4/18 -5/1

Why I Write Cozy Mysteries
by Rose Kerr

I’ve been a long time reader in the mystery genre and it started with the Trixie
Belden series. I moved from that series to Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and then Agatha Christie.

I liked the characters, the puzzle to be solved, and as I progressed with the Agatha Christie books, figuring out who did it.

I read voraciously. My grandmother would often comment I always had my nose in a book. I didn’t mind; the books took me on adventures.

Cozies weren’t a genre when I was reading mysteries. They came in a little later. Meanwhile, as I got older, I switched to legal thrillers and police procedurals.

I had exhausted most of the mystery and thriller books in the library in my small town when one librarian pointed me toward cozies.

She said, “You might like these. It’s a mystery, but there isn’t a lot of violence in them. And the characters are different from what you’ve been reading.”

I sighed and said, “Sure, I’ll try one.” What did I have to lose?

I walked to the section and found Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Schulz book, Dying for Chocolate.

I read that first cozy in less than a weekend and hurried back to the library for more.

I’ve since read hundreds of cozies and I enjoy them. They have all the ingredients I’m looking for in a book.

An interesting cast of characters, who work in interesting jobs, strong supporting characters, some quirky characters, interesting locations. And best of all, they are series!

In some of the series, the characters are crafters or bakers, and they share their crafts or recipes in the book. I enjoy learning about new things and sometimes, I’ll try a new recipe. I’m not very adventurous in the kitchen, having had a difficult time of things with home economics in school.

Cozy mysteries give people a chance to learn new things, meet new characters, visit a new location, get some insight into how people behave and why they do certain things. But most important of all, cozy mysteries give readers a few hours of escape from the real world.

I wanted to write for a long time, but there never seemed to be a good time. I tried but the words didn’t work for me.

I was downsized from my last job and wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know if I wanted to continue working as much as I had or if I wanted something different. My husband and I were discussing options, and he said, “Look you’ve always wanted to write. Why don’t you take the time and do it? You’ve nothing to lose and it’s the perfect time.”

So, with his support, I started. I debated what kind of book I’d write. I knew it would be a mystery, but would I write a private investigator, a police procedural, or an amateur sleuth?

I took a few classes on creative writing and on writing mysteries. I enjoyed what I was learning. I then started deconstructing some of the mysteries I had enjoyed reading. The ones I kept going back to were cozy mysteries.

I had found my genre.

I enjoy writing cozy mysteries and I’m grateful to the librarian, who pointed me in that direction.

About The Book

Death on the Set (A Brenna Flynn Mystery)

Former high school guidance counselor turns amateur sleuth to save herself from murder charge on reality show.

Brenna Flynn, returns home to Bayview City after the sudden death of her husband. Unable to find work in her field, she signs up with a temp agency to find employment. Sent on an interview for a cooking reality show, she aces it and gets the job of a production assistant.

On her second day at work, Brenna discovers a body in the studio. She soon learns she’s the police’s primary suspect. Determined to clear her name, she uses some skills she’s honed as a guidance counselor to learn more about the victim. Drawing people out comes naturally to Brenna, and she becomes a confidante to cast and crew on the show.

The stakes are raised with threatening notes, poisonings, and blackmail. Can Brenna uncover who the killer is before someone else dies?

Purchase Links – Amazon – Amazon Canada – Kobo – B&N

About the Author

Rose Kerr grew up in a small community in Nova Scotia. A graduate of Acadia University’s Bachelor of Arts Degree, Recreation and Physical Education, Rose worked for several organizations: Nova Scotia Figure Skating Association, Synchro Swim Nova Scotia, Northern Options for Women, and Contact North|Contact Nord. She traveled from Newfoundland to British Columbia and most provinces in between for work.

Rose and her husband settled in a small town, on the shores of Lake Superior in Northern Ontario to raise their family. A strong believer in lifelong learning, Rose took creative writing courses and began writing mysteries.
More recently, Rose, her husband, and their dog Jake have moved to Southern Ontario. When she isn’t writing, Rose and her husband enjoy exploring the new region.

Rose is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Guppy Online Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and Crime Writers of Canada. For more info visit www.rosekerr.com

Author Links:

Website: www.rosekerr.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoseKerrAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r.m.kerr/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/RoseKerrauthor/
Twitter: @rkerrwriter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/rosekerr