WHAT A CHARACTER!

NANCY JILL THAMES

Ever say that about someone? Sure - you meet a person who immediately impresses you (good or bad) with their personality. In a cozy mystery the main characters must have memorable qualities if readers want to spend precious time reading about them. Close your eyes and think for a moment (after you read the next sentence of course)! What characters stand out in your mind the most? I thought of Jessica Fletcher, Miss Jane Marple and Sherlock Holmes right off the bat. Who did you think of?
     Now why are they so memorable? Maybe because the authors had total freedom to create whoever they wanted to, while we mere mortals for the most part are just ordinary everyday people. But the characters we've thought of aren't ordinary, right? Let's take a look at what makes them memorable.
     Jessica Fletcher is a mystery writer, widowed, lives in Cabot Cove, Maine and doesn't drive. Miss Jane Marple is a pink little old maiden aunt with an uncanny ability to observe and analyze criminals and the crimes they commit while knitting booties for babies. And Sherlock Holmes must be the biggest character of all (seconded only by Hercule Poirot). Mr. Holmes is eccentric, outspoken, a genius in the power of deductive reasoning and terribly unsociable. Memorable. And take my protagonist Jillian Bradley and her little Yorkie companion Teddy.       
    Jillian writes a syndicated garden column, loves fine art and serves afternoon tea to her friends while she helps investigators solve homicides. She's a childless widow who's husband died a hero in the war in Vietnam so she's all alone. Well, almost...I created a companion for her, a tiny Yorkie I  named Teddy so she wouldn't be so lonely. He becomes her sleuth dog in the stories by using his uncanny instincts to sniff out clues. 
    I created the character of Cecilia Chastain, a young quick-witted hotel housekeeper working her way through college who becomes Jillian's personal assistant and Teddy's sitter when Jillian travels. You'll have to read the series to learn more about Walter, Jillian's garden club friends and Jillian's love interests.
    So when you think of characters, who are some of your favorites and what makes them memorable? And if you could  change places with any of your favorites, who would it be? 

Free (A $2.99 Value!)

If you'd like to read about Jillian and her friends, "Murder in Half Moon Bay" is free this weekend on Amazon.com.

So please pick up a copy! My treat.

 
And don't forget to try Traci's new recipe for Huckleberry Duff in our Cozy Kitchen. My mouth is watering!

 

Have a lovely weekend Cozy Lovers!

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of the Jillian Bradley Mysteries - stories often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.” She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild. She has won awards for her blogs,  a pie contest for her Chip Chocolate Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times. Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit the Cozy Book Store and her blogs: 

Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames

"Queen of Afternoon Tea"Celebrity Author Interivews

The Terrific Trio

Please allow me to introduce to you the Terrific Trio from my Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Series. On the left we have Trixie Montgomery. What's that you ask? How much of me has gone into Trixe? Well, it seems Trixie is a divorced, middle-aged woman who has started a new career as a writer for a historic magazine. It just so happens that I've written for the historic magazine "Georgia Backroads" for ten years. So yes, there is some of me in Trixie, but she also has her own personality. She's been through a rough divorce when her husband tells her he has discovered his soul mate on the internet. When he goes to meet her karma bites him in the bum and he finds out that his blonde bombshell is a 300 woman who takes men for all she can get. However, he still wants out of their long time marriage so she moves back to the small town of Vans Valley to live in her mother's garage apartment. This is when she starts working for "Georgia by the Way" and gets her assignments that lead her to dead bodies and crimes to be solved.

In the middle is none else than Trixie's best friend, Dee Dee Lamont. Dee Dee is a bonafide cat lover and runs an antique shop in Vans Valley called Antique's Galore. She usually accompanies Trixie on her research trips and goes antiquing while Trixie works. In the first book of the series "Death in Dahlonega" Dee Dee is a magnet for trouble. She stumbles upon a dead body while snooping around after a bathroom trip for her overly frequent visits to the potty. Dee Dee is loosely based on the combination of two of my friends. I will say a couple of the incidents in "Death in Dahlonega" really happened. They are just too funny to make up. Dee Dee has gone through the sudden death of her husband so she is able to help Trixie heal from her divorce. This friendship has become a win-win situation.

On the right is Belle, aka Nana, Trixie's great-aunt. When Betty Jo's, Trixie's mother, parents died at a young age she went to live with Nana who raised her like a mother. She is more like Trixie's grandmother. Now Nana is an enigma and for those of you who aren't quite sure what that means this is the definition I came up with:  One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable. Yep, that's Nana. She is what some would call a "character." At times she seems to be addle-minded and doing such things as wearing Victoria Secret gowns, flirting with younger men, and forgetting where she was going or what she was going to do. Then at other times she is as sharp as a tack. Trixie thinks some of her behavior is a ruse to get away with her quirky behavior. Betty Jo has the patience of Job when it comes to Nana, but Trixie tries to help out when she can. And it seems Nana is determined to help Trixie, and that is how she comes to be a player in crime-solving trio with Trixie and Dee Dee.

You can read more about these fun-loving, quirky characters in the Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Series. The first book, "Death in Dahlonega" has been out since Oct. 2011 and I hope the next installment "Murder in Marietta" will be out by the first of the year. You can contact me for a signed copy, or it is available at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I hope you've had fun learning a little more about my characters. Next time I might just show you how to breathe life into a character!

                                              

Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects, where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine every other Tuesday.

Giveaway Extravaganza!

COME CELEBRATE WITH US!

Come one come all to the Ugly Bug Ball, to the ball, to the ball. Oh, no that's not right - that was Burl Ives song in "Summer Magic." How many of you remember this movie. I'm waving my hand.

But this post isn't about Burl Ives and "Summer Magic." This is about the big and I do mean big giveaway we are having here at Cozy Mystery Magazine. To celebrate the beginning of this new site where cozy authors and cozy mystery readers can come together, we'd like to take this opportunity to offer a giveaway that will make you want to go and tell your friends.

There are just a few things we are going to require and then I'll tell you all the books that will be in the giveaway.

1) Please sign up as a follower

2) Sign up as an email follower

3) Leave a comment - tell us a little about yourself. Do you read cozies or are you just interested in learning more about them?

4) Be sure and leave an email address so we can contact you.

Here is a list of all the books to be divided by two winners:

"Death in Dahlonega" by Deborah Malone (paperback)

"Forclosed" by Traci Hilton (ebook) 

"Murder on the Ol' Bunions" by S. D. Moore (ebook)

"Misfortune Cookies" by Linda Kozar (ebook)

"A Tisket, A Casket" by Linda Kozar (ebook)

"Dead as a Doornail" by Linda Kozar (ebook)

"Murder in Half Moon Bay" by Nancy Jill Thames (ebook)

"The Ghost Orchid Murder" by Nancy Jill Thames (ebook)

"From the Clutches of Evil" by Nancy Jill Thames (ebook)

"The Mark of Eden" by Nancy Jill Thames (ebook)

"Pacific Beach" by Nancy Jill Thames (ebook)

"The Mystery of Hurtleberry House" by C. L. Ragsdale (ebook)

"The Island of Living Trees" by C. L. Ragsdale (ebook)

"The Harbinger of Retribution" by C.L. Ragsdale (ebook)

SEE YOU AT THE CELEBRATION

     Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.
She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects, where she review mysteries.                                             

BIO-HAZARDS by Linda Kozar

Depending upon individual narcissistic tendencies, you will either love or hate writing about yourself.

My suggestion is to write two bios about yourself--one long and one short and keep them handy. A bio that is easy to cut and paste into a proposal or to tack onto an online article, or to add to a social network is a definite timesaver.

Here are a few do's and don'ts to ponder as you hazard a guess about how to write about YOU.

1.  Before you start writing, make a list of all the facts about you. Forget about adding your dreams, wishes and goals. People want the facts. They don't care about your dreams of being a NY Time Bestselling Author.

2.  Write your biography in THIRD person. Keep a nice comfy distance between you and that fabulous person you're writing about. It's a split personality thing fiction writers already do. If you can crawl into a fictional character's head, you can certainly crawl out of yours and be the character for once.

3.  Don't toot your own horn too much. My mama always said, "When you're bragging, you're dragging." Being braggadocious is atrocious. So keep that in mind.

4.  Tell the truth. No fudging. Many of us are fiction writers, but reserve the fiction for fictional characters.

5.  Experience--Share your relevant experience or experiences with people in condensed form. Whether you've been published once or one thousand times, skim the cream off the top and share that--the best of the best.

6.  Connections--Share the groups and organizations to which you belong. It legitimizes you. Plus, people from these organizations can vouch for your character.

7.  Keep it simple. Long, flowery descriptions. Big words and meandering sentences will detour readers. And that's the one thing you don't want to happen. You want people to read about you and at least find your bio mildly interesting:)

8.  Add a hook. Just as you do when you write a query, or proposal or first chapter. And make it good. You want the bio reader to somehow connect with you or "get" you. Is there an unusual hobby or activity? A favorite food. An embarrassing moment?

9.  Read other people's bios. Jerry Jenkins. Tim LaHaye, Ted Dekker, Brad Thor, Stephen King, Janet Evanovich, Lauraine Snelling, Debbie Macomber. Make a list of what you liked or didn't like about their bios.

10.  Update your bio. Add, take away and edit your bio as you grow and gain experience in your career as a writer. An out-of-date bio is not an asset. The old you is not as valuable as the new you.

Well, my writer friends, I hope that helped. Distilling your life into fifty words or less is a monumental task, but it can be done and you can do it. On your mark. Get set. Write.

BOUNCE YOUR BIO OFF ME!

THAT'S RIGHT. If you want some feedback, leave your SHORT bio in the comment box and I will offer a grin or a grimace. You might even get some helpful suggestions to improve it:)

LINDA P. KOZAR

 
Linda is the co-author of Babes With A Beatitude—Devotions For Smart, Savvy Women of Faith (Hardcover/Ebook, Howard/Simon & Schuster 2009) and author of Misfortune Cookies (Print, Barbour Publishing 2008), Misfortune Cookies, A Tisket, A Casket, and Dead As A Doornail, (“When The Fat Ladies Sing Series,” Ebooks, Spyglass Lane Mysteries, 2012). She received the ACFW Mentor of the Year Award in 2007, founded and served as president of Writers On The Storm, a local ACFW chapter for three years. In 2003, she co-founded, co-directed and later served as Southwest Texas Director of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband Michael, married 23 years, have two lovely daughters, Katie and Lauren and a Rat Terrier princess named Patches.

Represented by: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such Literary Agency

Member of: CAN (Christian Authors Network), RWA (Romance Writers of American), WHRWA (West Houston Romance Writers of America), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), Writers On The Storm, The Woodlands, Texas Chapter of ACFW, Toastmasters (Area 56) The Woodlands, Texas. WoodsEdge Community Church, The Woodlands, TX.

Linda P. Kozar

Sweet Tea Fiction

www.lindakozar.com

http://bookishdesires.blogspot.com

Find me at about.me/LindaKozar

Memories!

How many of you read Nancy Drew of Trixie Beldon. I did! I did! (my had waving wildly) I couldn't get enough of them. One year when I was a young teenager I went to visit my brother and his wife where he was stationed at Myrtle Beach, S.C. While he was at work on the base there wasn't much to do (they only had one car, you know, newlyweds) so there was a little store right up the road. They had Trixie Beldon books. I know I read at least three or four during the week I stayed with them.

You're not going to believe this. Well maybe you will, but I'm going to give you evidence by posting pictures. I went to a mall in Alabama and they had a Books-A-Million. I was just going up and down looking at books when lo and behold there was the whole set of Nancy Drew books. I had to have one! On a whim I asked them if they had any Trixie Beldon books and they had two left. Now they only have one:)

I read a few passages from Nancy Drew and it was so funny. We just don't talk like that anymore. I'm not sure I ever did. But when I was young I couldn't get enough of mysteries. I guess it was natural for me to write them. I want to tell you the story of how I got started writing cozies. First,as an adult cozies have always been my favorite genre. One of my favorite writer's was Anne George. She lived in Birmingham, Ala. She didn't start writing until she retired from being a school teacher. She wrote eight books before she died from heart failure. I knew I wanted to write like her.
I finished my manuscript for "Death in Dahlonega" after years of working on it. I had family to take care of while I was writing. I then discovered American Christian Fiction Writers and Margaret Daley. I learned about Christian Fiction and decided I wanted "Death in Dahlonega" to be Christian Fiction. I rewrote my manuscript - didn't have to change too much. There were a few *&^ words from the crusty editor, Harv, that had to come out. So that's what I did. "Death in Dahlonega" is not a young adult book, but cozies remind me of Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon. My Trixie is named after Trixie Beldon.  I want to write a few passages from Nancy Drew's "The Secret of theOld Clock" and see if it brings back any memories for you.

     As Nancy drove into the camp, a group of girls gathered around her car. Helen came running out of a cabin to greet her chum.
     "Girls, it's Nancy Drew!" she exclaimed joyfully and made introductions. Nancy did not know any of the campers, but in no time they made her feel warmly welcomed.
     "Nancy," said Helen, "park your car back of the dining hall, then come have lunch."
     "That sounds wonderful." Nancy laughed. "I'm nearly starved!"
     First, she was escorted to the main building where she met Aunt Martha, the camp director, and registered.
     "May she stay with me?" Helen asked.
     "Certainly, dear. And I hope you have a splendid time, Nancy."
     "I'm sure I shall, Aunt Martha."
     As the two girls walked off Nancy told Helen about selling the charity-dance tickets and gave her the money paid by Mr. Topham.
     "He surely was generous!" Helen, commented feeling he did it more for soical prestige than sympathy for the cause."
     Nancy scarcely had time to deposit her suitcase under her cot and freshen up after the long ride when lunch was announced by the ringing of the bell. Campers hurried from all directions to the dining hall. The food was plain but appetizing and Nancy ate with zest.
     The meal over, she was rushed from one activity to another. The girls insisted that she join them for a hike. Then came a cooling dip in the lake. Nancy enjoyed herself immensely, but the Crowley mystery was never far from her mind.

I'd love to hear from you and let me know if this triggered some memories and if so what were they?

HAPPY READING!

DEBORAH MALONE

eborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine Georgia Backroads.
She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in "TAles of the Rails? edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photoraphs at Floyd Meical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega," a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now available.

She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has been nominate for Georgia Author of the Year 2012.

She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey where she reviews Christian Fiction. http://www.deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com/

You can also catch her at Sleuths and Suspects where she reviews mysteries.

http://www.sleuthsandsuspects.blogspot.com/