Jesus is the Reason for the Season

 And what better way to get in the mood for the holidays and celebrate the birth of Christ than to sit back with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa and read all three of "A Cup of Cozy" books in this special boxed set? For one low price you get over 350 pages of Christmas stories plus holiday menus and recipes that will inspire you! 

Don't wait. Order now!

Amazon.com $1.99

We authors at Cozy Mystery Magazine wish you the 

Happiest Holidays and a Very Merry Christmas!

Cynthia Hickey

Traci Tyne Hilton

Linda Kozar

Deborah Malone

Candice Prentice

C.L. Ragsdale

Nancy Jill Thames

Janice Hanna Thompson

New Anthology "A Cup of Cozy 3" Out Soon

Our family loves to watch Christmas movies. We look forward to the tradition of being together cuddled up by the fire, laughing at the antics of "Home Alone" or shedding a tear or two at the conclusion of "A Christmas Carol." That's how we at Cozy Mystery Magazine feel about our "A Cup of Cozy" holiday anthologies.

This year's theme for "A Cup of Cozy 3" is Destination Christmas: Short Holiday Mysteries and Recipes. Linda Kozar writes a story taking place in Turkey, and my setting is San Francisco. I'll save the other settings for a later post.

As we take time to enter the busiest time of the year, I hope we'll find time to enjoy the journey. Being with friends and family while celebrating fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas is a special reminder of the abundant blessings God has poured out all year.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

~Nancy Jill

Nancy Jill Thames was born to write mysteries. From her early days as the neighborhood story-teller to the Amazon Author Watch Bestseller List, she has always had a vivid imagination and loves to solve problems – perfect for plotting whodunits. In 2010, Nancy Jill published her first mystery Murder in Half Moon Bay, introducing her well-loved protagonist Jillian Bradley and clue-sniffing Yorkie “Teddy.”

When she isn’t plotting Jillian’s next perilous adventure, Nancy Jill travels between Texas, California, and Georgia finding new ways to spoil her grandchildren, playing classical favorites on her baby grand, or having afternoon tea with friends.
She lives with her husband in Leander, Texas, where she is a member of Leander Writers’ Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW CenTex Chapter), and Central Texas Authors.

Watch for her new story "Teddy Saves Christmas" in a holiday anthology with a special bonus issue offer to launch October 15th on all sites. Available for preorder for only $.99 at: https://www.booklaunch.io/joannaslan/happyhomicidesholiday

To learn more about Nancy Jill, visit these sites.

Facebook

Twitter 
Website

Pinterest

Here Comes Santa!

As some of you may already know, the authors of COZY MYSTERY MAGAZINE have published our second holiday anthology. We'll be offering 

"A CUP OF COZY 2" FREE! each Wednesday until the week of Christmas as a way of saying thank you for your readership. I hope you enjoy the story I wrote introducing strategic planner Lawrence Rivers, who, like Jillian Bradley, is also a  dog lover and amateur sleuth. Lawrence is the husband of Jillian's new Horticultural Society friend, Vivian.

Besides six short holiday mysteries, you'll also find lovely holiday menus and recipes I think you'll enjoy.

Free on Amazon Kindle!

As we begin the holiday season, I hope and pray each of you will think of the reason for the season - the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

~Nancy Jill

Spirits of the Past, Present, and Future

By Nancy Jill Thames

We here at Cozy Mystery Magazine wish you a Very Happy New Year! 

Like me, you may be making new year resolutions, beginning to organize your closets, or perhaps getting ready to read new books on an eReader you received as a gift. 

We've been busy, too. 

My hubby and I must watch at least four versions of A Christmas Carol every year, and it made me think about progress on our blog. Let's take a walk with our own spirits on Cozy Mystery Magazine.

In the Spirit of the Past over the last year-and-a-half we've brought you news of our books, introduced you to new authors, and had fun with contests, giveaways, and afternoon tea. The Spirit of the Past shows us posting five times a week has been our pleasure.


The Spirit of the Present shows us, however, we are branching out to Pinterest and our very own Cozy Mystery Magazine Facebook page. Our Cozy Mystery Magazine blog will now feature a new weekly article every Wednesday beginning today. We hope you'll join us at the new sites as you continue to read our posts.

Included in these changes is the departure of author S. Dionne Moore, our much enjoyed recipe posts contributor. She will be missed.

We Cozy Mystery Magazine authors are excited about the Spirit of the Future. I know each of us have published new books last year and have new books in the works.

I look forward to wrapping up the Spirits of the Past, Present, and Future for Jillian and Teddy with my last book in the series "The Long Trip Home." I'll keep you posted on the launch date. Afterward, Jillian will reappear in conjunction with a brand new series called "Lawrence" - stories about a clumsy but lovable amateur sleuth who is the husband of one of Jillian's friends. I think you'll enjoy them.

The only other book I plan to write in the near Future is a fictitious memoir called "The Wedding Vase" - a story based on my grandmother's life. As you can tell my work's cut out.

What about you? What are your plans for 2014?

See you in my books.

~Nancy Jill 

NANCY JILL THAMES

Mystery novelist Nancy Jill Thames has published Christian fiction since 2010. The author of seven books in the Jillian Bradley series, she is an award-winning blogger and  listed frequently on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List. In addition, she won first place in her church's 4th of July Celebration for her chocolate cream pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren in two states, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her own personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers' Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), CenTex-Chapter of ACFW, and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales. She resides with her husband in Leander, Texas.

To learn more about the author and check out her books, please visit her blog at  

Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames.

.

A Christmas Card

From the Authors of Cozy Mystery Magazine

**************************************

Wishing you a Merry Christmas 

and a Happy New Year!

Kindle  Nook  Smashwords  Kobo

A Free Gift for You!
Book 1
"Murder in Half Moon Bay"
by Nancy Jill Thames

 May God Bless Us, Everyone.

 ~Nancy Jill Thames~

Debra Malone

Linda P. Kozar

Traci Tyne Hilton

                                                                                              

C.L. Ragsdale

S. Dionne Moore

Tools For Publishing Part II

THINGS YOU CAN DO WHILE WAITING FOR PUBLICATION

1.      Establish A Website: Once your book is contracted and by the time it shows up in online bookstores, you should have a website – preferably one with your author name as the URL,(www.deborah-malone.com) so that readers can easily find you. Use Google blogspot for free and pay only for the URL.

2.      Start A Blog:  I’ve discovered blogging and reviewing books is a great way to get your name out in the world of writing. You can build a following before you have your book published. If possible use your author name as your URL. Interviews and book giveaways are a great way to draw traffic to your blog. You can use Google or Wordpress for free

3.      Start An Author Facebook Page:  If you start an author page as opposed to a personal page it allows followers to connect with you without having to wait for a friend approval. You can post book news, awards, and book signings.

4.      Get An Updated Author Photo:  This doesn’t have to be a high-priced photograph, but make sure it is updated and of good quality. It won’t hurt to have a couple of different shots.

5.      Set Up Accounts On Reader Sites:  There is a great opportunity in this area. You can sign up at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, and Shelfari. Then when your book is published you can set up author pages and list your book and your information.

6.       Get Business Cards, Postcards and Bookmarks:  Vista Print offers great prices on these items. You can get your business cards before your book comes out – be sure and put your picture on your card. Someone might not remember your name, but they will remember your face. If you place a small order with Vista Print they will send you discount cards with that order then you can place future orders at a greatly reduced price.

I made my own bookmarks out of heavy duty paper and saved a lot of money. Don’t forget the book I mentioned earlier “Stress Free Marketing” by Renea Winchester, it includes a lot of detailed information on these marketing strategies.

  

: Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction at Butterfly Journey and Sleuths and Suspects.  

How To Support An Author's New Book

Ways You Can Help Your Favorite Author



www.writerunboxed.com

1. Buy the book to read or buy it for a friend or a gift. Books are a great gift that aren't often thought of.

2. Face the book out at bookstores. Simply rearrange a bookstore shelf so that your friend's book faces out to make it much more noticable.

3. When you actually read the book, read it where people can see it.  Read it in public. Read it on the subway. Read it in the aisle seat of a plane. Read it on the deck of a cruise ship. After all, don't you find yourself looking at what others are reading when you pass by? I do!

4. Ask a bookstore employee where the book is located. When entering a bookstore, do not look for the book. Go to the bookstore customer service clerk and ask them about the book. They will find it in their system and lead you to the book. My hope is that if several people do this at the same bookstore, then the employee(s) will take notice of the title.

5. Leave a review on Amazon or BN.com or Goodreads or all. Reviews are still very important. Think about it. If you come by a new book and see it has a 2.0 stars on Amazon, would you buy it? On some level, that silly rating does affect me and my decision - and my guess is that it affects you, too. So it's crucial that, when you read a book and enjoy it, you leave a review on Amazon or BN.com or Goodreads or all. Those first 10-20 reviews really matter and can set a book on the right path. (Note: You can leave the same review on all the sites to save time.)

6. "Like" the book on Amazon, or "Like" the author's facebook fan page. I head from a literary agent once that more "Likes" a book had on its Amazon page, the more frequent it turned up in Amazon's comparable titles elsewhere. Getting your personal friends to "Like" another friends page is an easy favor to ask, as it requires no money.

7. Reserve a copy at the library.  An employee here at Writer's Digest Books once told me that if all copies of a book are reserved from our county library before the title comes out, the system has a way of noticing popularity and marking the book as one for "more orders."

8. Attend the book release party if there is one, and bring a warm body or two. It is to help the author's self-esteem. It's lonely to have a book release party or a local signing with low attendance. If you already bought a copy, bring that book to be signed.

9. Spread news of the book through your social media channels.  When the author mentions it on Facebook, share the news with your soical circles and include a small note about what the book is and why they should buy it. In other words, spreading the word by saying "My friend got published!" is nice - but it's better to say, "This new book by my hilarious friend is a great gift for dads who are raising daughters. Laugh-out-loud-funny stuff for all fathers to enjoy!" See how the second one targets people in a simple-yet-specific way? Do this kind of targeting when you spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, or blogs.

10. If you have media contacts or know people of influence, arrange a connection.  This is the best thing you can do and probably the biggest way you can truly influence the life of the book and the success of the author. If you're married to the cousin of a local news personality, it's exactly that kind of connection that serves as a great introduction between author and TV host. If you know a book reviewer at a newspaper in Boston, say so. If your old college buddy now runs the biggest reading club of all of Central California, try and help your author friend's book be a future choice in that club. Utilize your network!

Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.  

 

Starting A Book Club

I've really enjoyed going to book clubs and meeting all the ladies. I thought some of our readers might want to start one of thier own. Here are some suggestions to starting one. I've added a couple of pictures of clubs I've been to.

 

 

How to Start a Book Club - 10 Easy Steps

By Molly Lundquist

So you want to start your own book club? Terrific! Book discussion groups are great ways to make new friends, keep in touch with old ones, discover new books, and have meaty conversations. To help you get organized, simply follow these 10 steps and you'll be on your way!

1. Decide what kind of a club you want to be-do you want to be seriously academic with a heavy emphasis on book discussion and minimal social chat? Or do you enjoy the social bonding aspect of a book club-food, wine, personal sharing-and want to keep discussions shorter, light and fun? Probably, it's somewhere in between the two.
2. Decide what kind of books you want to read-do you enjoy reading the older classics or contemporary novels? Challenging works or somewhat lighter? Perhaps poetry, plays, or nonfiction-history, biographies, travel stories, current events. What about specific genres-detective/mystery, romance, inspirational, science fiction or fantasy? Perhaps you're eclectic-you like a variety of genres.
3. Choose three friends who share similar reading tastes and ways of approaching book discussions-that's important. You all want to be on the same page, so to speak. Each one of the three should ask one or two others, for a total of 7-10 members. It doesn't matter if you don't all know each other; in fact, it's more fun if you don't. And start small-you can always add new members when you want, though it's good to stop at 16, a maximum number for most book clubs.
4. Choose when and where to meet. Once you all get together, pick a day and time of the month that works with everyone's schedule. Some clubs meet in the evenings, after work; others on weekends. Those who are at home with children, or retired, find midmornings or lunchtime best. The most important thing is to establish a schedule and try to stick to it.Then, of course, decide where you want to meet. Most clubs meet in each others' homes or restaurants. Others find rooms in local libraries, Y's, or other more public places. Or you may decide to become a library-sponsored group, in which case you will always have a good source of fresh new members.
5. Decide about food. There will be food, right? Of course. Do you want just appetizers or desserts...or do you want full meals? And who prepares the food-does every member bring a dish...or does each member cook once a during the year? Maybe it's brown bag lunch or a potluck supper. Think, too, about having themed food to match your book-feature food from Afghanistan when you read A Thousand Splendid Suns. Look for Book Club Recipes on the web to give you ideas.
6. Decide how to select your books. Most clubs use one of two basic methods-voting or rotation. The voting begins with members making book suggestions, followed by discussion, and then a vote. The process can be as formal or informal as you want. The rotation system means that every member gets a month to choose a book. Both methods have their strong suits...and their drawbacks. Choose two or three books at a time so members can read at their own pace. Many clubs choose all their books for the year at one meeting, but that ties clubs into a rigid schedule...and it's unfair to members who had to miss the one meeting.
7. Give yourselves a name. And be creative: some of my favorites are The Happy Bookers...or First, the Food Book Club...or The Brooksville Book Babes.
8. Send out monthly reminders for every meeting. Don't rely on peoples' memories. Use email, phone or postcards, so make sure you keep an up-to-date contact list.
9. Keep a journal. It's a nice way to keep track of all the books you've read and what you thought of them. You might include photo highlights of special meetings or trips to hear an author speaker.
10. Give back to the community. Collect dues and donate books to your local library, or sponsor a scholarship for youngster in a literacy program. Schedule reading times for nursing homes patients.

 

 

 



 

 

HAPPY READING!

 

 

 

: Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.  



 



Happy New Year!



Time to make those new years resolutions. Oh no, not again. How many times I've made them and never followed through. I found some tips that might help us with our goals - that is the catch word- goals instead of resoultions. We can make goals anytime. I hope these little tidbits will help you reachyour potentials.

 

 

 

10 Stratagies For Reaching Your Goals

 

10) Focus on one goal. The fewer things your brain has to deal with the better, then you'll be able to focus your motivation on one goal increasing the chances you'll succeed.

 

9) Get someone to hold you accountable. Tell your goals to a few close family and friends who will be honest with you and keep you on the right track.

 

8) Set Ultra-Specific Goals. The more specific you can be, the easier it will be to reach that goal. "Lose weight" or "get in shape" is a bad resolution; "Lose 15 pounds by March" is a good one. Setting multiple specific goals throughout the year is good, too. That way, you always have something attainable to focus on that doesn't seem far off.

 

7) Piggyback your goal with existing habits. If your resolution involves building small habits—like, say, flossing every day or taking daily vitamins—you can "piggyback" these habits with other, already-established ones. Stick your dental floss in your shower and floss during your shower, or put your vitamin jar inside your kitchen cupboard so you always remember to take them when you eat breakfast.

 

6) Give yourself a trial run. Give yourself a 30-day trial run to work out the kinks, where you can let yourself stumble a bit and tweak your goals to something better suited for success. Keep in mind that not all habits are formed in 21 days, as conventional wisdom says, so even after the trial run, give yourself time to sink into the habit before you start admitting defeat.

 

5) Trick your mind. Focus on anything that makes you feel like you're succeeding. If you're trying to lose weight, eating from smaller plates will make you "feel" fuller, even if you're eating the same amount of food, for example. Do whatever you need to do to trick your mind and you'll be well on your way to success.

 

4) Visualize the end result. If you're having trouble staying motivated, focus on what you'll get from your end goal—whether that's feeling better at a lower weight, being able to impress your friends with your new guitar skills, or just being able to breathe now that you've quit smoking. Staying positive seems like common sense, but it can be hard when you're in the middle of a big plateau.

 

3) Closely measure your progress. If you've created specific goals, then getting positive reinforcement should be easy. Every time your each one of those goals—even if it's just a daily goal—mark it off on a checklist or calendar.

 

2) Remind yourself of your goals everyday. If you're having trouble keeping your goals at the forefront of your mind, you can use one of any number of tricks to constantly remind yourself (besides tracking your progress). Set an alarm on your phone with a message of why you're doing this, record yourself on a webcam every day, or use dry erase markers to write your goals on your bathroom mirror.

 

1) Start right now. Why wait until New Year's Day? Whether you're reading this at the end of December or in the middle of July, start right now—even with small changes to prepare you for the big push—and you'll be one step closer to achieving your goals. There's no reason your goals need to start on January 1st, so call up those accountability buddies, jot down your milestones, and get started with that resolution right now.

http://lifehacker.com/5971803/top-10-strategies-for-making-your-new-years-resolution-stick

 

 

                                                                          

 

 

Author Bio: Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.