Which of these proposed cozy-mystery series will be a hit? - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T10:55:38Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/which-of-these-proposed?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A259116&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIdea No. 2 could work if you…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-01-05:537324:Comment:2601562011-01-05T20:46:59.343ZSally Carpenterhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/SallyCarpenter
<p>Idea No. 2 could work if you focus on the dotty ladies and not Buffer. Boomers are aging and want to read novels with characters their own age. Idea No. 3 sounds good, but if the authors are "short lived," does this mean Nightshade will have a new boss in each book?</p>
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<p>More women than men read fiction, so you might want to focus on female protagonists.</p>
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<p>Sally Carpenter</p>
<p>Idea No. 2 could work if you focus on the dotty ladies and not Buffer. Boomers are aging and want to read novels with characters their own age. Idea No. 3 sounds good, but if the authors are "short lived," does this mean Nightshade will have a new boss in each book?</p>
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<p>More women than men read fiction, so you might want to focus on female protagonists.</p>
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<p>Sally Carpenter</p> Oh, yes! :) For that matter…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-26:537324:Comment:2591842010-12-26T15:10:28.150ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Oh, yes! :) For that matter, some of the thriller scenarios are hilarious also. I give you the Lee Child novel where all the (multiple) victims were drowned in bathtubs full of military olive green paint.
Oh, yes! :) For that matter, some of the thriller scenarios are hilarious also. I give you the Lee Child novel where all the (multiple) victims were drowned in bathtubs full of military olive green paint. Who, me serious…me? I promis…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-26:537324:Comment:2591802010-12-26T06:01:30.692Zcj forresthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/cjforrest
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">Who, me serious…me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> I promise, Pepper, that I will never refer to you as a Cozy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> You do bring up an interesting concern about the term “Cozies.” I’m not sure I like the term either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> How ‘bout “one with a pleasant tongue for the recitation of death.”…</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">Who, me serious…me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> I promise, Pepper, that I will never refer to you as a Cozy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> You do bring up an interesting concern about the term “Cozies.” I’m not sure I like the term either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> How ‘bout “one with a pleasant tongue for the recitation of death.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> cj</font></span></p> The problem with goofing arou…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-26:537324:Comment:2591752010-12-26T02:28:23.072ZCamille LaGuirehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CamilleLaGuire
The problem with goofing around with cozy concepts these days is... you honestly could be serious.
The problem with goofing around with cozy concepts these days is... you honestly could be serious. I admit it. I was just goofin…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-26:537324:Comment:2591682010-12-26T01:47:41.856ZJim Thomsenhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JamesRobertThomsenJr
I admit it. I was just goofing. Merry Christmas.
I admit it. I was just goofing. Merry Christmas. As a pitch, any of them could…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-25:537324:Comment:2591542010-12-25T20:33:24.735ZCamille LaGuirehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CamilleLaGuire
<p>As a pitch, any of them could be interesting. The problem with a pitch is that it's just the gimmick. It's an opportunity for cute titles and covers. And the way you've named your characters and described your ideas, they just go over the top. Just enough that I wonder if you're making fun of cozies rather than asking a serious question.</p>
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<p>But, in case it is a serious question: A gimmick only gets a cozy reader to look at the back cover or first page, but that isn't what…</p>
<p>As a pitch, any of them could be interesting. The problem with a pitch is that it's just the gimmick. It's an opportunity for cute titles and covers. And the way you've named your characters and described your ideas, they just go over the top. Just enough that I wonder if you're making fun of cozies rather than asking a serious question.</p>
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<p>But, in case it is a serious question: A gimmick only gets a cozy reader to look at the back cover or first page, but that isn't what makes a reader buy the book. It certainly isn't what drives a cozy reader to keep coming back. It will work against you if that's all there is.</p>
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<p>So how are you following up the one-liner? You need to get into the character issues fast. You've got nothing about what makes your character or his life interesting in Number 1. Number 2 has possibilities - zoning, boards, and even a mention of other characters, but at the moment it's just cutsie, which makes it sound like you don't have real characterization, just more gimmick. (I like a little cute, but "dotty" and "klatch" together take it over the top. Dotty ladies of the board, OR ladies of the zoning "klatch" but
not both, imho.)</p>
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<p>Number 3 has a promise of character conflict built in, except that it doesn't sound like a series - or at least not a cozy series. It sounds like the one of those silly serial killer pastiches - which only last one book. (One exception was the Miss Melville Regrets, which did last several books, but the concept was limited.)</p>
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<p>So if you were serious, take the gimmick aspect down a notch. If you're not serious.... these are nicely silly.</p>
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<p>Camille</p> I really hope you're not seri…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-25:537324:Comment:2591382010-12-25T18:20:47.602ZPepper Smithhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Reefrunner
<p>I really hope you're not serious.</p>
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<p>I wish there was another genre term for mysteries that don't feature onscreen violence, sex, and bad language, but don't fit in with what's currently called 'cozy'. I cringe when people refer to my books as cozies.</p>
<p>I really hope you're not serious.</p>
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<p>I wish there was another genre term for mysteries that don't feature onscreen violence, sex, and bad language, but don't fit in with what's currently called 'cozy'. I cringe when people refer to my books as cozies.</p> The juvenile side of me likes…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-25:537324:Comment:2591352010-12-25T18:08:17.623Zcj forresthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/cjforrest
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">The juvenile side of me likes “The corpse that left butt prints.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> It sounds like a strange, sexy, zombie thriller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> If you do go with the “The copy cat killers” just make sure no cats are killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> You might run the risk of losing your cozy status if you do.…</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">The juvenile side of me likes “The corpse that left butt prints.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> It sounds like a strange, sexy, zombie thriller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> If you do go with the “The copy cat killers” just make sure no cats are killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> You might run the risk of losing your cozy status if you do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> If my cozy law serves me, I believe it’s ok to kill your fellow man but never a house pet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> Good luck to you, Jim.</font></span></p> The Costwolds sounds like the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-25:537324:Comment:2591162010-12-25T09:01:40.159ZJessicahttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Jessica
The Costwolds sounds like the most fun; busybody old ladies and amateur sleuths have been done.
The Costwolds sounds like the most fun; busybody old ladies and amateur sleuths have been done. Toner Carnage is the best tit…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-12-25:537324:Comment:2591122010-12-25T05:46:42.024ZJohn Dishonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
Toner Carnage is the best title, I think. But instead of a cozy, make it noir.
Toner Carnage is the best title, I think. But instead of a cozy, make it noir.