This week: Cozy up to a Fur Baby with a Cozie Edited by: Mrs. Nixie Clause  
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| Greetings, fellow writers. I'm here as your guest editor who is excited to explore a sub-genre of mystery known as a cozy, or cozie. There are twelve or more recognized mystery sub-genres. What makes a cozy a cozy? The word itself creates a feeling of intimacy. And intimacy prompts . . . read on. |
| ASIN: B083RZ37SZ |
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| Cozy Mystery elements
First, know your crime and your sleuth. In a cozy mystery, the sleuth is usually an amateur. The plot takes place in a simple community-oriented town. I think of these plots as 'closed containers.' In a neighborhood setting the author will suffer no lack of details. As for the characters? Color their personalities unique to avoid 'he/she said'.
Cozies are 'soft-boiled' stories rather than 'hard-boiled' stories. That means little or no violence. The Who-dun-it? The culprit is most likely one of the townies hiding in plain sight.
POV
When writing in the first person POV, the protagonist needs someone to communicate with. Otherwise, you'll lose your reader in the Terrible Tower of Telling. My daughter is a Circular. (Yes, totally made that up.) Over and over, she repeats her thoughts, until a resolution reveals itself. BTW, I'm the listener. What if your private investigator is reticent?
Add in an unexpected second protagonist. Your cuddly.
When I think of adding an animal to the plot a downy-furred pet leaps to mind. Unless you're the type who likes a Python curled around your neck.
*"If your sleuth is devoted to their fur-baby, readers will be inclined to like the protagonist."
Since your pet can't actually 'talk', evince her actions. (Her plaintive meow told me she disagreed.) Another work around is 'her eyes widened, as if to say. . . .
Toss in the twists! Keep your reader guessing.
Cats and their twisted tails tales 
Many consider cats to be crafty or mean. Not my cat! She likes me and trusts only one other person. (Conditionally.)  Perchance a finicky cat misleads the sleuth? Yes, I'm talking about misdirection. What if a cantankerous cat sidles up to the murderer?
Wagging tails 
Okay, so I hear you banshees howling for want of a dog. Consider this. Your dog snuffles around in the neighbor's garden and uncovers a button that the sleuth traces back to the criminal. Misdirection, or a clue?
 
Not partial to sleuthing animals? Or owning one? Your neighbor's cat/dog actions enrich the plot. Envision funny antics. Weave your cuddly into the plot. A bookstore near me has a resident cat. She's as much a part of the store as the books.
*I read that quote somewhere in my investigation of the genre. Where I found it eludes me.
No need to write a cozie. Any animal in any genre can be an effective addition.
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Finding picks that specifically fit my Cozy theme with an animal proved to be difficult. I've chosen a few with animal aspects.
Can you fool Arakun the twisted raccoon by entering her contest?
Mystery
In this non-mystery story, the author demonstrates how a dog's actions 'speak.'
How I yearn to have little Floss beside me once again to prick up his ears as I say it, to wag that crazy, uncontrollable tail of his and sprint away with me for another carefree, breathless, bouncing run together through those never-ever-ending fields of our youth.
Notice the way the author showed the animal 'speaking'.
"You can’t prove anything,” his obstinacy seems to say.
A cat detective
Then as I look again to that mysterious man, I've spotted the gun in his waist when he is walking upstairs following attorney Rodriguez.
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Mystery: March 02, 2022 Issue [#11235]
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