Here at home, fall has taken hold. The leaves have mostly dropped from the trees, the temperatures are on the brisk side, and the overall forecast is cloudy and occasionally gloomy. These are magnificent days to light up the fireplace and curl up with a bowl of soup and a good book. But last week … Continue reading Panhandle Strong: The Strength of Togetherness
Location, Location, Location: A New Character in Town
Last month I revisited Blood Orange Brewing by Laura Childs. The Tea Shop Mystery series takes place in the city where my children were born: Charleston, SC. As I turned the pages, I recognized the picturesque gardens, the stately homes South of Broad, and the quaint shops dotting downtown. The images in my mind were … Continue reading Location, Location, Location: A New Character in Town
Review: Cliff Hanger by Mary Feliz
The publisher’s summary of Cliff Hanger (A Maggie McDonald Mystery, #5) by Mary Feliz: Maggie has her work cut out for her helping Renée Alvarez organize her property management office. Though the condominium complex boasts a prime location on the shores of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, aging buildings and the high-maintenance tenants have … Continue reading Review: Cliff Hanger by Mary Feliz
Friday Classics: The Golden Age of Mystery
Before we settle into Friday Classics featuring the Golden Age of Mystery fiction, it might be a good idea to define the boundaries. The questions of when, where, and what kind of mystery might pop into a reader’s mind. Are they cozies? Are they hard-boiled or over easy? Amateur or detective? British country house or … Continue reading Friday Classics: The Golden Age of Mystery
Book Amnesia: How to Find a Forgotten Book Title
Have you ever read a book that worms its way into your memories and then, when you want to read it again, you can’t remember the title or the author? Dang. Did it become a mini-obsession, something that sticks in your mind until you can figure out what was that book? That happened to me … Continue reading Book Amnesia: How to Find a Forgotten Book Title
Mea Culpa and Thank You!
If you’ve read anything about writing a blog, the number one piece of advice is be consistent. Set a schedule and, above all, stick to it. Don’t let your readers down by dropping out. What did I do for the last couple of months? I dropped out. I owe everyone a big, slurpy apology for … Continue reading Mea Culpa and Thank You!
Diverse Reading Creates Empathy
The other day I chatted with another lover of books and, after we caught up on our latest reads, she asked a couple of questions that got me thinking about why I choose the books I do: Are the characters we meet in a book reflections of ourselves? Or do we select books to vicariously … Continue reading Diverse Reading Creates Empathy
What Did You Expect from a Cozy Mystery?
On a Facebook page for cozy mysteries, a reader commented that she unsubscribed from other cozy lists because she was tired of fluffy dogs or knitting grandmas solving murder while the victim is forgotten in the quest to find the killer. “Oh, look! Another dead body.” Yawn. “Guess we should find out whodunnit.” I was … Continue reading What Did You Expect from a Cozy Mystery?
Lessons from Summer
As I write this, I’m sitting at my desk with the windows flung open, reveling in the gorgeous morning outside my door. The mild weather and the hordes of returning college students down the road are reminders that summer is coming to an end. I can’t say I’m sad about the passing of summer (I’m … Continue reading Lessons from Summer
Am I Ready to Call Myself a Writer?
The other day someone asked me, “What do you do?” Ugh. I hate that question. I know that people ask it to be social and to start a conversation, but it makes my job synonymous with my identity. That’s great if you have a universally cool, unusual, or impressive job, but it’s so easy for … Continue reading Am I Ready to Call Myself a Writer?
JOSIE'S COZIES 