A Right Cozy Christmas Crime with Wendy H Jones - Author Interview

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Wendy H Jones and Lynsey Adams from Reading Between The Lines Book Vlog for supplying book cover and poster/promo pictures. Many thanks to the other authors in A Right Cozy Christmas Crime for supplying their author head shots. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images or those supplied by Wendy H Jones/Lynsey Adams.

One of the joys of the Christmas season is having extra reading time! Okay, you may have to wait until after the big day itself but isn’t having new books to enjoy something to relish for that period between Christmas and New Year? It is for me!

Also, as we all know, books are perfect presents and easy to wrap or put in festive gift bags. But, of course, the lead up to the season is the biggest in the publishing world because of this. What I like is amongst the many new novels, there are plenty of anthologies coming out too.

Anthologies are a great way to try out authors new to you. I do this myself as well as enjoying contributing to many. If I like a writer’s short form work, I’m highly likely to enjoy their novels. Plus I like collections of short stories to dip into between reading the longer works.

Someone bringing out a new anthology is Scottish crime writer, Wendy H Jones, with A Right Cozy Christmas Crime (Scott and Lawson Publishing). This came out on 22nd October 2024 and features thirteen authors, including Wendy herself.

Welcome back to Chandler’s Ford Today, Wendy, and do tell us about the new story collection.

Blurb
Step into a world where twinkling lights and holiday cheer are accompanied by Christmas puddings and a dash of intrigue. A Right Cozy Christmas Crime brings together thirteen festive mysteries where annual traditions are intertwined with shadowy secrets.

From a historic Scottish Castle hiding a chilling truth, to the bustling streets of Lagos filled with more than just Christmas shoppers, each tale sparkles with holiday warmth while unravelling a deliciously puzzling mystery. It’s time to put your feet up, sip hot cocoa and join our detectives as they ensure justice is served. Perfect for lovers of cozy mysteries with a holiday twist.

Anthologies are fun to write for and are usually theme related. Cozy crime is a hugely popular genre. Short stories are loved by so many. So putting these two together in A Right Cozy Christmas Crime (and combining a seasonal element) is a win-win.

So now over to Wendy for question time.

1. What was the inspiration behind A Right Cozy Christmas Crime? What do you love about anthologies, both as a writer and as a publisher? Do you think set themes work best for anthologies and, if so, why do you think this is?

The idea for an anthology came from my Sisters in Crime UK EU Chapter fittingly called Once Upon a Crime. I was asked to head it up but after discussion the decision was made it would come out under Scott and Lawson Publishing, which is my publishing house.

I thought a Christmas Anthology would be fitting because there is naturally something cozy about the season. I mean, who doesn’t love a Christmas book or movie? I believe set themes do work better as the reader knows what they are getting themselves into and can decide whether that theme works for them.

2. Did the authors have to work to a set word count? I’ve been in anthologies where this was a requirement (I’ve had to write to 1000 words exactly, no variation, for example) and in still others where it wasn’t (I could write from 500 words to 1000). What have been the joys and challenges of putting this anthology together? Also, was it easy to put the stories together in the right running order for them to “flow” into each other beautifully? Running orders matter for anthologies and can make a difference to how well they read.

Yes, I set a word count of 5500 words and was strict about this. There were initially fourteen authors but one dropped out, so this meant the book was roughly the size of a full-sized novel. This is important when it comes to pricing the book and readers purchasing it. I found the stories, given their common theme, flowed quite naturally into each other, so that was a bonus.

It was a joy bringing the anthology together especially when nurturing some of those newer to anthologies. The biggest challenge was a significant injury to my arm resulting in a major operation. This delayed the project slightly, but it came out only a week late which was a testament to everyone’s hard work. The authors were a joy to work with.

3. What do you think the appeal of cozy crime is and what drove you to write it? You are best known for your novels in the Killer’s series, Wendy, but what have you found to be the joys and challenges of writing short stories? I found it interesting the authors have given a brief summary of their stories, almost as a prologue to each tale. What was the idea behind that?

Cozy crime is becoming increasingly more popular. I think this is because you get the mystery without any of the gritty realism of crime thrillers. The characters are people you could know from your own area meaning they are identifiable. I love reading both police procedurals and cozy mysteries, so it was a natural step to write both.

Writing short stories is a whole other game than writing a novel. Every word has to count. However, I had been published in several anthologies previously, so that helped. Many of the authors in the anthology are award winning writers in their own right and this has translated well into the short story form.

4. I believe A Right Cozy Christmas Crime is going to be Book 1 of a series with cozy crimes being set in different settings. The potential is great given short stories and crime stories are excellent partners. (I have collections of Agatha Christie’s short stories on my shelves. Though best known for her novels, her short tales are well worth reading). Where would you like the series to go in terms of locale? Crime crosses many boundaries and is known to all cultures so there are fabulous possibilities here.

It is not just locale but the premise of the stories. The next two in the series will be called A Right Cozy Culinary Crime and A Right Cozy Historical Crime. I have numerous ideas for the series and would love to have one called A Right Cozy International Crime with stories set in different countries.

5. The lovely thing about anthologies is they encourage a wide range of contributions from writers from various backgrounds. Can you tell us something about the authors taking part in this book, including your good self? Can you also share a line about the stories being contributed?

I am fortunate to have authors from Scotland, England, America, Nigeria, The Netherlands and Italy in the book. Not that they are all living in those countries currently, so it is a truly international undertaking.

I was proud to welcome the following authors to Scott and Lawson Publishing – Gillian Duff, Sheena Macleod, Sue Cook. Linda Mather, Julia Fancelli Clifford, Stella Oni. Melicity Pope, Pauline Tait, Marti M. McNair, Dianne Ascroft, Alex Greyson, Sophy Smythe and of course, myself, Wendy H. Jones.

These authors write in multiple genres from crime thrillers, to historical, romantic suspense, children’s picture books, and even poetry, demonstrating they are multi-talented. What they all have in common is a love of reading and writing cozy mysteries.

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6. Setting is such an important part of story. In this case, the setting is Christmas itself. Did you or any of the other authors find that challenging to write a crime story around? How could the cosiness of Christmas not get in the way of the crime story itself? Getting the balance right here is not necessarily an easy thing.

I think we must be a particularly gruesome lot as we took to the task with gusto. To be honest, I think Christmas is an ideal time for a cozy mystery as no one expects anything to go wrong and yet, the situation is ripe for something to go wrong.

7. Do you have a preferred word count for writing short stories? Which short stories have inspired you?

I like my short stories to be within the 5000-8000 range. I find if I do it any shorter, I do not do justice to the story. Any longer and the story goes and turns itself into a novel while I am not looking. The short stories which have inspired me are the anthologies brought out yearly by Malice Domestic. These are written by award winning authors and demonstrate how a good short story should go.

8. I’ve long believed that short stories, including flash fiction, can not only draw people into reading but, especially in anthologies, they can give a wonderful flavour of the authors’ writing styles and hopefully encourage people to check out their longer works. What is it about short stories you love, both as a reader and writer of them?

I love the length of them as they are a satisfying read without getting too bogged down in a long narrative. Yes, I love novels, yet there is something satisfying about a short story. I see them as a snack between main meals (full length books). They are also suitable for reading on journeys such as planes or trains, or at an airport where distractions mean you are often pulled out of longer length books.

Writing them is a challenge and one I, and all my authors embraced. I agree it gives a real flavour of an author’s writing style which can lead readers into trying other books they have written. I hope your readers will be excited enough to buy, not only the anthology but some of the other books by the amazing authors who have written for it.

9. Another advantage of short stories and anthologies is they are so easy to read extracts from at events. It doesn’t take long, it gives people an idea of the style, and I’ve known it help sales. Are there any events planned (online or otherwise) for A Right Cozy Christmas Crime? One lovely benefit to all of the authors in this book is they will always have a seasonal festive book to promote – this kind of book doesn’t date. Have you any news of launch events etc to share?

Most of the launches have already happened but we are still sharing and promoting the book throughout the world. It’s an exciting time for all of us.

10. The book’s dedication is to Sisters in Crime. Can you share something about who they are and what they do to support crime writers? I’m also intrigued by the fact there’s a recipe at the end of A Right Cozy Christmas Crime. If you want to find out what it is, folks, you’ll need to get the book.

Sisters In Crime is an international organisation dedicated to all things crime writing.

Conclusion

Many thanks, Wendy, for a fabulous interview. Congratulations to all of the authors in A Right Cozy Christmas Crime.

Buy Links

From Wendy H Jone’s website

From Amazon

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Scott and Lawson Publishing, situated in the heart of Dundee, Scotland, is a beacon for literary enthusiasts. The company publishes captivating cosy mystery anthologies, transporting readers to quaint locales filled with intrigue and charm.

In addition, they specialise in non-fiction books tailored for writers seeking to hone their craft, the company offers invaluable insights and guidance. Fiction aficionados are also catered to with thrilling narratives that keep them on the edge of their seats.

With a commitment to quality and a passion for storytelling, Scott and Lawson Publishing is a cornerstone of the Scottish literary landscape.

Featured Authors – A Right Cozy Christmas Crime

A Right Cozy Christmas Crime features 13 Short Stories written by:-

Wendy H. Jones
Linda Mather
Sue Cook
Melicity Pope
Marti M. Mcnair
Sheena MacLeod
Pauline Tait
Gulia Fancelli Clifford
Dianne Ascroft
Gillian Duff
Stella Oni
Alex Greyson
Sophy Smythe