The Cozy 52: Q&A with author Joan Raymond

Joan Raymond joins us for this week’s The Cozy 52 interview. Read on to find out more about her books, how she stays involved in the cozy mystery and writing Community and one secret she has never revealed (UNTIL NOW!)

Who or What is The Cozy 52? Each week I will be sharing an interview with someone involved with Cozy Mysteries – an author, blogger, Facebook Group host, podcaster, cover designer – so that we can showcase this amazing community! I hope you’ll discover some new authors, plus learn more about what goes on behind the scenes with the people who write, publish and promote cozy mysteries!

Introducing Joan Raymond

NAME: Joan Raymond

LIST ALL YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES:

• The Bee’s Knee’s Mystery Series
• The Button Club Mystery Series

HOW ARE YOUR COZY MYSTERIES PUBLISHED? self-published

The Q&A

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF

I live in Bakersfield, CA with my hubby and four rescue pets (two cats, two dogs). I write women’s fiction, middle-grade adventures, and two cozy mystery series. I earned my MA in Creative writing/English and have taught creative writing at the adult school and through my coaching business. An author, writing coach, and editor, I served as president of my local writer’s club for six years.

I’m a discovery writer, so I never know how my mysteries will end until the last few chapters. I might know the victim(s), but I never know the true motive or murderer until the end.

LIST THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT WE WOULDN’T READ IN YOUR ‘OFFICIAL’ BIO.

1. All three of my kids were born in February (17^th, 19^th, and 22^nd – and are 16 years apart from the oldest to youngest).
2. Once in elementary school a friend and I egged a teacher’s door during Easter vacation. Before school resumed, we went and cleaned it up and no one ever knew about it (until now!).
3. I collect playing cards. Between the ones I’ve purchased on vacations, and those gifted to me, I have about 200 packs of cards from all over the world.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE COZY MYSTERIES?

I loved reading and in the second grade after reading Beverly Cleary’s books; I knew I wanted to write books for children. By the fourth grade, I was reading the Happy Hollisters, a mystery series for children. I wrote two stories (both mysteries) in fourth grade and my teacher told me I would be a good writer.

I loved mysteries, and how the reader could solve the mystery as they read. Cozies appealed to me because they weren’t gross, but had fun, quirky characters and small towns which really appealed to me.

WHAT SUBGENRE(S) OR THEMES OF COZY MYSTERIES DO YOU WRITE?

Pets and Crafts

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SERIES?

• The Bee’s Knees is my full-length series. It was inspired by two characters I created when I was teaching a creative writing class. I did the assignments along with the students. When I created Shelby and Ella and found out their secret, I had to write a story about them. They inspired a three-book series (Books 1 and 2 have been published, #3 is in progress)
• The Button Club Series (short reads of less than 100 pages) was inspired by four of the side characters from the main series. (Same town, etc). These four women kept bugging me to write a book about them solving non-murder mysteries. I enjoyed writing the first one because these ladies are so much fun to write. I’ve written three, and almost finished #4. I have a total of nine books planned for this series.

WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LOVE TO READ COZY MYSTERIES?

The quirky characters and small-town atmosphere. Plus, the crafting, recipes, and animals make them fun reads where readers can get lost in the stories and escape life for a while.

ASIDE FROM BEING AN AUTHOR, ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE COZY COMMUNITY IN ANY OTHER WAY?

• Teaching creative writing courses
• I have a FB community for writers (all genres, where we encourage each other)
• I have a FB group for cozy authors who are interested or who have subscriptions and we help each other grow our subscriptions.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS?

Miranda James, Leslie Budewitz, HY Hanna, Eryn Scott

IF YOU WERE MAROONED ON A DESERTED ISLAND, WHAT 3 BOOKS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU?

• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
• The Bible (ESV version)
• The Wilderness World of John Muir

DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS COMING UP THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?

Book #3 of the Button Club series, Ghosts and Guests, is up for pre-order. It will be released Oct 3. (Link to all my books is listed below)

The Quickie 5

• FAVOURITE FOOD: chicken
• BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: water
• MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: My five-year journal (from ages 10-15) and my many years’ worth of journals.
• FAVOURITE SEASON? Fall/Autumn
• FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT? A very quiet beach in Port Hueneme, California (Pacific Ocean, just south of Ventura, CA)

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To keep up to date with Joan Raymond online, you can connect with her on:

AUTHOR SITE | COACHING SITE | AMAZON AUTHOR SITE

FB GROUP FOR COZY WRITERS | FB GROUP FOR WRITING COMMUNITY