ English spelling. 

The speaker's definition of a cozy mystery

It was an interesting talk, but I was surprised at how adamant the speaker was about the characteristics of a cozy mystery. In her eyes, if a story didn't strictly follow these criteria, it wasn't a 'cozy':

• The main character (MC) must be an amateur sleuth. They can’t be a police officer or a private detective. 

• Serious issues (other than the murder) have no place in a cozy, other than backstory. The protagonist may have escaped from a bad marriage and be starting again, but we don’t see any serious issues on the page. Suicide can’t be mentioned.

• Absolutely no blood. Poisoning is good. Stabbing is bad.

• Absolutely no mention of sex or of intimate scenes of any kind. You can't even have the literary equivalent of the dimmer switch that causes the scene to ‘fade to black’. 

• Absolutely no swearing—ever.

• Not only should animals never be harmed, but they should also never come within a sniff of being harmed.

• Only nasty people die. You should amp up the nastiness. The victim shouldn’t have any redeeming characteristics. It can be cathartic to put the people who have hurt you into a story and kill them (you get into less trouble with the law that way).

• Cozy mysteries happen in closed communities. Small towns are excellent locations, as are any closed communities. Television shows like Only Murders in the Building use an inner-city building as their closed community.

The speaker is an extremely savvy businessperson who obviously writes down the middle of the genre—that’s probably why she sells a heap of books—but as she spoke, you could hear the murmur of but… but… but… all around the room :).

Not everyone agreed with her criteria for a cozy mystery

Before I wrote Dead Ahead, I read widely in the genre. I discovered that successful cozy mysteries—especially more recent ones—covered a wide gamut of storytelling.

While cozy protagonists are usually amateur sleuths, Zara Keane’s popular Movie Club Mysteries, set in Ireland, feature an ex-cop-turned-PI Maggie Doyle as the investigator. 

It's true that many cozy mysteries have minimal swearing, but that doesn't mean there's none. I'd say at least a third of the books I've read contain 'light swearing'. Australian based HY Hanna, author of the Oxford Tea Room Mysteries, uses the Aussie/ British exclamation ‘bloody hell’ several times in her stories. 

Hanna bills her books as clean reads, and they are lovely and funny and sweet, but by the conference speaker's definition they aren't cozy, which is crazy. When I asked about this during the session, she said Hanna's readers didn't seem to mind.

I actually think that's the key. Cozy mystery is a wide-reaching genre where there are lots of different kinds of books for different kinds of readers.

In my reading, I also discovered that there are quite a few cozy mysteries, especially those with younger protagonists, that include sexual intimacy. This can range from the barest mention of attraction, to make out sessions that would make your toes curl. 

Yet the reviews still celebrate these stories as cozy mysteries. And these books sell well under that banner.

This is also true of books that sit at the edge of cozy. I’d call Margaret Lashley’s hilarious Val Fremden Midlife Mysteries cozy-adjacent, and Patricia McLinn’s, Caught Dead in Wyoming mysteries more small town ‘amateur sleuth’. But some people still call these books cozies. 

My conclusion is that the contemporary cozy mystery is evolving. The conference speaker was describing the classic cozy, but as tastes evolve and readers crave fresh reads, the genre is shifting.

The term cozy mystery now encompasses a diverse range of stories from Christian/ inspirational through cutesy, through to the more offbeat character-driven tales. As well as contemporary stories, cozies can be paranormal, light paranormal and historical mysteries. There are even millennial cozies pitched at readers in their twenties and thirties. 

This is one reason I like writing in this genre. While it does have rules, it also gives writers the freedom to be themselves.

My own cozy mystery books

I’ve recently released Dead Ahead, the first book in my Ruthless-the-Killer mystery series, and according to the conference speaker I've broken a few of the cozy rules.

Romantic elements: The series has romantic elements that really matter to the story. While these elements are closed door, I don't deny the existence of love and desire, even if I do frame it in a light, romantic comedy vibe. And even though the genre is still primarily a mystery, the romantic subplot is woven through the mystery and character growth arcs in each book. It's not a tacked-on optional extra.

I've had readers call this refreshing :).

Deeper Issues: I can’t help myself—my cozies will touch on deeper themes occasionally—but I'll use a light touch.

Bad guys and gals: While I love the sentiment that stories are a great place to the kill people who are awful to us in real life, I think that villains and victims in murder mysteries should have at lease some good qualities. Good writing is about more than catharsis. Complex characters are fun and in real life even the worst villains can be good to others. In Dead Ahead, the victim is hated by a lot of people, but not by everyone.

Animal adventures: I’m a former veterinarian, so animals will always run, jump, skitter, slide or crawl into my stories. But the animals in my books may occasionally face mortal danger, like my humans. However, while I’ll happily kill off any number of people, the animals will be okay in the end. I promise!

Vernacular: I’m Aussie and that means my natural vernacular is relaxed. I don’t like a lot of swearing in my cozies—you won’t get F-bombs—but you might find an occasional ‘crap’ or ‘hell’.

Every writer is different. I love a twisty murder mystery with lots of surprises. I’m also a self-confessed genre butterfly—or genre-rebel when I’m in an edgier mood—so I like some freedom. Cozy mysteries suit me because they allow me to be me, yet fit my work within a wider genre.

If you are an aspiring cozy mystery author and you have the type of personality where you enjoy writing in the exact middle of your genre, like the conference speaker suggests, you will probably do well to write classical cozies. It will give you widest access to the greatest number of readers and the potential to make the most income. Writing to the largest market is always a good idea.

But if you are more like me and want to explore the broader definitions of the genre, then I think there is scope to go for it. Niching down can also be a good strategy as long as you can find your readers. I'm just starting out, but there are a bunch of successful authors out there who are doing well writing cozies that don’t fit the classic form. 

Readers are discovering and enjoying these stories. 

Find authors who are like you and see what they do. Cozy mysteries are a fun sandbox to play in, and the breadth of the genre means there is something for everyone, whether you are a reader or a writer.

And if you'd like to read a deliciously twisty Aussie cozy mystery with a side of rom-com, you can find one right here :). 

Do you like writing cozy mysteries? Who are your favourite authors? I'd love you to let me know in the comments.

Susan J Bruce is a former veterinarian who writes mystery and suspense stories with heart. If you love tales where characters discover courage they didn’t know they had, you’ll like Susan’s books. If you like some romance and humour along the way, you’ll find her new Ruthless-the-Killer mystery series suitably binge-worthy. Susan is a self-confessed animal addict and creatures regularly run, jump, fly or crawl through her books. Susan’s writing group once challenged her to pen a story without mentioning any animals—she failed! 

Dead Ahead is Susan's second novel. Her first novel, Running Scared, won the 2018 Caleb Prize for an unpublished manuscript (YA). You can visit Susan at www.susanjbruce.com.

Writing is Worship

 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

 (Colossians 3:23-24)

The blog you have at hand is a revelatory (perhaps radical) premise based on the thoughts of this passage and my recent deep dive into what it looks like to live a creative life as a writer (Especially as one who is trying to find time for my craft during often very pressing regular work responsibilities). This blog also goes to the heart of having a correct understanding of worship.

Have you ever considered that your writing is worship?

We give lip service and knowing nods to the idea that worship happens not only through events at church on a day a week, such as singing, praying and listening to preaching, but also through a lifestyle of worship all week. Yes worship is expressed in songs of praise (the Psalms attest to this), but it is much more than this.  The song Heart of Worship by Matt Redman catches this idea in its lyrics:

“ When the music fades, All is stripped away, And I simply come

Longin' just to bring, Something that's of worth, That will bless Your heart

I'll bring You more than a song , For a song in itself,   Is not what You have required”

I have mused for a while that this song is a semantic oxymoron because it is itself a self-contradiction : It is song.    :) 

Yet, worship is more than our songs, or music, or church services. Worship is our lives in dedication to God. Our creativity and creative energy given in adoration to The Creator is the essence of worship.

In early chapters of Genesis, “worship” (the way we usually relate to it) was not mentioned. Adam and Eve expressed worship through their nurture, care, stewardship, and creative labour (work). In fact, labour (service/work) is so synonymous to worship that the Hebrew word “avodah” is used for work, serving and worship. To worship is to work, to work is to serve is to worship.

Here is the entry from a noted Hebrew lexicon:

עָבַד 

(ʿā·ḇǎḏ): v.; … work, labor, do, i.e., expend considerable energy and intensity in a task or function … give considerable energy and intensity to give aid to another (Lev 25:46; 2Sa 16:19); … worship, serve, minister, work in ministry, i.e., give energy and devotion to God or a god, including ceremonies (Ex 23:24, 25); cultivate, plow, i.e., work soil (with or without an animal) as part of the agricultural process (Ge 4:2; Isa 30:24); plowed, be cultivated (Dt 21:4; Ecc 5:8; Eze 36:9, 34)[1]

Take note of the diverse spectrum of meaning of avodah as highlighted. The Ancient Hebrews had a deep understanding of how faith and work came together in their lives. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that they used the same word for work and worship.

The various usages of this Hebrew word as found first in Genesis 2:15 informs us that God’s original design and desire is that our work and our worship would be a seamless way of living. 

 Avodah is used 289 times in the Old Testament and is translated variously as “worship,” serve” and “work.” In some verses the word avodah is translated as work, as in to work in the field and to do common labour.

Moses, renewing the covenant with God, says: 

“Six days you shall work (avodah).” – Exodus 34:21

“Then man goes out to his work (avodah), to his labour until evening.” – Psalm 104:23

In other verses, avodah  is translated as worship, as in to worship God.

“This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship (avodah) me.” – Exodus 8:1

“But as for me and my household, we will serve (avodah) the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

Joshua says, I will avodah. I will work for, and worship, the Lord.

This is a powerful image to think that the word for working in the fields is the same word used for worshiping God.

Avodah is a picture of an integrated faith. A life where work and worship come from the same root. The same foundation. Avodah reveals that the nature of the Hebrew mind is wholistic, integrative and comprehensive. There is no sacred-secular dichotomy.

Avodah means to Live a Seamless Life of Work, Worship, and Service.

Avodah implies a duality of purpose. In all work, there is an element of worship and service. Worship is about service. Worship takes the form of service and service expresses worship.

Avodah reveals that our labour can be a form of worship. 

Avodah encourages us that our writing can be worship. 

Historian Thomas Carlyle puts it simply:

“Laborare est Orare, Work is worship … All true Work is sacred; in all true Work, were it but hand-labour, there is something of divines … No man has work, or can work, except religiously ….”

For the Hebrew mind, there is no separation of labour from worship. Worship is not only for Sunday, but for Monday as well. Worship is not limited to a religious meeting in a building or for a public evangelistic effort. Worship is to take place in the midst of our everyday lives, in our homes, in the office, in the factory. The God of the Bible is not a part-time God. Our worship should not be thought of as part-time praise.

So again, our work and service ought to be an act of worship. In other words, whatever we do ought to be focused outside of us, placing worth and value on others and something greater than us. We have this principle of “work-ship” established from the beginning of time.

Our work-ship as writers is to honour Him in our craft.

We could also say that worship, at its core, is an act of governance. Like Adam and Eve it is a creative stewardship of creation and our gifts, talents and skills brought to bear on creation in honour of The Creator.

God placed us here to glorify him by governing in His stead. To that end, we are to labor, serve and worship seamlessly ( avodah!)

Dr Christian Overman the founding director of Worldview Matters states that:

“Work, at its core, is an act of governance.

Governance over wood, metal, cows, cotton, and carrots.

Governance over sound waves, electrical currents, and wind.

Governance over computer keyboards, fiber optics, and digital images.

Governance over people. Governance over things. Governance over ideas.”

Bringing order out of chaos as co-labourers and stewards we take the raw materials of the earth and develop them for God’s glory and the benefit of others.

Builders take sand and cement and use them to create buildings.

 Lawyers take principles of justice and codify them into laws that benefit society.

Writers take the raw materials of words, grammar and ideas and arrange them into literary art.

In the New Testament this tenet that what we do (work) is worship is borne out in Colossians 3:23-24 (seen above).

When it says 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord"  

It is saying  that whatever you do in dedication to God is Worship. 

This is not just a reference to those who work in ministry or at church, it is referring to anything and everything that occupies our time and energy, thus the synonym for work, “occupation.”

Whether you are a judge, waiter, accountant, teacher, healthcare worker, stay-at-home parent, or a writer….

In all that you put your heart and hand to, God views it as worship that we should carry out with reverence and rejoicing.

Perhaps in your writing you have encountered an almost divine satisfaction like you are doing what you were born to do! 

Because what you do in your writing is a creative outlet that in essence you were designed to honour God with. 

Your writing work and vocation can be a worshipful act.  The word “vocation” comes from the Latin word “voca,” which means “to call.” It’s how God designed you and called you to serve in the world.

There are two Old Testament figures in Exodus 31, Bezalel and Oholiab, whom Moses says were filled with the Spirit. How did they express that? By being expert craftsmen. Their expression of being filled with the Spirit and worshipping God was doing excellent creative work.

 It reminds me of a scene in Chariots of Fire, where  Eric Liddell, in his preparation for the 1924 Olympics, is confronted by his sister who thinks he should be a missionary to China. Liddell responds, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure.”

Many writers feel that. They are doing something they love and feel like,

 “This is what I was made for.” 

When I do it, I feel God’s pleasure. It’s like I feel, even, the Spirit of God at work in me in this.

 This is key: as we do this, in a way, God is himself at work creating through us.

The scripture in Colossians encourages us that whatever we do can be (should be) for Jesus. In essence an act of worship to Him.

In the original Greek language of the above scripture

“Whatever you do” is poieó

It means produce, construct, form, fashion make, manufacture, construct, (create)

As a writer what are you producing/creating?

“work at it with all your heart” is ergazomai

It means work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor.

As a writer your work is writing and your work is worship.

Do you believe that your writing (as creative work), is worship? is a calling?

 

Consider the above scripture paraphrased in the context of your writing :

"Whatever you write, write with all your heart, as writing for the Lord”

Write from the empowered position that your writing is worship.

Shane Brigg

The power of connection: How to find conferences and writers’ groups to help you grow as a writer

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Writing is a solitary business. Long stretches alone at a computer, punctuated by the occasional happy email. To make sure it isn’t a lonely business, it helps to gather with other like-minded writers. These people can offer both encouragement for the tough times and critique to help you hone your craft. They can also be an important source of encouragement in the good writing times, as well as the bad. The two most common ways to connect with other writers are through conferences and writer’s groups.

Conferences

Writer’s conferences can be a way to both hone your craft and fellowship with other writers. They offer writers the chance to focus on relevant industry subjects, as well as the chance to network with others and pitch to editors or agents. Writers conferences often centre around a particular genre of fiction (for instance there are big conferences for writers of romance, historical novels and speculative fiction held each year) or topic of non-fiction. 

Tip : Your state based writer’s centre can point you in the right direction to find a conference that suits your needs.

 

Since the pandemic, many writers conferences have moved online or offer digital tickets to participants who can attend from anywhere in the world. This allows Australians to access content from overseas writers conferences that were previously limited to those who could afford to travel and provides exciting opportunities for learning.If you are buying.

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Tip : If you are looking for connection through attending an online writer’s conference (not just the learning provided in the sessions) make sure your ticket includes networking sessions and be proactive about introducing yourself in online forums.

 

The Omega Writers conference alternates between an inperson and an online conference. It is designed around the needs of Australian Christian writers and caters for both brand new writers and established authors, no matter their genre. The conference provides ample opportunities to network with other like-minded and supportive colleagues. Our next conference is coming up in Sydney on 20-22 September. 

Click here for details.

Writer’s groups

While big conferences can give you huge bang for your buck, if you are looking for a regular catch up with writing colleagues, you might like to try a local writer’s group. These are often run out of state-based writer’s centres, local council arts programs and sometimes the local library. They may be organised around genre, or sometimes, experience level. Some groups have guest speakers. Some run writing-related events or even writing ‘sprints’ to help keep you focussed. Some offer critique and feedback on current writing projects. 

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Tip: Your state-based writer’s centre may be able to help you find a suitable group.

 
Members of Omega Writers run smaller writing groups (called chapters) all across the country. These chapters usually meet for two hours every couple of months. These groups are a great place to get Christian encouragement for your writing. Find more information about each chapter here. 

Did you know?

Prayer is one powerful source of encouragement and connection that we have as Christian writers. To find out more about the Omega Writers prayer meetings, connect with us on Facebook!

Perspective Matters!

 by Anusha Atukorala

Last year, my husband bought a new car. We’d spent a few months visiting numerous showrooms – sitting inside posh vehicles and whizzing around on numerous test drives, until Shan was sure what car would suit his needs best. One day we planned to pick up my niece after a conference she’d attended in Adelaide, to bring her home for a few days. 

We decided to visit one showroom, then drive down to another located past the city for a five minute peek, before picking up my niece at her city hotel. At first, all went according to plan. We spent a happy hour at the first showroom, with a competent and likeable car salesman who was very persuasive. However … my beloved was wise.

 
He thanked the salesman, said he’d get back to him and we drove off to the second one. That’s when the script changed. The five minutes we were to spend there expanded to 10 minutes, And then 20 … 30 … until, oh dear, it stretched to one full hour! I kept checking my watch – anxious we’d get late to get to my niece. But the salesman and his manager were lions about to pounce on their prey. 

Back and forth they went, bargaining with my beloved. Until … the manager gave us the perfect deal! Before I could say ‘Mazda 6’, my delighted man was signing on the dotted line. How did that happen? My sweet niece was very understanding about our delay when I informed her that we got a little later than planned because we had unexpectedly bought a brand new car!

 

It was actually a win win situation. Shan bought the car of his dreams at an excellent price while the car team got their sale. The former salesman had lost out because he did not strike while the iron was hot. Perhaps it was all about perspective? The manager who succeeded, viewed the sale from the customer’s perspective - not from his. He gave us exactly what we asked for! He was good at his job!

 

Perspective Matters! As writers who string words together, what should our perspective be? Is it simply to share the burning issues on our hearts or is to meet our readers where they are? I confess that I don’t always check out my readers’ perspective, since I’m often driven by my own experiences, through which I seek to encourage others. Maybe I need to consider the readers needs more than I do now.

 

The truth is that I am a picky reader, so other readers could be a lot like me. I return from a trip to the library, lugging 20 or 30 books home. Yes, books tempt me! And because I have so many waiting in my To Be Read pile, I don’t always persevere with a story I don’t enjoy in the first 20 or 30 pages. I know I can pick up a more pleasurable read in the blink of an eye. The books I get stuck into, usually have a rating of at least 7/10 (by me) in order for me to keep reading. Fussy? I’m afraid so! It tells me then that others readers too, might be like me, and so … their perspective matters.

 

Today I’d like to focus on another, more important perspective. God’s! Recently, as I studied 2 Corinthians chapter 4, I heard God’s whispers. The gems He showered me with, encouraged me no end, like a cold drink on a warm, summer’s day. I needed a fresh perspective about life in the kingdom and also needed to put on God’s wise discerning spectacles, in place of my clouded, earth-bound ones.

 

The  Seven R’s of the JESUS WAY through Trials:  

(2 Corinthians 4)

1.     Realise the truth about trials.

a.     They are Temporary – a miniscule blip in time compared to eternity

b.     They are also Tiny – compared to the joys that await us

2.     Refuse to give into Satan’s ploys

3.     Remember all God has done for me in the past

4.     Re-focus my eyes on God’s kingdom and His greatness

5.     Raise my eyes to the things unseen

6.     Rejoice in my riches in Christ

7.     Rest on God’s unfailing promises

So I fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,

since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:18

 

When you and I reach heaven, we just might realise that we spent too much time on stuff that did not matter and too little time on things that did. We might discover that the value system of heaven and its perspective is as different to ours here on earth as the wild, untamed ocean is to a grubby, small mud puddle!

 

So today, I pause and ask myself about my own viewpoint!

1 In my writing: Do I seek heaven’s perspective or one based just on the here and now? Will my writing count for eternity?

2 In my life as a believer: Is it based on what I see around me or on the things unseen in the heavenly realms? Am I living for eternity or living for the here and now?

 

Perspective matters! So in Perspective Matters, let’s have eyes that are able to see the things that count and will continue to count in eternity! Let’s have hearts that understand what God’s heart dwells on, what God requires of us and what God calls us to do. Dear beautiful friend, let’s hitch up our skirts and  roll up our trousers and dance through life, the Jesus way. Let our Lives, our Writing Lives, and our Relationships be viewed through God’s lenses. 

The one perspective that really matters is God’s, isn’t it? 

Oh may we see life through His eyes so we can love, write and live as God does!

 

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14

Anusha’s been on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never recovered from the joy it brought her. She loves to see others enjoying life with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her writing and through her life. The goodness of God is her theme song through each season, as she dances in the rain with Jesus.

Her first book Enjoying the Journey contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. Her 2^nd book Dancing in the Rain brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her 3rd book, Sharing the Journey is a sequel to Enjoying the Journey. More books are on the pipeline as she researches them through life's challenges and blessings.

 

Do drop in on her two websites to say G’day! 

She’d love to connect with you.

Dancing in the Rain 

Light in the Darkness