tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post7198271682983416355..comments2024-03-29T03:31:03.598+10:00Comments on Wagging Tales: Give Readers Something MoreCharmaine Clancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18059559142070140041noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-87200640655342841072010-06-02T18:02:30.915+10:002010-06-02T18:02:30.915+10:00this one sounds really great and the cover is just...this one sounds really great and the cover is just so cute!<br />thanks for stopping my blog 8D<br />have a nice dayFlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06261105878080284280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-83567445806070263842010-06-01T09:59:53.291+10:002010-06-01T09:59:53.291+10:00Journaling Woman - Thanks for coming by, I've ...Journaling Woman - Thanks for coming by, I've recently discovered your blog and am enjoying the posts.<br /><br />Lou - I like my characters and my friends flawed - the more the better ;-)<br /><br />Elizabeth Spann Craig - Thank you for the great information you always share on your blog, I'll check out midnight writers.<br /><br />Medeia - Cool, I'll check out her books.<br /><br />Jemi - I hadn't heard of the 'The Cat who...' series before, but it looks good, there's even a parody called 'The Cat who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun'.<br /><br />Janel - I like the sound of the 'Amish cooking'.<br /><br />Watery - I like your idea of blurring the boundary of the cozy mystery, a little touch of dark wouldn't go astray :-)<br /><br />Botanist - don't let cozy mystery marketing scare you - all styles have a market. You can appeal to a general audience but also get a big niche following as well. I think it's about writing something that interests you.<br />'Midsomer Murders' has elements of the cozy, such as the sleepy English village, but usually cozies are solved by sleuths (like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple) and the murders are rather understated. Crime fiction has a touch more blood and/or sex.<br />You're also right, Agatha didn't have the recipes or hobby instructions in her writing, this seems to be a recent trend and it has me intrigued. I guess another example of a different genre using this method would be if a fantasy novel about witches included spells to try at home - teen girls would love that! I think you made some good points in your comments so I'll post it into a blog post to share.<br /><br />Mary - it's amazing how a genre develops over time into something almost completely new.<br /><br />Sarahjayne - thanks, I'm finding new and clever niche markets writers are targeting all the time now.Charmaine Clancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06642615452680721583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-61642654663738437052010-06-01T08:13:44.305+10:002010-06-01T08:13:44.305+10:00Great post. Very true about niche markets.Great post. Very true about niche markets.sarahjayne smythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02589820347348973092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-45187840296956841392010-05-31T12:27:35.447+10:002010-05-31T12:27:35.447+10:00I need to be taking notes. I've read most of ...I need to be taking notes. I've read most of the old ones. Time to try something new. And, yes, a quirky character in a mystery is a must!Mary Aalgaardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051735579638637382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-37629702277608581262010-05-31T12:14:56.926+10:002010-05-31T12:14:56.926+10:00Wow! Charmaine, speaking as a novice writer who ca...Wow! Charmaine, speaking as a novice writer who can hardly work out what <i>I</i> want, let alone some hypothetical and unlikely-ever-to-materialise target audience, I find the thought of this level of targeting a bit scary.<br /><br />You clearly know the market for cozy mysteries (btw does Caroline Graham's <i>Midsomer Murders</i> fit into that category?) but I wonder how many other genres would have such well-defined niches with predictable associated interests?<br /><br />On the other side of the coin, a couple of commenters mention Agatha Christie, but I don't recall much in the way of crafts or cooking in Poirot or Miss Marple. Is that maybe just a modern marketing phenomenon?Botanisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12098709722475364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-36883060274508376432010-05-31T09:11:15.460+10:002010-05-31T09:11:15.460+10:00I've actually been in process of trying to aud...I've actually been in process of trying to audition for a cozy mystery and I think it's REALLY true that the audience is very different and those of us who are used to the OTHER kink of mystery can be caught off guard. <br /><br />I like an 'almost cozy'--I love the HUMOR and amateur sleuth pieces of the cozy, but I like a little faster dive in, and and dislike some of the stuff that I can't quite take seriously I've seen in some--I will definitely write on the edge closer to traditional, while still hitting the cozy points.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-55583344991804667522010-05-31T08:37:41.327+10:002010-05-31T08:37:41.327+10:00Diane Mott-Davidson is definitely my favorite auth...Diane Mott-Davidson is definitely my favorite author as far as cooking series. Joanne Fluke is also a favorite, but I think starting that far back in the series might be a little confusing as far as long-time relationships go within the series.<br /><br />Other favorites of mine are Maggie Sefton (knitting), Cricket McRae (general crafts) and Tamar Myers (Amish cooking).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00823616282284779390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-90665530790737098682010-05-31T04:37:11.443+10:002010-05-31T04:37:11.443+10:00My favourite cosy author would have to be Agatha C...My favourite cosy author would have to be Agatha Christie - I devoured her books as a kid. <br /><br />Lillian Braun's The Cat... series is good too.<br /><br />I really enjoyed Elizabeth Craig's Pretty is as Pretty Dies too.Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-53854035895678156972010-05-31T03:47:29.463+10:002010-05-31T03:47:29.463+10:00I'm familiar with Diane Mott Davidson. I'...I'm familiar with Diane Mott Davidson. I'm sure I've read other cozy mystery writers, but their names aren't coming to me.<br /><br />I'm not a cook or a baker, but I still enjoy her writing. These books definitely fit a niche, and they also appeal to other readers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-77064480737297318932010-05-30T23:54:27.527+10:002010-05-30T23:54:27.527+10:00Thanks for the mention on your site!
I tend to li...Thanks for the mention on your site!<br /><br />I tend to like quirky characters that have some intriguing flaws. :) <br /><br />The DorothyL listserv and the Cozy Armchair group on Yahoo are both cozy-focused and have lots of great recommendations.<br /><br />Agatha Christie, of course, was the author who really got cozies rolling. My fave of hers was "And Then There Were None." <br /><br />Lots of good series out there. I like Jim and Joyce Lavene's Peggy Lee Gardening Series, and the authors on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen have got great cozy series which have won and been nominated for awards.<br /><br />There's a lot of us on the Inkspot blog, too: http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Thanks!Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-54753430955789665692010-05-30T23:33:06.419+10:002010-05-30T23:33:06.419+10:00Great post. I'm with you. I love the nasty and...Great post. I'm with you. I love the nasty and not-so-perfect characters. Adds spice to the mystery.Lou Belcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11456171593130602318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-52417833844742179052010-05-30T23:32:21.928+10:002010-05-30T23:32:21.928+10:00Hi, Charmaine,
The first Cozy mystery I read was ...Hi, Charmaine,<br /><br />The first Cozy mystery I read was Pretty Is as Pretty Dies. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth- her books and blog. <br /><br />First time here. I love it.T. Powell Coltrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02160774009926623671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-78312179673330139942010-05-30T19:14:50.863+10:002010-05-30T19:14:50.863+10:00Mason - I like the sound of the Herbal mystery.
L...Mason - I like the sound of the Herbal mystery.<br /><br />Lydia - Thanks for visiting, hope to see you in here again!<br /><br />Alliterative Allomorph - I'm collecting buttons now, going crazy with it ;-)Charmaine Clancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06642615452680721583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-68027446713847344872010-05-30T17:58:55.043+10:002010-05-30T17:58:55.043+10:00I've never read a mystery before, but I can so...I've never read a mystery before, but I can sort of understand how one can exceed the 10% limit before starting any real movement. She probably wanted to develop the characters properly first. but that's me saying so without having read it! LOL. why didn't you tell me you grabbed my button? I'm now grabbing yours ... xxJessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-79771910220609522422010-05-30T14:28:34.604+10:002010-05-30T14:28:34.604+10:00I agree. Nice characters make me yawn. It's th...I agree. Nice characters make me yawn. It's the wicked ones that catch attention!<br />Nice review, thanks! And I like your blog, my first visit here!Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2774506789160968096.post-58823871863389789472010-05-30T13:08:53.142+10:002010-05-30T13:08:53.142+10:00A few cozy murder mystery series that come to mind...A few cozy murder mystery series that come to mind are the Dead-End Job Mystery series by Elaine Viets, the culinary mystery series by Diane Mott Davidson, and the China Bayles Herbal Mystery series by Susan Witting Albert.<br /><br />Mason<br /><a href="http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Thoughts in Progress</a>Mason Canyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935307400882363560noreply@blogger.com