The Cozy 52: Q&A with author Kate Lovecraft

Kate Lovecraft joins us for this week’s The Cozy 52 interview. Read on to find out more about her books, the interesting subgenre of cozy mystery she writes in, and her favourite books and authors.

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 Kate Lovecraft

NAME: Kate Lovecraft

LIST ALL YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES: The Helen Reilly Mysteries Series

HOW ARE YOUR COZY MYSTERIES PUBLISHED? Collective Publishing Group: Buddha Press, whose fiction imprint is Lady of the Lake.

The Q&A

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF

Started my professional writing career as a playwright. I crossed many genres including screenplays and lots of nonfiction under another name.

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

1. I’m a great lover of nature, and when I wrote a play, I would sequester myself in the proverbial cabin in the woods, and it was by the sea.
2. I have taken tango lessons (I’m trying to figure out how to put that in a mystery)
3. I love finding cops or retired cops who will tell me about the cold cases they are haunted by.

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

I started reading Agatha Christie at a very young age when I found these dusty old paperbacks around the house. I was obsessed with the genre, and a detective or a mystery always crept into all my other fiction works, but I only wrote one play that was a mystery, which won a modest award. But I had what I thought was a great idea for a mystery (and series) when I was working in the stock brokerage business. This is how the first book for The Helen Reilly Mystery series starts, with A Killing in Stocks.

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

I’ve sort of started a new subgenre it seems…

Remember I gave you a hint? Think of a female dominated career (70-80% are women) who also do investigations, but we forget that may be part of their job. You said that you couldn’t imagine what career that would be, so maybe we should give your readers/listeners a chance before I say more in the next question?

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

I had a parallel career as an Human Resources Manager, and then HR consultant, while I wrote in the evenings. One day, at my stock brokerage firm, I thought about how only a handful of people had security passes to the Executive Suite. I thought that would make a great limited suspects mystery. It took years to finally write it but that is BOOK #1, A Killing in Stocks. Also, as an HR consultant I went into all kinds of different organizations often in an independent investigative role in many “he said-she said” scenarios. The worst were sexual harasment cases, but there were many other kinds of conflicts that had to be investigated, where I was interviewing to find the truth, much like the police.

WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LOVE TO READ COZY MYSTERIES?

The brain tease is number one, for certain. But I think people like murder mysteries in particular because murder is the ultimate crime against humanity. As for cozies, I think a large portion of the readership are smart, sensitive women. They don’t like graphic violence, but they do like the brain teasing and a smart heroine they can relate to. They want to follow along with the sleuth and feel like I could do that!

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

I am on so many cozy mystery FB groups and writers groups, in both my author name and my other writing name, I can’t keep track, but I don’t host one. It feels good to participate and help fellow writers who are struggling. I’ve been teaching writing ever since I was a playwright. It’s how I figure things out: to teach is to learn. In future, I will be doing more mystery writing focused workshops under Kate Lovecraft. Get on my list to find them, also teach for the Vancouver School of Writing on occasion. I love supporting authors and sharing everything I can.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS?

As mentioned before, Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers were books I picked up from my mother, so I love those classics. But now I am all over the map. I really got into historical mysteries like Sujata Massey, and some paranormal, P.I.s like Darynda Jones’ Grave series, very funny. For non-mystery writers I love Marion Keyes because she takes on serious issues but makes me laugh out loud. Chick Lit and Cozy Mysteries are my favourite genres for reading, so I have combined those in my series and aim to write truly intriguing cozy mysteries with a humorous slow-burn romance. But Helen never loses her head, or her friends, over the guy.

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

1) The only mystery book Marian Keyes wrote: The Mystery of Mercy Close (not a cozy, but a very funny female PI struggling with depression).

2) If I am allowed something I haven’t read yet (and that could change by the minute), obviously not a series as that could only be frustrating on a deserted isle, so probably a classic, or if I have to name something I have already read. I would probably read  The Seven ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle again because that is so mind-blowingly complex it bears multiple readings.

3) Lastly, on a deserted island I would have to be like my survivor heroine and very logically bring a non-fiction book on survival methods… you didn’t say I couldn’t tailor it to the situation.

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

The Helen Reilly Mystery series is very new and will be unrolled this month and into next year, but we wanted the first and likely the second out for Christmas this year. The third will be next year and there is a freebie… Help Helen Find the Clues, Hidden Object (and Coloring Book) for anyone who signs on to my Kate Lovecraft email list. As well you can join the Kate Lovecraft Fan Klub, to be a beta reader and street team who gives feedback, reviews, and reposts any promos. People on the street team get the Helen Reilly prequel mystery novella free, A Dark and Stormy Night.

The Quickie 5

• FAVOURITE FOOD: Eggs Benedict – all kinds, does not have to have ham
• BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: Mimosa
• MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: A painting my husband gave to me
• SUMMER OR WINTER? Late Summer that goes into Fall
• FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT? The Grand Canyon

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To keep up to date with Kate Lovecraft online, you can connect with her on:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | SUBSCRIBE TO KATE’S EMAIL LIST