Category: Cozy Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Not One or the Other, but Something Else!

carolyncordon

Deciding to write a novel is a heck of a lot easier than actually writing the novel … I’m very much more comfortable with writing poems. Even writing a collection of poems is much easier than writing a novel.

My most recent poetry collection

With a poetry collection, even if you are writing on a particular theme, each poem is a single thing, while with a novel, you’re working on one big thing, that all joins completely together, to make the whole. With a verse novel, it might feel a bit different, being a combination of the poem plus novel thing. I’ve not written a verse novel, and suspect I’ll need to go back and look at the verse novel I know is in my bookshelves, somewhere, to get a better feel for the differences present, or not, in that particular genre.

But back to the writing of a novel, there is talk about whether a writer is a plotter or a pantser, I just did a quiz to see which of the two it indicated I was. The answer to the quiz though, based on my answers didn’t lend an easy answer, it said I was a hybrid. Maybe that is why I’m not able to get an outline settled on and then the novel written, or the novel just written, and then I’ll work out what I’ve actually done.

This is where the quiz is, if you’d like to give it a try yourself: https://www.writinglaraferrari.com/plotter-or-pantser-quiz

I want my plot, but I want surprises too. And if I actually end up writing something else entirely, well, at least it will be something, a novel, hopefully a novel that is something similar to a Cosy Murder Mystery!

I have an increasing number of people waiting for me to finish writing this novel, so I’d better get back to doing just that, as well as watching this Adelaide Crows football game, that is looking good at the moment, with Crows on 2 goals, 2 points, to Greater Western Sydney on 1 point. Go Crows!

Cozy Mystery, Writing

On Needing a Writing Schedule

carolyncordon

At the moment, I have three main writing projects I am working on. One of them is an ongoing thing, and that is editing the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle, which is a monthly newsletter for the town of Mallala. And I am trying to commit to writing a series of Cosy Murder Mysteries, I have characters, and book titles, as well as some brief ideas on what each book might be about.

I have a much bigger project right now though, bigger in terms of importance. It is an anthology of writing, about Covid-19, and it is possibly my most important thing I’ve ever taken on, in terms of community connection and historical significance. This piece is close to being finished, I just need to tie up loose ends really, put in remaining author writer bios which I’ve requested.

And I need to put together the actual front and back covers. Waiting for input from others on that one, both from different people, I’m more or less in contact with. And there’s one more piece of work to go it, that has a photograph, and some prose relating to it.

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I’m back again, and just like magic, some of those items I’ve been waiting on have appeared! I love the power of emails. I’ve also made a connection with a friend of a friend on Facebook and asked whether I may use a comment she wrote, that fits in with a new title of one of those Cosy Murder Mystery books I mentioned … And an amazing coincidence, is that the person’s name, is the same as the name of my main character in those books! Life is so amazing sometimes, if you wrote it, in a book, people may find it hard to believe, even when it’s true.

So having written all of this, I’m wondering, do I actually need any writing schedule at all really, beyond actually sitting down in my appointed sitting down spot, and just getting on with things? Actually, I haven’t actually written any more of those Murder Mystery stories, I’m simply written about them, and they are two totally different things. And to be honest with you, dear reader, I suspect I secretly don’t think I can really write those murder mysteries, cosy or not.

Writing around the edges of a book, is not actual book writing. So I think I have to get real about this, and actually make a commitment to writing That first book, and finish it, so I can give it to my chosen beta reader, and then get back to the second book, which I began writing first. By then, my dear beta reader may have told me what she thinks, and I can move forward, or backward, from that point.

But of course before any of that can happen, I have to have the first draft of a Cosy Murder Mystery book written. So perhaps I should schedule in “Cosy Murder Mystery” in my calendar, a few times a week, and see how that goes? Yes? Or how about I use that thing I’ve forgotten the name of, where you give yourself 25 minutes writing time, and definitely sit down and write. Then if things are flowing, another 25 minutes, and so on. I could find at least 25 minutes every day, for sure.

So that is what I will do. After I get back here at my writing seat, after bringing in the washing, I will commit to writing for 25 minutes, today, and every single day, more of that first book in the “At Talloola” series of cosy murder mysteries! There, I’ve written down my commitment to a writing schedule for that writing, and will do my best to stick with it!

Cozy Mystery

Becoming a (famous) Cosy Murder Mystery Writer

carolyncordon

When I’m grown up, I want to be famous for writing Excellent Cosy Murder Mysteries. I’m not sure exactly I’ll be grown up enough to do that, but, at the age of 57, it had better happen soon …

haha!

I’m realising, of course that wanting something is only any good, if you take action to make that thing happen. And when you’re a writer, putting in the early steps toward a new writing project is good, but only if actually writing of the written work happens as well.

I have a town, main characters, interesting other characters, a bad Mayor, a wise old dog, a wise old lady, an overseas friend, a rather cute Deputy Mayor, and I have I think it’s twelve (or maybe could be twenty), titles for mysteries, with brief descriptions of what the story is about, beyond the fact that there is at least one death.

Who is the man in the hi vis top? And why did the police officer stop there?
Hmm, what was in those big plastic fluid containers?

Meredith has some questions she wants answers to! Will she be able to solve this little mystery? I think she will, if she can get her friends together to help her! Maybe she could take her next door neighbours dog for a walk around where those container were, and see if the discover any clues … Mister is very good at finding clues for Meredith!

Are you intrigued in what this little mystery is all about? I am too! I’d better write it, to find out! Finding things to write about is easy, if you keep your eyes open, and ask yourself, and (others) questions. I wasn’t able to ask the people in the photo any questions, but hey, I’m a fiction writer, I can make up the answers, and I might very well do just that. Perhaps I could write a little mystery story …

What do you think? Would you like to read such a story? Perhaps a flash fiction piece, a 100 word mystery? We shall see, watch this space!

Cozy Mystery, New Ideas, Story Ideas, Uncategorized, Writing, writing exercise, writing opportunities

Finding Things to Write About

carolyncordon

It’s a strange time right now, strange, and disconcerting even. Lock Down, comes and goes, then comes back again, and we are all learning how far away 1.5 metres is, or if we don’t others might well tell us to back off!

And even though the writing project I’d imagined would take up the rest of my writing life isn’t really actually happening now, I’m still getting lots of writing done, some of it fiction, other parts non fiction, and the writing ideas are arriving often. It seems that everywhere I look and every new thing I see, gives me new things I could write, or write about.

So finding things to write about is seemingly not a problem for me, certainly not at the moment. And I’ve been getting ideas for the novel series I have on my list of writing projects to get back to, when my brain decides it’s actually time to do that. The novel series is a series of Cosy Murder Mysteries. I have a main character, I have a lovely little town where the murders happen, I have quite a few people who live in and around the town. And I have a bad guy who is going to get murdered too, at some stage of the series.

Today I began a novel writing exercise that relates to my series (the ‘At Talloola’ series, where Meredith Webster is the amateur sleuth, finding the killers, when the cops aren’t doing their job). The writing exercise is one more or less of my own devising, or maybe something I once read somewhere else. I used the homework for my writing group from last week, to get something written to strengthen my novel series.

The homework is to use this as a writing prompt – ‘I wish I could hear …’ So I twisted the homework and asked Meredith the question, and then the two of us, Meredith and I thought we would ask another character of my ‘At Talloola’ series the question to see what she said. This is what it all looks like:

“Homework to hand up on 16/7/20

‘I wish I could hear …’ 


I wonder what Meredith wishes she could hear? I’d better ask her, perhaps tomorrow.

Sorry Meredith, I wasn’t listening, humble apologies. Oh, did I accidentally just make a joke? Haha!

No, seriously, I’m listening this time, is there anything you wish you could hear Meredith? 

Ah, an honest answer from the Mayor of Talloola … I don’t think you’re the only person who’d like to hear that!

So the mayor is an habitual liar, how does a person in your position deal with that? How do other people deal with it, I wonder. Maybe you and I can find out, Meredith. What do you think, shall we ask some questions, do you think? Carefully, of course. Who shall we ask first? 

Gert? Ah, a simple one, we both know we can trust her, she’ll understand what we’re doing, and why, I think. She’s a very astute person, is dear old Gert!

So Meredith and I went around to her place, but she wasn’t there. We were about to head off back to the council, when we heard her, calling out, “Miss Meredith, do you have a minute for a chat? It isn’t private, Carolyn can come too, of course.”

So we went over to the Talloola Museum, and followed Gert through to the sheds at the back, wondering what on earth was going on. Soon enough though, it was clear that whatever was going on, was not a pretty thing. There were scratches on the dirt in the yard there, like something heavy had been dragged along, either to, or from, the shed that held the old Talloola Fire Engine, which was a star of the Talloola Christmas Party held at the oval every year.

Gert didn’t say a word, and Meredith and I were too intrigued to break the silence … what was it that had been dragged? and had it been dragged to the shed, or from the shed?

We’d find out very soon, I think. My mind was flicking around all over the place,and my heart was bang, bang, banging away, in alarm, or excitement, or some such thing, for sure. I’d find out more, and then …”

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As you can see from this little piece, my mind is definitely still thinking about that writing project, even though it hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind, it’s still there at the back. I thing Meredith and I are doing to have lots of fun over the rest of my life. as we work on catching killers in and around Talloola!

I have the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle that I’m always thinking about of course, looking for possible articles, and ideas for attention grabbing front page pieces. And there is the “Plague Invasion” anthology, which is rapidly approaching the closing date for submission of works for consideration. As the editor of this, I’m looking for poetry and prose that is written in response to Covid-19. Anything and everything. I received an interesting piece yesterday a bit of science fiction, but it is based on our possible true future, with pandemics, and referring to our 2020 one we’re living with right now. Fascinating stuff!

So much happening, so many writing options, and of course our writing group has just ended our poetry competition, and the judge of the junior section has done her part, and found some award winners for us. I look forward to hearing from the other judge (of the Open section), and then letting the winners know. There are things to be discussed regarding this, with other writing group members.

There will be more news about this on another occasion.

I’m also quite interested in putting together a non fiction book regarding my personal and philosophical thoughts on what life is all about … Life is a smorgasbord, and I want to write the menu!

covid 19, Cozy Mystery

Book Cover Design

carolyncordon

I had a talk with the person who is going to ‘do’ the front cover of the book (an anthology of Poetry and Prose in response to Covid-19), that I’ve been seeking submissions for. I told this person, Patrick, my ideas for a possible cover image, and he told me his ideas. Patrick listened to my idea, which was nice of him, but we both agreed his idea is better. He is going to put some things together to show me when they are ready.

Some of my earlier books, a wide variety …

I like the idea of getting people, especially young ones, interested in things I do. This Anthology is attracting lots of interest from a broad range of people. Patrick is a student, who is in between things at the moment, as many others are also. His mother is a member of my writing group, the Secretary, actually, and Janette is working on a piece of prose to go in the book, so they can perhaps workshop some ideas about what they’re doing.

So this is another step in the process of getting this book up and running, a necessary step. A good cover can make a book, and a bad cover, while not necessarily ‘breaking’ a book, it doesn’t help. Patrick’s idea for the cover, give hints about what readers might find within the pages of the book, teasing them a little. I like that idea!

It’s still quite a while before this book comes into the world, but there are lots of people waiting, and that has to be a good thing. I have high hopes for this Anthology, and if it’s successful, there’s no telling what may come next. Perhaps ‘next’ will be a stepping back to the series of Cosy Murder Mystery books I’d been working on, when the whole Covid-19 thing hit us, and those cute little village mysteries seemed too small a thing to spend my writing time on.

The “Plague Invasion” anthology is a much more important and worthy thing to be spending my time on. Once things are back under some kind of control though, the world may be looking for something lightweight, and my own head may feel better about getting back to my amateur detective, Meredith, and the little town of Talloola, where Meredith does her detective, with her worthy helpers.