Thoughts on BELINDA BLAKE AND THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS

June 26, 2019June 22, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! Can you believe it’s already the last Wednesday of the month? You know what that means! It’s time for another book review. Since my mind has been drifting to my own cozy mystery, I decided to see if any new series in that genre were releasing this month. Yup! I went with the Exotic Pet-Sitter series because who can resist animals and a good murder or two? Not me. It’s by Heather Day Gilbert and the first book is called Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass (kind of a mouthful, I know). Since it was only released yesterday (June 25th), you would be correct in assuming that I got an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. So, I must thank them and Kensington Books for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review, which I’ll be getting to presently.

51PDVwRPCdL — A cute cover that has nothing to do with the story.

Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass follows (you guessed it!) Belinda Blake as she embarks on a new phase of her life. Moving from a studio apartment in Manhattan to a carriage house on some rich family’s property in Greenwich, Connecticut, Belinda works hard to keep her exotic pet-sitting business going strong. She’s currently taking care of a ball python for a client in Manhattan who insists she carts the animal back and forth from his place to hers (because snakes need vacations too) as well as taking it for walks and even bathing it. As if that plus an embarrassing run in with the homeowners’ handsome son, Stone Carrington the fifth, isn’t bad enough, she finds a dead woman in her garden. From there, things just get stranger.

The plot of this one is pretty standard. A young woman (26) finds a dead body and gets dragged into investigating it with the hot new guy in her life, who she falls in love with, of course. But could he possibly be the murderer?! Dun dun dun… It’s a cozy, so what do you think? He’s still shady, though. And I admit that I picked out the murderer as soon as they showed up, but it took me a little while to piece together the why part, so it’s still a fun journey.

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My main problem with this story is the pacing and the odd scenes that feel tossed in for no particular reason. It’s super jumpy. Things would be going along nicely, then something completely random would pop up. Like the kiss. It doesn’t feel like it belongs there to me and it’s out of character for Belinda, so it seems really forced. Then, she goes home (upstate New York) for Thanksgiving and randomly gets sent to a neighbor’s house to pick up honey. I’m guessing he’s supposed to be the rival love interest, but his part in this particular book seems unnecessary and rushed. His introduction could’ve waited for a book or two until he’s needed. There’s also this thing with escaped cows that makes no real sense and does nothing for the actual plot of the story. There are some other instances, but these stand out the most.

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f53524b447a767366356a4b7344673d3d2d3536303734373533382e313532396438373234636664656134633 — Me wondering how things fit together in this book.

As far as the writing goes, it’s a little stilted in spots. The book is in first person, so we’re in Belinda’s head when we’re not dealing with dialogue. I spent a lot of time telling myself that people don’t talk that way. It’s distracting, but I was still able to enjoy the story.

Ultimately, I enjoyed Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass enough that I’ll check out the next book to see if it’s better. Also, I kind of want to see just how much randomness makes it into the next one.

Overall, I gave it 3 out of five stars. While many, my complaints are actually pretty minor. If you like cute cozies and animals, go ahead and check this one out. If you have too many books on your TBR lists, you’re not missing much if you skip this one.

Character Introduction: Alexsandro Reyes

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! May is slowly coming to a close. How is everyone doing? Is the heat sneaking up on you, yet? It’s still pretty nice around here. Anyway, last week, I introduced you to Lucynda “Cyn” Moseman from my cozy WIP. Now, I want to introduce you to the handsome detective who is of course a potential love interest. What cozy would be complete without the hot cop who constantly has to save our heroine? Not that Cyn has a tendency to get in trouble, just that that’s how cozies usually go. Anyway, please be kind to our dear detective Alexsandro “Alex” Reyes.

Eduardo Verastegui 3 — Eduardo Verastegui.

Alexsandro (32) has only been in Dallas for a couple of years after bouncing around Texas looking for a place that was the right fit. His Armani suit and fancy shoes don’t mesh well with his detective’s salary, but that doesn’t stop him from looking sharp on and off the job. But where does a cop get that kind of money? It’s a secret he isn’t willing to share, but that doesn’t stop the rumor mill from churning out tall tales. Just ask Cherry, the medical examiner who adores drama when it’s about other people and who happens to be Cyn’s bestie. But he takes it all in stride and keeps his secrets locked behind an enigmatic smile.

Despite being a relative newb in a job surrounded by old timers, Alex has gained a certain level of respect for his abilities. That’s why he gets assigned to Dallas’s first serial killing case in years. It’s not like these things just fall into his lap because he’s pretty. He’s talented too. Although the case is horrible, he can’t help being a little happy that it pushed him into Cyn’s path. But won’t she be angry if he has to arrest one of her employees for murder? He can’t let that stop him from doing his job.

Eduardo Verastegui 2 — And the full body.

Confidence, charm, and mystery are all qualities that Alex uses to hide his true self from the world. It’s been a long time since anyone has been able to break through his veneer. Can Cyn do it? Does he want her to see the real him? Would she understand? These are some of the questions floating around his mind as he searches for a murderer. Luckily, he’s a good multitasker. And he’s fairly adept at avoiding having a personal life, so it’s not like those questions even matter. Or do they? Only time will tell.

d14ql3m-0588d280-d4bf-453e-be58-2fede32bcf7d — Pretty much, except he isn’t all that much like House.

At the moment, that’s Alexsandro Reyes. I might tweak some things, but overall I like him as is. Who’s the potential love interest in your book? Are they harboring a secret that could change the protagonist’s feelings toward them? Did you decide to skip the love interest altogether? What kind of character did you replace them with? Feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or anything else here or on my social media pages! Next week is book review week, then I may or may not have more character intros for you.

Character Introduction: Lucynda Moseman

May 15, 2019May 14, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ 1 Comment

Howdy, howdy! A friend recently tweeted about the fact that many writers have an idea of what the main characters in their WIPs look like and he asked for pictures or GIFs. It made me realize that out of all my stories (shorts, novellas, and novels), I had only come up with character images for one story. My supernatural/paranormal cozy mystery characters all have pictures associated with them, which I would reference as I was writing the first draft because the cast is large enough that I needed reminders. Now, that novel is tucked away until I finish revising another one, but I thought I would introduce you to its main cast of characters. First up, the protagonist: Lucynda “Cyn” Moseman.

Lucynda (30) is the owner of Dreamscapes, Dallas’s first and only host club. It was always her dream to own some kind of club, but she never expected it to be one where most of the employees were vampires. Thanks to her prolonged exposure to her number one host and roomie, Jyou, she’s not particularly susceptible to certain charms the vampires use to get their way. And she’s not afraid to remind them of the rules everyone agreed upon when they came to work for her, the most important of which is “no biting the customers.”

Originally from Marfa, Cyn got out of there as fast as she could when she turned 18. She keeps her past to herself. So much so that even Jyou only knows bits and pieces. However, her bestie, Cerise “Cherry” Wapachee, grew up with her and followed Cyn all the way to Dallas (not that she’d ever admit that was the reason). Their friendship is the only non-familial connection to Marfa that Cyn maintains.

Cody Horn 1 — Of course a full body shot was needed.

Quiet, sarcastic, and a natural people reader are some of the best ways to describe Cyn. She has a weird ability to pair new guests with their ideal hosts and she’s an outgoing, friendly face that helps club customers feel at home. But outside the club, Cyn likes to mind her own business and keep to herself, which makes being dragged into a murder investigation pretty damn awkward. She’s a reluctant participant who winds up getting deeper and deeper into the investigation, but she doesn’t let her trepidation stop her from rising to the challenge no matter how badly she thinks it will end.

ClosedInsistentAmericanindianhorse-small — But let’s do it anyway!

That’s Lucynda Moseman at the moment. Do you have any characters you would like to introduce to me? Are you the type who gathers images and creates character sheets to get to know your characters? Or do you just wing it like I usually do and hope they seem like real people? Feel free to share any tips about character development, characters, or general comments here or on my social media pages! Come back next week to meet Detective Alexsandro Reyes.

Thoughts on DEAD AS A DOOR KNOCKER

February 6, 2019February 5, 2019 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! Since I missed last month’s book review, I figured I would go ahead and do it this week. After all, I’m only a week late. That’s not too bad, right? For January, I picked up an advanced reader copy (ARC) of the first book in a new cozy mystery series. Dead as a Door Knocker is the the first book in Diane Kelly’s House Flipper Mysteries. As usual, I must thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Now, we might as well get to the review!

51pGIJmP1pL — Cover is relevant to the book, but the knocker is all wrong. It’s supposed to be the Green Man.

Dead as a Door Knocker introduces us to Whitney Whitaker, a 28-year-old who enjoys helping her cousins remodel houses and harbors dreams of becoming a real estate guru. She lives with her parents and her cat, Sawdust, in Nashville and works at a small mom-and-pop property management firm. When the firm’s biggest client offers her a deal on a property that’s too good to be true, she jumps on it. However, the guy is murdered on the site and everything goes haywire from there.

I’m just going to come out and say it: I didn’t like this book. The story was the same as every other cozy, which could have been fine. Combine it with the fact that the main character is extremely unlikable and not even the parts from the cat’s point of view could save it. Why is Whitney unlikable? First off, she’s 28 and acts like she’s 15. If she doesn’t get her way, she pouts or throws a fit. Second, she’s a bully. She runs around questioning people like she’s a cop or something, ambushing people and even forcing her foot in doorways so people can’t close the door, then has the gall the get upset when she gets a glass of iced tea thrown in her face. I had zero respect for her.

The background characters were flat and only served to enable Whitney’s antics. She dragged her cousin and her best friend around as bodyguards, neither of whom ever bothered pointing out when she was crossing boundaries. The detective let her go based on weak arguments and tantrums. I get that it’s a story and all, but it still needs to be believable. None of these characters came across as actual people, especially the police.

As far as the writing goes, it was a tight, quick read. Every other sentence seemed like a well-worn cliché or at least a play on one. If the author was aiming to make Whitney sound like a 15-year-old, she was spot on. But don’t go into it hoping for the 28-year-old we’re supposed to be getting.

Ultimately, I was super disappointed in this story. I just couldn’t get past the characters. It’s not a series I’ll be following.

Overall, I gave Dead as a Door Knocker one star out of five. Pretty sure this is a first for me. I honestly feel bad. I really wanted to like it, but nope. If you’re okay with childish characters and unrealistic police officers, try it. Otherwise, you’re not missing anything.

Thoughts on A SPELL OF MURDER

December 26, 2018December 24, 2018 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas (or whatever it is you happen to celebrate)! It’s the last Wednesday of the month (and year), so it’s time for another book review. I looked for something festive, but ended up going with another cozy mystery. For December, I got a hold of an ARC (advanced reader copy) of A Spell of Murder by Clea Simon, which was released earlier this month. As usual, I must thank NetGalley and the publisher, Polis Books, for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Now, let’s get to it!

SpellOfMurder-522x800 — Cute cover. And it actually refers to things in the story.

A Spell of Murder is the first in the new Witch Cats of Cambridge series. It follows Clara, a calico cat, and her two sisters, Harriet and Laurel, all of whom happen to be witch cats (yes, they are cats who can do magic). They do their best to keep their “owner,” Becca, out of trouble as she embarks on a new adventure in her life. Recently single and newly unemployed, Becca is on a mission to find herself. She researches her family history and even joins a local coven. But when a covenmate is murdered, Becca is pulled down the rabbit hole of wanting to find out what happened. Her cats must help keep her out of trouble. Whether out of love or the desire for more food and treats depends on which cat you ask.

You might be wondering why I said it follows Clara instead of Becca. That’s because the book is (mostly) told from Clara’s POV. It’s part of the reason I wanted to check this book out. A murder story from a cat’s POV? Sounds neat. And it was. But it slips out of Clara’s POV at random moments, which is jarring and occasionally really confusing. For the most part, Clara finds ways to be in each scene, but a couple of times the POV just flat out changes to Becca because Clara isn’t around. If this was a braided narrative set up so we expected the POV shifts, that would be fine. But it’s not, so the shifts feel lazy. An easy out when putting a cat in the scene is too difficult.

q3e87zR.0.gif — It’s random like this, except way less cute.

Other than that, the story is solid, if somewhat predictable. I guessed at the murderer as soon as they showed up, but I also have a strong dislike of that type of person, so maybe it was just wishful thinking. Correct wishful thinking, but still. There’s a douchenozzle of a love interest, an actual love interest, an overzealous bestie, and a plethora of other characters you would expect in a story like this. The most interesting characters are the cats. Clara is all about loving and protecting Becca. Harriet basically just wants food and treats and all the comforts she can get. And Laurel simply likes drama, especially when it involves a man. The humans are just kind of there.

The writing style is easy going and carries the reader along for the most part. It tries to get you to follow it to awkward conclusions, instead of going with your gut. That’s what cozy mysteries do. The descriptions of the people in the book are pretty vague, which makes it a little difficult to separate them, but that’s how the cats see people. It was interesting to see the world as a cat. And it makes for a light, quick read.

Ultimately, it was an okay read. I probably won’t go looking for future books in the series, but if I randomly run across them, I’ll flip through and see if anything has improved.

Overall, I gave A Spell of Murder three stars. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. If you like magical cats and Hallmark channel murder mysteries, you might like it. If not, you’re not missing much.

Thoughts On LITTLE COMFORT

August 28, 2018August 9, 2018 ~ shawnaborman ~ 1 Comment

Hello, hello! Welcome to the last Wednesday of August. That means it’s time for another book review. This month, I’ll be looking at Edwin Hill’s debut novel, Little Comfort. It came out on August 28th. It’s a new cozy mystery series that I actually forgot I had requested from NetGalley until I received the approval notice. I must thank them and Kensington Books, the publisher, for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Without further ado, let’s get to it.

91xCSvjaGDL — A nice, simple cover. But I don’t remember a bird in the story.

Little Comfort introduces us to Hester Thursby. She lives with her partner (but refuses to marry him) in Boston, though she maintains a separate apartment area above his for when she needs time alone. They have recently been saddled with taking care of his niece because his sister/Hester’s best friend took off. So, Hester took some time off work until they could find a new life rhythm. When things seem to be quieting down, a woman contacts Hester and asks her to track down the woman’s brother. Since finding people had been Hester’s side business for a while, she agreed. From there, things went very wrong.

This book was a little different from the cozies I’ve been reading because it shifted POVs. We start out with Hester (an interesting character), then jump to Sam, Gabe, and a couple of other characters (all interesting in their own right). The story shuffles back and forth around them. I, personally, like that method. I mean, following one character throughout the whole book as she figures out the crime is fine, but it wouldn’t have worked here. This way, we not only get to figure out what’s going on, but we get better insight into the minds of the bad people. The story isn’t really about whodunit, but how they ended up in that position and why they chose to do what they did. That’s why the rotating POV works here.

giphy (9).gif — Who doesn’t love being in the mind of a sociopath every now and again?

As far as the plot itself goes, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep it intriguing. My only complaint would be that the climax felt a little rushed. Normally, I’m all for a quick “end it while cutting off the villain’s monologue” type thing, but considering the person who actually ends it, I wanted more. More struggle, more explanation, more conniving on the bad guy’s part. I wanted the niece to have a bigger part because I didn’t believe the guy would just let her loose. That whole scene just felt too quick and easy. Granted, there’s some stuff after the climax that kind of makes up for it, but I expected a little more.

GaseousDependableHairstreakbutterfly-size_restricted — Pretty much.

The writing was a little shaky at times. A lot of it was tight and pulled me along. But sometimes, especially in the beginning, there was a lot of focus on tits. Like, a lot. It was borderline comical/annoying. Don’t get me wrong, tits are great, but it felt like the author was overcompensating for something and I couldn’t decide what. Mostly, though, things either went along at a really nice pace or they went too fast.

Ultimately, I enjoyed Little Comfort enough that I’ll look for future Hester Thursby books. Hester was a great character and I’m interested to see what happens with the kid and the partner.

Overall, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. My issues with the story weren’t big and could be attributed to the fact that it’s the first book. If you’re into these kinds of stories, give it a shot. However, I’d say if you’re legit sensitive to certain kinds of topics or just have a tendency to say things need “trigger warnings,” this book probably isn’t for you.

Thoughts On DEATH AND A POT OF CHOWDER

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! It’s the last Wednesday in June, so it’s time for another book review. Around this time of year, I have a tendency to miss Maine. I decided to request book one in a new cozy series called Maine Murder Mysteries. It’s called Death and a Pot of Chowder by Cornelia Kidd and it came out earlier this month from Crooked Lane Books. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. With that out of the way, let’s get on with it!

617YpVuTEbL — Adorable cover, but I can’t really remember a picnic.

Death and a Pot of Chowder is set on Quarry Island, a tight-knit community focused on family and lobstering. It focuses on Anna Winslow and her family. First, she receives a letter from a sister she didn’t know she had who wants to meet. If that wasn’t enough excitement, she brings Izzie (the sister) home with her only to discover that Anna’s brother-in-law, Carl, was murdered. Anna is a little resistant to getting mixed up in a murder investigation until charges are brought against her husband. Then, the fun really begins.

I knew nothing about this book going in, aside from the fact that it was set in Maine, so I had no expectations of it. That was a good thing, because I probably would have been sorely disappointed in it if I was expecting something. It was slow moving and just kind of drifted along like it wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere. Which isn’t a bad thing. It gave us plenty of time to get to know the characters and become invested in their lives, though I’m definitely more interested in Izzie than Anna. I didn’t really empathize with Anna the way I was supposed. It was mostly because she focused on wanting to know the “dad” who abandoned her rather than being content with the “step-father” who raised her. I just don’t understand people who are so obsessed with a sperm donor (there’s more to it, but that’s basically what he was). Especially when a loving father figure is in the picture. But anyway, I really liked everyone else.

As far as the plot goes, it was one of those where I figured out what was going on pretty early. The fact that Anna didn’t figure it out earlier was written off as her being too close to everyone involved, but what was Izzie’s excuse? Was she just too focused on her own stuff to see the signs? Maybe. Or maybe I just automatically assume the worst about people. But just because I knew what was going on, didn’t mean that I was sure about the murderer. I wavered back and forth between two people until close to the end, so that was nice. It’s a pretty standard plot, though.

71935-Chuck-Palahniuk-Quote-Maybe-we-should-always-assume-the-worst — Maybe.

The writing was okay. Like I said, it was slow and drifting. It was also one of those stories that had to repeat all the clues at least three times, which was annoying. But the parts about Maine and island life were lovely, so I didn’t mind the rest so much.

Ultimately, Death and a Pot of Chowder was just okay. If a second one comes out, I’ll probably pick it up because I liked the characters and want to give them a second chance.

Overall, I’d give it a three out of five stars. If you’re into cozies and Maine, give it a shot. Otherwise, it’s not going to hurt if you skip over this one.

Thoughts on A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS

December 27, 2017December 26, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! We’ve reached the last Wednesday in December (the last one of 2017). Can you believe that? And that means it’s time for my monthly book review. For December, I chose a cozy mystery (think along the lines of Murder She Wrote, only this heroine is a young librarian). I was looking for something light and fun this time, and A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert, which was published on Dec. 22nd, popped up in my recommendations list on NetGalley. Yes, it’s another advanced reader copy (ARC), so I must thank the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for giving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Now, let’s get on with the actual review.

51dt-gfX8YL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_ — An interesting cover, but the more I look at it, the less it fits the book.

A Murder for the Books is the first in a new cozy series collectively known a the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries. It follows Amy Webber, who has moved in with her elderly aunt Lydia under the guise of taking care of Lydia (who doesn’t really need much in the way of help), but is actually fleeing her old life after making a public scene when she found out her long-term boyfriend had been cheating on her. She’s gone from being a librarian at a major university to being one at a small town public library. Plus, she’s self-conscious about her weight and wary of anyone who shows a romantic interest in her. Cue the entrance of Richard Muir who is a dance instructor at her old university and is new to her little town. He asks for some help researching an old murder and that’s when they stumble upon a fresh murder and things just get weirder from there.

After the last three ARCs I got turned out to be less than satisfying, I had very low hopes for this book. But I went into it with an open mind and, to my surprise, I liked it quite a bit. The characters were relatable (if somewhat over the top occasionally). And the plot was fun. It was a little predictable at points, but the main antagonist turned out to be a bit of a surprise. I figured they were somehow involved, but I didn’t think they’d actually do their own dirty work. So, it was fun.

97729b971da436e63aa7fffa96aafb99bf6c1a07e41c0735eb372697f71484ba — And they did it.

That being said, I did have one major issue with the plot. Every time Amy painted herself into a seemingly inescapable corner, instead of finding a logical way out, the author employed a deus ex machina (plot device where something is magically cleared up by the intervention of something random). A book that’s been lost for years shows up even though they had done a complete inventory of the library earlier that year and no one had found it, another book randomly falls off a shelf at her house… twice, a shadow in the woods spooks the killer into running away, a gust of wind on an otherwise calm day knocks the killer off balance, etc. These things are explained away as the possible actions of a ghost, which would be fine if this were a paranormal series (I love ghost stories!). But it’s not. The whole prospect of ghosts doesn’t even come up until more than halfway through the book, so it feels like a lazy escape method from having to find logical alternatives.

Beyond that, the writing was good. There was a little too much focus on description. I didn’t really need to know what every house and garden Amy went in looked like in full detail. That made it drag a little bit in places. And there was a lot of hair twirling and similar actions that could’ve been left up to the reader’s imagination. But none of that detracted from the fun of the story itself, so I’ll let it slide.

Ultimately, I was satisfied with A Murder for the Books. It was interesting and fun enough that I’ll probably pick up the second book when it’s available. Hopefully, there won’t be as much deus ex machina in the second one.

Overall, I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for something nice to snuggle up by the fire with, this one would be a good choice.

Shaking Off The Rust

July 18, 2017July 18, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ 3 Comments

Howdy, howdy! Yesterday was Dad’s birthday, so I want to say another quick happy (belated) birthday to him! Feel free to leave him a greeting here or on my social media pages and I’ll pass it on to him. Anyway, this week, I want to ramble a bit about figuring out when to switch projects and when to power through the slow points, which is something I really struggle with. I was always encouraged to finish a project before moving on to the next one. But what happens when you try to push through the mental wall blocking you from the story and three months later you’ve only managed to move forward thirty pages? When is enough enough?

tumblr_ob5dn9Eqpf1svs9vho1_500 — It’s kind of like when your EVA goes berserk and tries to smash through the wall, but there’s just more wall behind that wall, until it finally it runs out of energy and you, the pilot, are left a bleeding and broken mess. Yeah, like that.

Lately, I’ve been feeling a little (okay, extremely) stagnant when it comes to my writing. I fully admit that I haven’t been working on that front as much as I should, even though I have no excuse not to be writing. But the words refuse to come. I know the storyline and everything, but the novel doesn’t excite me at the moment. In fact, it doesn’t instill any emotions in me. That’s not to say that I’ve given up on it. Not at all. I know exactly why I’m lacking any emotional investment in this book (it’s the second book in my Demonic Jewels series, the first of which I’m querying agents with and I can only take so many rejections before I start questioning the entire concept of the series, but that feeling will eventually pass, I hope). And I’ve been trying to push through all of this for the better part of three months, but it’s proving impossible.

I’ve tried a number of tactics to get past the wall. I wrote some short stories then tried to go back to the novel. Didn’t help. I worked on revisions to a different novel then tried once again to get back to Bailey and her crew. No luck. I even tried just plotting everything out in my head so I’d know exactly where I was going when I sat down to write (a method that has worked well in the past), and still nothing. What else can I do? Seriously, I’m open to suggestions.

11376642_1567759673485171_1727505224_n — I don’t think dropping an anvil on me will work, but you can try!

However, over the past two weeks, some characters who have lived in my head for many years (at least 12) have been pushing their way to the front of my mind. Normally, they only bring vague story ideas with them, but this time they have something concrete that I’m actually super in love with. It’s well outside of my wheelhouse, combining fantasy (I can do that) with a cozy-esque mystery (not so sure I can pull that part off) and a dash of romance (will probably fail miserably at that part). But I’m excited just thinking about it, and the last thing I felt this way about I finished in record time. So, I’ve decided to put Bailey on the back burner again while I revise my other novel-in-progress and write this new one. Is that a stupid decision? Maybe. But if it gets me writing, who cares?

wish+me+luck What about you? What do you do when you can’t get past a block on a project? How do you know when it’s time to set things aside and try something else? Leave your thoughts or comments or questions here or on my social media pages!

Cozying Up With A Cozy

June 8, 2016June 6, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! It’s currently Monday (June 6th) and, instead of being productive, I decided to watch one of the Garage Sale Mystery movies. Yeah, Hallmark channel crap. Don’t judge me. Anyway, it got me wondering why a cozy is such an attractive thing. I mean, I can’t really say I’ve read any. And I have zero desire to write one. But I do enjoy watching the movies and some of the TV shows within that genre.

2bcace78133cea9d62d9f39cb073f548c7852724a82a5cf046e0c1b3b4129a96 — Cozy characters either have the worst luck or are the best serial killers ever.

So, what exactly is a cozy mystery? It’s a subgenre of crime fiction. Some random lady (it’s usually a woman in my limited experience, anyway) in a small, close-knit town stumbles across a crime scene and takes it upon herself to solve the murder despite a fairly capable police force being present and numerous warnings not to get involved. There’re usually subplots of romance or family drama. And there’s almost always a BFF or creepily close sibling for the protagonist to bounce ideas off of and occasionally drag into some dangerous situation or another. They’re cheesy, (usually) family friendly crime dramas. Granted, some cozies break the rules, but this is the general set up.

What’s so appealing about this type of thing? I really don’t know. There tend to be dominant themes that link the movies together (baking, flowers, garage sale items, etc.), usually based around the protagonist’s career. I prefer food related ones (because who doesn’t love food?). I also know someone who writes a grittier type of cozy that revolves around the music scene, which is cool (okay, so I have read at least part of a cozy). It’s partly a matter of finding one with a theme you’re drawn to. It also helps if you like punny titles.

Flower_Shop_Mystery_Snipped_in_the_Bud_2016_8128093 — The first one was “Mum’s the Word.” Punny.

Personally, I think it’s mostly just the combination of a picturesque small town and a scarily naive protagonist who saves the day/solves the case and comes out of it all just as perky and unscathed as she started out. Yeah, I know that’s not how it works in the real world. I know most people who find a dead body would be scarred for life. But this is fiction, by golly! It’s a world where it’s possible to wrap everything up with a neat little bow in under two hours (or an hour if we’re talking TV shows) and have everyone end up happy. Sometimes, we need to escape to a place where that stuff is possible. Otherwise, reality gets depressing.

cute-depress-escape-girl-life-Favim_com-114752 — Exactly!

What about you? Are you a fan of cozy mysteries? Would you admit it if you were (because I know there are people who view the genre as “lowbrow,” and thus not worth their time)? If you are a fan, what do you like about the genre? Do you have any recommendations for movies or books or whatnot? Better yet, what’s a genre you enjoy, but have no idea why? Share your pleasures! Share your guilty pleasures even. And remember that this is a judgment-free zone.

Until next week!

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Cozy Mystery