Many of you will remember seeing old western movies with store buildings that had false fronts, making them appear much larger than they were. Let me tell you that people have false fronts too, sometimes without even being aware that they have them. For example, how many of you may be a secret cozy mystery writer and be totally without a clue? Wouldn’t you like to know? Wouldn’t it be nice to find the real you lurking inside the person you consider yourself to be?
Do you find yourself drawn to the mystery section in libraries or book stores? When you watch old re-runs of Columbo or Murder, She Wrote, do you discover the culprit long before Jessica or follow with fascination Columbo’s mental maneuverings?
On rainy days, do you have a strong urge to grab a pencil and a piece of paper? Do you scribble down bits of conversation or thoughts such as, “She has shifty eyes” or “I don’t believe a word he’s saying,” “Nobody can be that nice” or “Listen to that fake laugh; she’s hiding something” on anything handy, including table napkins? In other words, do you have the lamentable trait of a suspicious nature?
Do you find yourself putting things off or making excuses for not doing something you secretly feel compelled to do? For example, do you grab a broom or dust cloth because cleaning is much easier than sitting down to a blank piece paper and filling it with words? Do you keep little interesting facts tucked away somewhere in the back of your mind just because you think they’d look good in a book?
Have you had dreams of seeing your book showcased in a Hallmark Mystery? Do you yearn to see your local book store with a sign in the window stating that Best Selling Author, You, will be at a book signing?
When snow sifts down, is your natural inclination to hide away under a quilt with a hot cup of coffee and a good book in hand? Do you find yourself staring into the flickering flames of a fireplace and seeing all sorts of devious plots unfold?
If you feel a decided sympathy for any of these confessions, you may be going through life hiding the real you. Behind that facade of being a normal (though sensitive) person, a dark, sinister, latent talent may lie in wait, ready to pounce upon the world of books, tear down that facade and dazzle the reading public with the real you–the writer of sinister yet captivating, chilling but thrilling, unforgettable but distinctly cozy mysteries!
Nice pic! My first book was a mystery and I did a few other mysteries as well. Maybe with the right inspiration I’ll go back to writing mysteries some day, but lately I’m concentrating on sweet romances.
Good luck with your books, Morgan. I think romances sell well. Writing is a fun thing.