#AtoZChallenge: Genres–Cozy Plus

The A to Z Challenge asks bloggers to post 26 articles on a themed topic. It’s supposed to be every day except Sundays during the month of April but I find that too busy and decided to post mine ‘about’ once a month. Yes, it’ll take me a couple of years. Sigh.

My topic, like the last three times, will be writing genres.

This genre:

Cozy Plus

Definition

A cozy with some swearing, a bit of cursing, sex and violence off camera

Tips

1. Follow the general guidelines for a cozy–crime solved by every day folks like us who reluctantly participate and solve the mystery using common sense. Think Angela Lansbury in Murder She Wrote.
2. Do include some swearing, sex, violence (if you’d like) but not in scene.
3. Most cozies are serials. Cozy Plus would be no different.
4. Most cozies are mysteries or romances but not all. Be flexible in what you pick.
5. Here’s a long list of tips for writing cozies, from Write On Sisters:

   • Cozy mysteries are always a puzzle to solve.

   • All clues are revealed to the reader but obscured with red herrings and false leads.

   • Cozy mysteries feature a murder (most often) or a crime of great substance.

   • The victim typically is not admirable, thus the crime, if not justifiable, is often understandable.

   • Click here for more

6. The story has a happy ending–the criminal is brought to justice and balance is restored.
7. Right and wrong are clearly defined; there’s no moral dithering. Murder is wrong and catching the guilty returns society to its rightful balance.

Popular Books

1. A Home for her Daughter by Jill Weatherholt (or any of Jill’s Love-inspired books. Note: This is really a cozy, not a plus, just wanted to mention it)
2. The Cruise Ship Stole My Daughter by Morgan Mayer (aka, Carrie Rubin) — more cozy than plus and a great read
3. The Opposite of Dark by Debra Purdy Kong
4. Agatha Raisin series by MC Beaton
5. The Berger and Mitrie series by David Handler
6. Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Series by Louise Penny
7. Mama Detective series by Nora Deloach
8. Murder She Wrote series by Donald Bain
9. Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie

Click for complete list of these 26 genres

Click for a complete list of all genres I’ve written about

More C Genres:

• Chapter Books
• Chicklit
• Children’s Writers
• Commercial Fiction
• Cozy Mystery
• Creative Nonfiction

Help me crowdsource the books

This year, instead of searching for popular books in each genre, I’ll crowdsource them–include books as often as possible written by Indie authors. That means yours. Here’s how you get involved:

• Go through the list of genres (and subgenres) below. They are less common than the usual so you’ll have to read the definitions and decide where your books fit. If you’re close, that’s good enough. For example: If you write suspenseful historical fiction, add your name to “historical suspense”.
• In the comments, tell me your name, your book, a link to where it’s sold, and the genre it fits.
• If no genre fits your books, give me your favorites in a genre. I’ll still credit you with a linkback.
• When I get to that genre (between April 1, 2021 and about two years later), I’ll put your book in the list of examples with a link to where it can be purchased. If you suggested a book, I’ll link to your blog.

That’s it! I sure hope you play along with me on this!

Here’s the genre list (links aren’t live until publication).

---

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Man vs. Nature saga, and the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Laws of Nature, Summer 2021. 

Advertisement