Cozy Mysteries on the Edge by Susan Calder

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Last month, at Calgary's Bouchercon World Mystery Convention I sat on a panel titled "Deep in the Heart of Cozies: what is it about traditional stories that still speak to the heart?"

Prior to the convention, my fellow panelists and I exchanged emails and met online to discuss how we would tackle our assignment. I confessed that I don't identify as a cozy writer and was surprised when three of the other panelists said the same. The fourth declared her books cozy but admitted that in one of her stories she had killed a dog, which is forbidden in cozies. 

We decided to steer the panel discussion toward the edge of cozy, that is, mysteries that dip into the cozy genre but don't entirely fit. We also agreed to focus our comments on our most recent books. Fortunately, my latest release, A Killer Whisky, is cozier than most of my previous novels. 

To prepare for the panel, I created a checklist of cozy mystery traits derived from our discussion and judged A Killer Whisky on each cozy point. 

A Killer Whisky aced these cozy features:

• Minimal violence and gore. Story relies on solving the puzzle and the characters.
• Focus on community dynamics and the sleuth’s interactions with others.
• Lots of tea drinking.  

 I rated A Killer Whisky borderline cozy in these areas: 

• Female amateur sleuth protagonist, but I have a secondary police detective narrator.
• Takes place in the City of Calgary rather than in a charming village, but the main location is a street with closely-involved neighbours and small business owners.
• No sex appears on the page, although illicit sex is implied.
• No swear words, but characters use words that were shocking in 1918, the time of the story.     
• There are no cats, but a dog plays a small role in the plot.
• The story has some typical cozy supporting characters: the romantic interest, local policeman, local shopkeepers, and family. Missing are the best friend and nosy neighbour (aside from my sleuth).
• Social comment doesn't drive the story, but it touches on issues such as social class, war, and female emancipation.      

One feature pushed A Killer Whisky over the edge of cozy:

• Tone. Cozies are typically lighthearted and humourous. I don’t think A Killer Whisky has a cozy tone, although I like to believe there is subtle humour.

From my checklist, I would say A Killer Whisky isn't a true cozy but has aspects of the genre. I call it a traditional murder mystery, which leads to the second part of our panel topic: what is it about traditional (mystery) stories that still speak to the heart?

At the panel, we shared a few thoughts:

• The puzzle. Readers enjoying figuring out whodunnit along with the sleuth.
• Justice is served. In real life, bad things happen randomly and unfairly and there’s often no satisfying resolution. Traditional mysteries, especially cozies, provide justice and meaning.   
• An ordinary person in an extraordinary situation. Haven't we all felt out of our depth sometimes? 
• Quest for truth. The clever sleuth, along with the reader, solves the unsolvable (better than the experts).
• Who can you trust? As the story evolves, you can't trust anyone until the truth is revealed. 
• Interesting, different, and/or charming settings. Cozy settings bring us back to a simpler time.  

In the end, I think our panelists put on a pretty good show at Bouchercon. We learned as much as the audience, and we all came to think of our writing as a little cozier than we had thought it before.  

 

'Tis the Season for Fall Rituals – Barbara Wackerle Baker

 

 

It’s been an amazing and warm fall in Alberta. I almost managed to keep my tradition of wearing shorts from May long weekend until Thanksgiving. But then it snowed. Eight inches. A few people felt that was a weak excuse on my part. Luckily, it melted the very next day and I wore shorts again.

   

    The reason I had to wear pants - a very

    serious game of hide and seek took place

    before the snow melted

The aspen and poplar trees are bare now. Crunchy leaves cover the forest floors. But I haven't smelled fall yet. You know that aroma—damp dirt, rotting leaves. I haven't found it.

Don't get me wrong. I love the extra days of autumn we're having and am totally aware winter can happen at any hour...even if there's no fall smell in the air. Which means it's time to prepare for its entrance.

Is it possible a trickster ghost left his glasses behind?

Here’s my fall things-to-do checklist:

-   replace batteries in smoke detectors. There will be no stumbling around at 3 AM to locate the chirping culprit.

-   adjust the body’s circadian rhythm to get in sync with time change. Ooops, not this year (or ever again in Alberta). Instead, I’ll buy toques with USB headlamps for the grandkids’ trek to school in the dark. They’re lucky they don’t have to walk uphill both ways in the snow.

-   change the furnace filter

-   continue the merits of the studded snow tire discussion with spouse

-   move long sleeved shirts and pants to the front of the closet. Keep one pair of shorts handy just in case.

-   put flannel sheets back on the bed. Resist the urge to test them out in the middle of the afternoon.

-    I didn’t get on the pumpkin spice wagon, so I don’t have to get off it

-    dig out snow scrapers and snow shovels. A sure guarantee it won’t snow for weeks, right? 

-    stack and cover outdoor furniture for hibernation

-    check expiry dates of emergency food rations in the car and replace as required

-    buy numerous packs of Fisherman’s Friend lozenges and put in parka pockets

-    stuff toques and mismatched gloves in vehicles. Similar to the missing-sock-in-the-dryer conundrum.

-    swap out slip-ons, flip flops and hikers for a variety of winter boots

-    let’s not forget the Christmas decoration dispute - is it too tacky to put them up this early? Or should we wait until it’s 20 below and a good old-fashioned blizzard blows in? Nothing says holiday spirit like untangling strings of lights with frozen fingers.

After all tasks are complete, I make a steaming cup of hot chocolate (with mini marshmallows bobbing on top), put my feet up in front of the fireplace, dream of powder days and first tracks while Johnny Reid croons in the background. 

But this is Alberta. By Friday I might have to take the lawn chairs out of hibernation. And if I'm lucky, maybe I'll get a whiff of the pungent smells of fall before winter covers it up. 

What fall routines happen in your household? Do you enjoy the changing of seasons?

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

 

Summer of Lies by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

What About Me? by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

Jillian of Banff XO — BWL Publishing

The Essence of Andy Clithroe-by Naguib Kerba

 The Essence of Andy Clitheroe | Medieval Times Knight's Journey of Courage & Perseverance — Naguib Sami Kerba Photography

In Flanders Fields

 

Wide of the Mark

(Click here to buy)

   

 

  

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J. S. Marlo's Books

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That marks our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae
Flanders, 1915

Captain John McCrae was a surgeon in the Canadian Army. He served with the 1st Field Artillery Brigade during the battles of the Ypres salient. The death of his friend and former student, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer of Ottawa, inspired him to write this poem.

On January 28th, 1918, Lieutenant Colonel McCrae died of pneumonia and meningitis. He never saw the end of World War One, which ended nine and a half months later.

"In Flanders Fields" came to immortalize the symbol of sacrifice the world over. 

On every November 11, we honour the brave men and women who served and continue to serve our country. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of that eleventh month, we pause in silence to remember their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of their families and loved ones. 

They fought for the freedom we enjoy. They gave their today so we could have a tomorrow. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid.

 

Lest we forget - N'oublions Jamais

JS

Reference: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/remembrance-ceremony/4.html

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

Thankful for Readers by Eileen O'Finlan

 

                                
          

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Here in the United States, Thanksgiving falls in November. As the day of feasting approaches, thoughts turn to the many things for which we are grateful.

I have much to be thankful for - family, friends, home, my cats, my writing group, a good job, lots of books to read, and time to write - to name a few. But I recently received something in the mail that reminded me of another thing for which I am deeply grateful - my readers.

One of my cousins told a friend about my debut book Kelegeen and its sequel, Erin's Children. His friend read the books and told him how much she loved them. So, my cousin asked me if I would send her a signed copy of each of them. I was happy to do so. 

It was a pleasant surprise when not much later, I found an envelope in my mailbox with a return address that seemed familiar though I couldn't place it. Upon opening it, I found a lovely card with a drawing of a seaside cottage upon a cliff reminiscent of the Irish landscape.

I took a moment to admire it before opening the card. What I found on the inside was a delightful surprise. For this reader to take the time and effort to create something so personal and lovely touched my heart.

To all of my readers, please know that I truly appreciate and am thankful for every one of you!