WRITERS' HEALTH

My writing friend, Eleni Konstantine (Helen to those who know her well), has some advice for writers - good advice. We spend a lot of time sitting down for "just one more email" or "one more peek at Facebook and then I'll go and..."

Here's what she has to say:


Looking after yourself
by Eleni Konstantine

You do, right? Or are you like most people and run yourself to the ground trying to keep up with the hectic pace that is the 21st century?
The latter probably.
I’m a great believer in telling people to look after themselves. But do I do the same? The answer is sometimes, because I have to. I have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and I know that I will crash if I don’t have breaks. One thing that CFS has taught me, I can’t go weeks without looking after myself as I once did. Probably a reason for the onset of it.
So what can we do to look after ourselves?

Nap or Meditate
I love my afternoon naps and have them most days. It helps me reenergise. Can’t get to sleep? Don’t worry. Use that time just to close your eyes and relax. I can’t meditate properly as I tend to fall asleep and that’s okay. I think it’s my body’s way of letting me know I need the sleep.

Move
Move away from the computer. I find that I move a lot more during the day than at night, where hours can pass as I sit at the computer. During the day, I put laundry on to remind me to move. When it’s time, I empty one load and fill the machine with another. But at night, I put the alarm on the computer or listen out for the computer voice telling me the time on the hour.  I do move - some of the time.

Exercise
I feel better on the days I exercise. Endorphins are released and the body benefits from the movement. I haven’t managed to get into a proper routine yet (CFS is awful for setting routines) but when I did exercise regularly, I felt much better and I was more productive. Of course finding an exercise you enjoy is the key. I go to Curves as it suits me the best and do Tai Chi.

Necessary ‘Pampering’
I need to have remedial massage every so often (ouch!), because it does help the muscles and movement. I have reflexology on occasion, and also chiropractor and acupuncture appointments more frequently. Basically it’s me listening to what my body (and brain) needs.  So work out and try to work it into your schedule once a month.

Read
I truly believe reading feeds the soul. (see my blog post on Musa here - http://musapublishing.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/reading-feeds-soul.html)
It helps to reenergise and let our imagination run wild, and our inspiration and muse spark off as well.

Vege out
I watch TV, but I tend to watch it when I’m so tired I can’t read. I love stories and this is just the visual form. I tend to record things and watch when I’m in the mood or have an hour or so that I want to relax and not think about anything but what’s in front of me. Currently episodes of Son of Anarchy and Boardwalk Empire are waiting for me. Both amazing shows with such complex characters.

Drink water
Remember to have that water bottle on your desk. I find it better than grabbing a glass of water because I’m likely to drink more. However, if you are good, you can use the refill of the glass for ‘moving’ as discussed above.

Eat regularly
My biggest downfall. I don’t eat regularly nor have a proper breakfast - though I’ve been trying to fix that. Because I don’t have a set routine this isn’t easy for me. If you’re hungry (even if you don’t know it), your brain doesn’t operate at full capacity and you can’t concentrate on your work. And eating brain food helps. Bananas, anyone?

Commune with Mother Nature
Being outside - even if it’s in your front or back yards helps us get out of that funk that we can get when we’ve been too long inside. I always feel better for it even if it’s for a short while. It’s been hot here in Australia so this hasn’t been doable lately. I love the beach, and don’t mind going and sitting on a bench and staring at the waves. Or even going for a walk to the local park.

Hanging out with kids or pets
Kids live in the moment, and as adults we tend to think in the past or the future. They have boundless energy and love doing all sorts of activities. I draw and play board games with my godson. It’s an enjoyable time and ultimately the kids will say something that is hilarious, so it’s always fun.
My dog is the same - lives in the moment and loves to play ALL the time. That unconditional love and companionship is just priceless.

All the above do help - if we can get them into the routine. It’s a work in progress for me.
Maybe we need to schedule looking after ourselves into our diaries? What do you think?

Eleni Konstantine is Fantasy and Paranormal fiction writer, with a number of shorts published. Her stories range from flash fiction to novels. She blames her mother for her writing bug because as a child she was given many books, including illustrated fairytales. That and a love of Greek mythology, and Eleni was destined to become a writer.

Eleni lives in Adelaide, Australia, with her family and feisty American Staffy.

You can find Eleni at her website - http://elenikonstantine.com and her blog – http://eleni-konstantine.blogspot.com.

SHARON LEDWITH'S GREAT ADVICE FOR WRITERS

Six Sales Points for AuthorsThere are a lot of authors out there today competing for readers’ attention—readers that you’ve worked so hard to obtain. Some do a very good job, make a lot of money, and stick around. They build satisfying publishing careers that last for decades. Other authors try to wing it and burn out. What’s the difference between a successful author and a wannabe author who just dawdles on the borders of success? Owning a great website? Having a damn good marketing plan? Creating a social media plan for each book release? Good luck? Whatever the answer, often the key to a successful career in the publishing field can be attributed to one or all of these time-tested sales points:

If it doesn’t work, fix it. Let’s face it—some sales strategies work better than others. The trick is to reassess what you’ve been doing. If you’re not producing the sales you’d like to see for a certain book, then chances are you need to correct and fine-tune your methods. For some authors this may mean retooling their blurb or tagline or change the cover. For others, it could be giving their website or blog a fresh new look.
Listen and learn. A number of things factor into book sales. One of the most important is your target audience—who you are writing for. Ask yourself, how are you fulfilling your readers’ needs? What must you do to continually hook their attention? For starters, you have to be willing to walk that extra mile by getting to know and understand your readers. You do this through social networks (Facebook, Twitter), workshops, book signings, school and library visits, book clubs, and online communities such as Goodreads or LibraryThing.
Show enthusiasm. Enthusiasm builds bridges. Panic tears them down. One thing an author has going for them is their unique voice. You use it in your books, so use it to sell them. Readers know when an author resonates with them. Be invested enough in yourself, as an author, to give your readers a fantastic story they’ll never want to end. Then write another one.
Sell yourself, on yourself. The power of positive thinking works wonders. Motivation builders such as podcasts, CDs or self-help books can help reinforce the super salesperson in you. Be specific with your goals and rewards, such as if you send out ten review requests in a day, book a pedicure or lunch with a friend. Write notes reminding yourself that you are a ‘Bestselling Author’ and ‘You can do it’, then leave them around your desk. After all, seeing is believing.
Create a sales plan to suit each book. Every book you write is one of a kind. Sales tactics for one book may not work for the second book. That’s when you get creative and take chances. Giveaways are always a fan favorite. Experiment with each book until you get a sales formula that works for you. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes helps, so if you can afford it, hire a publicist or a marketing consultant. The bigger the investment, the bigger the payoff.
You give, you receive. "What goes around, comes around" is a hard adage for a lot of authors to relate to, but it is nevertheless a vitally important point. And it’s a no-brainer. I tend to share a lot of useful information that could help my author peeps with their sales or marketing strategies. This comes naturally to me. Pass along opportunity when you can. It’s a wise investment—one that any author will never regret making.


Sharon is one of my fellow writers from Musa. She writes time travel for the YA market, and I have to say I've never met a more market savvy writer.

Her debut release is The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=277Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Timekeepers-Arch-Atlantis-ebook/dp/B0084AKSP0/ref=la_B0084DUHJO_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337709376&sr=1-1

Have a look on my Facebook page for the bookcover of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis: www.facebook.com/VonnieJHughes

The Finally Ever After Subgenre from Musa

Musa now has another romantic subgenre called Finally Ever After. They are short reads - about 7,000-11,000 words - and are based on the premise of characters with a past history who are being given a second chance.

Below is Sara Daniel's description of her FEA romance novel, Zane's Art.

Finally Ever After: Zane’s Art
By Sara DanielEarly this year when Musa posted a submissions call for a series called Finally Ever After, I jumped at the opportunity. The stories were to be short, happily ever romances about lovers who have loved each other and lost. Now, they have a second chance to create the happy ending they didn’t get the first time.

I love characters with a past history, especially in a short word count. They have instant attraction and long-standing unresolved conflict—the perfect elements for a fast-paced, emotion-packed read. Zane’s Art had all these things coupled with a strong present conflict. The story flowed out of me so fast I knew it was meant to be!

Zane’s ArtHigh school art teacher Julianne Truman's last chance to save her beloved art department from budget cuts is to sell the old sketches that her former boyfriend—and now famous artist—Zane DeMonde drew for her. But is she prepared to let go of his artwork and the last traces of him in her life?

Desperate to save his artistic reputation from the exposure of his early works, Zane returns to the home town he wanted to forget. He accuses Julianne of profiting from his success and demands she take his art off the market and cancel the auction.

Their high school attraction flares back to life, forcing Julianne to choose between the students who count on her and the man she never stopped loving.Excerpt:"Cancel the auction."
Julianne Truman’s head snapped around at the hard male voice. The stapler fell from her hand and cracked open on the floor, as she caught sight of the extraordinary face that went with the voice. Her knees shook as she climbed down the ladder. She hadn’t faced Zane DeMonde in nearly fifteen years. At one time she’d believed he’d be part of every single day of her future.

"Zane, I didn’t expect you to come." She stepped toward him. His black hair was a little shorter than the last time she’d seen him, but at shoulder length it was still far longer than most men’s. Gone were the black hoodie and ripped jeans of his youth. Now he wore chinos and a sharply pressed blue button-down shirt, open at the neck.

The dark storms in his cobalt blue eyes were exactly the same as the day he’d walked away from her. "Cancel the auction. The sketches and painting are not for sale."

She swallowed. "I own them. If I choose to sell them, that’s my business." And it was breaking her heart to part with the only piece of him that she’d been able to hang onto all these years.

"When they have my name on them and you’re getting rich off me, it’s my business."

Getting rich was so far from the truth Julianne would have laughed if her chest weren’t so tight. "It’s an honor to have you back in town." At least her students would think so. Her brother would likely burst an artery. And she—well, she couldn’t even begin to process the mix of emotions she was feeling. "Do you have a minute to talk? I can explain what’s going on."

"I know what’s going on."

She hoped he couldn’t hear how hard her heart was hammering or sense how desperately she longed to wrap her arms around him and pick up where they left off fifteen years ago, as if he’d never left her. "Then you know that the arts are at the bottom of the school district’s priority list. To have supplies for the classroom, to restore the school mural, to give my students a chance to explore different mediums, the art program needs an alternate source of funding."

"You’re the Dentonville High art teacher?"

She couldn’t help feeling defensive at his derisive tone. "Yes, and I love my job."

"Do you? Or have you never moved beyond your high school life?"
BUY LINK
http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=44&products_id=421 To learn more about Sara Daniel and her work, please visit her website http://www.SaraDaniel.com and blog. http://saradanielromance.blogspot.com Stay connected on either or both of her Facebook pageshttp://www.facebook.com/SaraDanielSaraShaferhttp://www.facebook.com/SaraShaferDaniel Remember, Sara is also only a tweet http://www.twitter.com/SSaraDaniel away.
And here's Sara's bookcover:

Let us know what you think about these shorter, more intense reads. It seems that many people prefer shorter, quicker reads, particularly those using e-readers. What do you think? Meat and potatoes or dessert? Or a little of both?

Patti Yager Delagrange's MOON OVER ALCATRAZ

Patti is a fellow author from Musa. Her latest book, Moon Over Alcatraz deals with the sorrow and difficulties that a couple go through after the death of their child.

Inspiration Behind the Book

How many times have I seen an Amber Alert on the news which ends in the child’s death? How many times have I been driving down the freeway and read about another child kidnapping in yellow lights across a billboard? How many times have watched on the news that another child has been murdered?
Too many times. One time is too many.

And each time this occurs I wonder how in the world do the parents make it through such a tragedy? How do they go on? How can they return to work? How can they face interacting with family and friends after their child’s death? How do they go on living?

This question had burned in my mind for years and I wanted to write about it. People have asked me how I can write about something that’s never happened to me. I counter with: I write fiction. All fiction writers tell a story they’ve made up in their heads. But they imbue that story with their own feelings. Which is what makes a good book. And I have a wealth of feelings that I used when I wrote Moon Over Alcatraz. I have two children. I know what it’s like to love two human beings unconditionally, with no reservations. My kids often ask me, "Do you love me, mom?" And my answer is, "Always and forever."

Moon Over Alcatraz

So I took a happily married couple, excited to have their first child, placed them in the delivery room, and had the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck, which produced a still birth.
And that’s pretty much what happened to that couple - their lift stood still. They didn’t know how to move on from there. Instead of looking to each other for solace and renewal, they turned away from each other. Both of them, unbeknownst to the other, dealt with their grief in a way that broke them
apart, instead of pulling them together.

Losing a child is devastating. And each person deals with that emotional turmoil in their own particular way. I’d go so far as to say that no one can predict how they would act in that circumstance. Emotions can be unpredictable, surprising even to the person who’s experiencing them. This is what happens to Brandy and Weston. You have a difference in their emotional upheaval. One character is the mother who carried her baby to term, and the other is the father who didn’t have that same physical experience.

Patti


Excerpt

Three days later we were standing at the edge of a hole in the ground at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Hayward, the silence so thick, the insides of my ears buzzed like a distant swarm of angry bees. Mr. Peralta and another gentleman stood off to the side while Weston and I held hands next to a tiny casket.
Weston had chosen a simple mahogany box with gold handles, a bouquet of white lilies graced the top of the small box. I knelt down and laid a kiss on the smooth wood then wiped off the tears that had fallen on top. Weston joined me, placing a single red rose in the middle of the lilies.
He helped me up and we stood side-by-side in silence, my guilt over her death like a stone in my empty belly. I missed everything I’d dreamed would be happening right now, yearned for all that could have been.

Weston nodded at the man standing next to Mr. Peralta and our baby was slowly lowered into the gaping maw. She reached the bottom, and a bird landed on the rich brown dirt piled next to the grave. It pecked around, chirping a little song then flew off - as if saying goodbye. My heart squeezed inside my chest. I picked up a small handful of soft dirt. "Goodbye, Christine," I whispered, throwing it on top of her casket. Weston wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in close to his side. Why her? Why my baby? Was this supposed to make sense? And, if so, to whom?

We drove home in silence. No words existed to express my grief.

Below are links where you can learn more about Patti.

http://www.patriciayagerdelagrange.com
https://www.facebook.com/patti.yeager
https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=PattiYager

MUSA ANNIVERSARY BLOG HOP!!

My next Musa book comes out on November 9. This time it’s a Regency novella. I tried writing a novella for a change because it is a long time between my Regency novel releases, and this way I hoped my readers would see I was not neglecting them. (It is also a trial run for a series of novellas, one of which is almost finished, about a Regency couple who investigate small crimes amongst the ton—the sort of petty crimes that members of the ton would prefer to keep under wraps).

The November 9 release is called Captive wherein a somewhat witless Regency miss captures a man as a prize for her unmarried sister. Mayhem ensues when her sister realises that their prisoner is none other than their father’s arch enemy. I do not yet have a cover for Captive, but I’m posting my other Musa book covers below.

GETTING ON WITH ITWHEN THE MUSE DRIES UP

　
For weeks now I’ve been pushing, pushing to get some words on paper. Any words. My brain is weary of Regencies and romantic suspense novels. It needs grist for the mill. So…solutions:

Do a refresher course of some sort, something to get the juices flowing. Uh huh, did that and it sure wasn’t worth the money I paid for it. There are so many of those courses out there in the ether that liken writing to growing parsley, or knitting sweaters, or climbing a mountain (close) but what makes these authors burn to redistribute the English language? They come up with phrases and words like trisituational which loosely translated means three story threads; or irreconcilable dichotomy (!), in other words your conflicts both internal and external are at such odds to each other that you’ve painted yourself into a corner because the conflict can’t be solved. So why don’t these seminar instructors use plain English? To justify their existence, I guess. And because they can make money out of webinars and writing how-to books for already confused writers.
Another favorite solution for those of us at the cross-roads is to plot, plot, plot and stop flying by the seat of our pants. Uh huh. Well, like many writers, if I plot my book into oblivion where’s the point in writing it? Been there, done that. Of course we need story outlines and basic plotlines for the various characters. But I find that after planning some characterisation, the plot tends to take care of itself. In fact my two ‘best’ books wrote themselves. But I can’t hang around waiting for that to happen. Hey, it might never happen again! Nose to the grindstone.
Read, read, read, particularly in other genres. Yes. Definitely. And when I’m stuck, stuck, stuck, I’d rather read than write. However that could go on for weeks, months, years…
There is no writer’s block. Nora assures us this is so and she should know. Don’t think I have such a thing anyway. Several plotlines are still weaving around in brain. Just can’t force myself to finish the Regency novella and romantic suspense I’ve almost finished and then jump into one of those ideas. I’m bored, bored, bored with my current books but my anal retentive behavior tells me to finish those books before starting something else.
The real reason for my procrastination. Marketing. There’s so much of it to be done that it takes all the fun out of writing, because most of that ‘marketing’ involves writing of a sort, just not the fun, real writing. We ignore marketing at our peril, so we are told. (But note there is nothing definitive ever been produced that can prove a case-by-case point). Only those writers at the top of the tree can afford to pay publicists or simply ignore the ‘M’ word. Since the advent of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and blogs, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to gain such a good income from my writing that I could afford to employ someone to do all this stuff. Dream on, Vonnie. Okay, whinge over!
Anybody else out there in this bind, where they spend as much time marketing as they do writing and have lost their impetus? Anyone got any solutions? Leave a comment and not only will you go in the draw to win a Kindle Fire (if you’re in USA or Canada, but international winners will receive a $50 Musa gift card). The most humorous reply wins a paperback copy of Mr. Monfort’s Marriage which I’m happy to post anywhere in the world.

www.vonniehughes.com
http://www.facebook.com/VonnieJHughes
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5605111-vonnie-hugheshttp://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Vonnie+Hughes&x=18&y=20
http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=162666
(The above should lead you to the next blog on the list to give you further chances to WIN)

MY TEN FAVORITE BOOK CHARACTERS

I'm on the Musa blogsite talking about my ten favorite book characters. Of course this is one of the most subjective topics on earth. See if you agree with any of them:
http://musapublishing.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/my-ten-favorite-book-characters.html
Enjoy!

AUSTRALIAN WRITERS' AND READERS' CONFERENCES

Australia, with a population of 20 million, does not have as many writers’ conferences as say, the UK or USA. But below are a few which might interest people from overseas. They are well worth a visit in my opinion. My favourite one based on its comprehensive coverage is GenreCon – see below.

　
Brisbane Writers’ Festival

This year the Festival is from 5-9 September. Each year it brings tens of thousands of readers together with the writers who inspire them in a setting of parkland and water. You can find conversations ranging from fiction to politics, science to sustainability and everything in between. Writers and readers share stories of adventure, travel, history, music and memoirs at writer talks, bookstalls, book readings and feature events. There are
workshops, masterclasses and seminars for everyone from the novice to the experienced professional.


Somerset College Celebration of Literature

Somerset College is in South East Queensland and has a history of nurturing writers. Next year its conference will be 13-15 March 2013. Their novella writing competition is now open for secondary school students. Submit a 10,000-20,000 word novella on any topic. State winners receive cash prizes and gain writing advice from the Penguin Group (Australia) as well as attending the Celebration of Literature conference. It is a wonderful opportunity for budding writers.


Sydney Writers’ Festival

Sydney Writers' Festival is Australia’s largest annual literary celebration of literature and ideas The Festival returns on 20-26 May 2013. Each year there are more than 300 events in venues stretching from the Festival hub at Walsh Bay to the Blue Mountains. For one week every May authors of the very best contemporary fiction and writers of cutting edge nonfiction, including some of the world's leading public intellectuals, scientists and journalists are in attendance.


Byron Bay Writers’ Festival

This festival is renowned throughout Australia for its beautiful seaside setting and often for the sculptures that are created especially for the festival week.
You can be assured that at Byron Bay every possible type of author is represented from fantasy writers right down to environmental activist authors. It is a festival for the common man but with enough substance to please those with literary leanings i.e. it is fun and engaging and does not encourage navel-gazing.


GenreCon

This three-day conference brings together Australian and international genre professionals and usually features agents and reviewers as well as representatives of every possible genre – romance, mystery, science fiction, crime, fantasy, horror and thrillers. It is considered to be one part professional development and one part celebration.


Romance Writers of Australia Conference

These annual conferences take place in a different city each year. This year it is the Gold Coast. Next year for the first time it will be in Western Australia. RWA conferences are packed with assistance for writers and often non-romance writers attend to hone their skills. This year’s conference (just finished), was wildly successful. The setting, with many hotel rooms overlooking the sea, was conducive to bonhomie and judging from the hundreds of photos on Facebook, everyone not only networked to the fullest, but also most people gained a "snap!" moment when something clicked so that they came away energized. The RWA conferences are renowned for the numbers of workshops held by overseas authors.
　
ARRA Conference (Australian Romance Readers Association)

Prior to the RWA conference this year, the ARRA held a book-signing event. The ARRA, joined by people the world over, also has its own convention every second year and the 2013 one will be held at the Mercure Hotel in Brisbane (Queensland) on 1-3 March next. The keynote speakers will be Kristan Higgins, Anne Grace and Rachel Vincent.

Marketing Site for E-books

Here is a site where all e-books are priced less than $6. Yep. My books are there too!

http://www.hollysbargainebooks.wordpress.com/

COZIES AND MYSTERIES

This is the final post about the mystery and suspense genres.

Mystery Genre
Previously, defining a mystery was easy. A mystery was a riddle or a puzzle e.g. Murders in the Rue Morgue. The reader and protagonist had to determine the secret, solve the crime and find the guilty party. The clues were buried throughout the story. Originally the mystery genre was divided into three sub-genres – the cozy, the soft-boiled mysteries and the hard-boiled mysteries and the classifications were based on the level of violence. Hard-boiled fiction originated in the U.S. e.g. The Big Sleep.
Today the mystery genre has been divided into many different subgenres such as romantic suspense, police procedurals, amateur sleuths, noir, private eyes, whodunits, etc. (Amateur sleuth novels are similar to cozies but are usually more violent. The murder is solved by someone close to the victim i.e. the sleuth has a vested interest in the outcome). Professional sleuths are not police procedurals per se but can be crimes solved by people such as a judge or medical examiner or someone experienced in the working background of the victim i.e. they have a knowledge of the circumstances. (Think Dick Francis). Sometimes these are turned into a series.
In mystery writing, plot is everything. Dorothy Sayers and the Detection Club wrote the rules that now define mystery and detective fiction. They struck a balance between intellectual integrity and artistic licence. (Remember that mysteries and cozies are defined by the intellectual skills of their protagonists rather than their ability to overcome their antagonists using power i.e. rather than using esoteric weaponry or complicated fighting skills, they use their brains).
Hercule Poirot, Father Brown and Lord Peter Wimsey all owe their existence to Detection Club members. Even though their books would now fall under the cozy subgenre, their writings and influence established a pattern for the entire mystery and detection genres.
The main four rules of the Detection Club were first that detectives must solve cases by using their wits i.e. no divine revelations or coincidences. The second rule was that the writer must not conceal any vital clues from the reader. The third rule was that authors promised to use contrivances such as super-criminals or secret entrances in moderation only. And the last main rule was that poisons unknown to science were forbidden. The conclusion was always that justice must, in some fashion or another, be brought about by the action of the ‘detectives.’

Cozies:Cozies were originally known as English country house mysteries. Prominent during the 1920s and 1930s, this style focused on the members of a closed group such as the members of a village. The stories always involved a puzzle and were often solved by the study of human nature (and a reliance on local gossip). This style was so popular that the abovementioned Detection Club was founded in 1928. Some examples of that era are Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie and The Queen’s Square by Dorothy Sayers.
There’s not a lot of on-screen sex, violence or graphic murders in cozies. The detectives are amateurs, frequently women who have been dismissed as busybodies by the local constabulary (think Miss Marple). They become involved for personal reasons.
The murderers are usually neither psychopaths nor serial killers as in other genres but are more likely to have their motives set in greed, jealousy or revenge. Sometimes these motives are the results of occurrences many years in the past.
Frequently the supporting characters in cozies are broadly drawn and sometimes used as comic relief. The eccentrics of village life loom large in these books but remember that cozies can take place in small closed communities anywhere, not necessarily in small villages.
Cozies are told in the first or third person. The victim is rarely someone who will be missed or who will leave a yawning gap in the lives of others. Also, cozies are not roller-coaster rides like thrillers and suspenses but are a progressive examination of the human psyche. They are gentle gifts to be unwrapped – see Writing the Cozy Mystery by Nancy Mehl on Nike Chillemi’s blogsite.
Examples of this genre are the Miss Marple novels as abovementioned, the Hetty Wainthrop Investigates series, Murder She Wrote and Rosemary & Thyme (British settings).
And this concludes my blogposts on the suspense/mystery genres. Hope you enjoyed them.:

POLICE PROCEDURALS/CRIME NOVELS

Continuing with the breakdown of the various thriller/crime genres, this month I’ll cover police procedurals/crime novels. This also includes private investigator novels.
As well, many crime novels often have as their protagonist an innocent bystander or curious amateur sleuth who may happen upon a crime or are affected by it, so resolve to investigate i.e. they may have a vested interest in solving the crime. In Judith McNaught’s Someone to Watch Over Me, the ‘hero’ (at first perceived as an anti-hero which is not uncommon in this type of novel), has two main incentives to solve Leigh’s husband’s murder. First, he is suspected of committing the murder and second, he wants Leigh to be able to resolve her issues with the dead husband because he’s waited many, many years to move in on Leigh.

Another example is Cilla, the heroine of Nora Roberts’ Tribute. As she sifts through her grandmother’s belongings, she realises there was a lot more to her grandmother’s death than was originally thought. It was always presumed that her grandmother, a famous actress, committed suicide. Cilla is curious about the death because it seemed unlikely that such a vibrant woman would commit suicide, and she is very like her grandmother. Once she discovers that her grandmother’s death was probably murder, she rattles a few cages.

There are many, many private investigator novels available. Many have their roots in Raymond Chandler’s character, Philip Marlowe. (In turn, Raymond Chandler was influenced by Sam Spade created by Dashiel Hammett. Humphrey Bogart was the quintessential Sam Spade, of course). Marlowe was a hardboiled, hard-drinking private eye who was philosophical beneath the surface. And there is Mike Hammer by Mickey Spillane. You can guarantee that at some stage a blonde will stroll into Hammer’s office looking for trouble.

The birth of private investigators in novels began with Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Agatha Christie’s Poirot took up the banner and then many writers ran with it, writers such as Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe and Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski.

Police procedurals (the more modern ones at any rate), often open up for the reader a bird’s eye view of how the police solve crimes. Some, of course, veer well away from fact, but most are carefully researched such as the Michael Connolly books featuring Harry Bosch, Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley, an English lord with a penchant for police work, Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles and P.D. James’ Adam Dalgleish. Police procedurals usually stray into the psyche and lives of the police personnel involved, and that is what I find so fascinating. I enjoy the way some authors are able to set out how an investigator’s private life affects his professional life. A great example is Face of a Killer by Robin Burcell where the anniversary of the father’s death by a killer plays havoc with the Sydney Fitzpatrick’s head. She is a forensic artist for the FBI, just as Robin was. So of course Robin’s experience lends an authentic ring to her writing. She also writes the Kate Gillespie police procedurals.

So who are your favourite sleuths? Why? Next week we’ll take a look at cozies and mysteries.