Leah Dobrinska joins us for this week’s The Cozy 52 interview. Read on to find out more about which fictional detective inspired her to write cozy mysteries, her favourite author, and how she stays involved in the Cozy Community.
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 Leah Dobrinska
NAME: Leah Dobrinska
LIST ALL YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES:
- The Larkspur Library Mystery series.
- Book 1: Death Checked Out
- Book 2: Mayhem In Circulation (December 5, 2023)
HOW ARE YOUR COZY MYSTERIES PUBLISHED? Traditionally published through Level Best Books
The Q&A
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF
Thanks so much for having me! I’m Leah, an author of cozy mysteries and small town romance novels. I earned my degree in English Literature from UW-Madison, and I’ve since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. I’ve found my favorite job as a stay-at-home mom and author, though.
As a kid, I hoped to grow up to be either Nancy Drew or Elizabeth Bennet, hence the mystery writing and romance writing, I think! I’m a sucker for a good sentence, a happy ending, and the smell of books—both old and new.
I live in a small Wisconsin town with my husband and our gaggle of kids. When I’m not writing, handing out snacks, visiting the local library, or doing projects around the house, I enjoy reading and running.
LIST THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT WE WOULDN’T READ IN YOUR ‘OFFICIAL’ BIO.
- As a teenager, I wanted to be an NFL sideline reporter and talk to pro-football players every week. I still love watching football and often imagine what questions I’d ask the players and coaches.
- I was a campus tour guide in college. I could talk for 90 minutes straight about all things Wisconsin and its flagship university. I loved this job. I also loved the oversized parka they gave us to wear during bitter cold winter tours. I still haven’t found a coat that keeps me as warm. But I’m always on the hunt.
- I often think in Taylor Swift lyrics. I can’t help it! The woman is a storyteller, and I love her clever turns of phrase.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE COZY MYSTERIES?
I have vivid childhood memories of my mom going off to her Thursday evening writing group. She and her fellow writers would read their poetry, short stories, and reflections at different community venues, and I always thought it was so cool. So my mom is definitely my writing inspiration.
I didn’t try my hand at fiction until after my husband and I had our first child. Our daughter was six months old, and I had a strong urge to stretch my brain in a new way, so I signed up for National Novel Writing Month that November. I “won” the NaNoWriMo competition by writing 50,000 words in thirty days. My story was complete rubbish. There was no plot. There was no conflict. The stakes were nil. My character arcs didn’t make any sense, probably because I didn’t really know what a character arc was. But I was hooked on the process of creating worlds and stories. In the decade since, I haven’t stopped writing.
Initially, I tried my hand at small town romance novels, mostly because I was watching a lot of Hallmark movies, and I decided I could write a story like that. But Nancy Drew books are what made me the reader I am today, so in the back of my head, I figured one day I’d attempt to write a mystery novel. That day came when I was in Northern Wisconsin and stumbled upon a log cabin set on a lake. I immediately knew it would be the setting for my first mystery.
The subgenre of cozy mystery was the logical choice for me, for starters because I’m a big scaredy cat. I need books that don’t give me nightmares—both when I’m reading and when I’m writing. My favorite part of reading cozies—and this hearkens back to my Nancy Drew days—is the amateur sleuth and her sidekicks. Getting to create a fun, quirky, strong female protagonist and her friends and embed them in a darling community was right up my alley.
WHAT SUBGENRE(S) OR THEMES OF COZY MYSTERIES DO YOU WRITE?
I write bookish cozy mysteries. My amateur sleuth, Greta Plank, is a library director, and her two best friends work in the library with her. I lean hard into the literary hook, plugging in as many book-related puns as possible. You’ll also find a delightful cat named Biff in my series and a cute, local café called Mugs & Hugs.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SERIES?
The Larkspur Library Mystery series is my love letter to Nancy Drew, libraries, and the Wisconsin Northwoods. As I mentioned above, I owe my love for reading to Nancy Drew. As I was dreaming up my own mystery series, I wanted to pay homage to the great girl detective, and I like to think that my protagonist, Greta Plank, would make Nancy proud with her quick wit and perseverance.
I have the best local librarians in my community, and I’ve always thought that if anyone was going to get to the bottom of any mischief in a small town, it would have to be a librarian. They’re inherently curious and perceptive, and what they don’t know, they know how to figure out. My kids and I visit the library no fewer than twice a week, and I’ve been able to ask my librarians questions about their job and how library-life works on the back end, which has helped me to bring my characters and the fictional Larkspur Library to life.
Finally, the setting of Larkspur, Wisconsin is based on a real place in the Wisconsin Northwoods where my family and I visited every summer. Nothing beats the feel of a lakeside breeze and the towering aspens and pine trees you find “up north”. In my opinion, it’s the perfect cozy setting, and I’ve tried to infuse my stories with as many real-life sensory details as possible.
WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LOVE TO READ COZY MYSTERIES?
At their heart, cozies are about right triumphing over wrong and justice prevailing. That’s something we can all get behind. I also think there’s something fun about seeing ourselves in the amateur sleuth’s character and the community she’s a part of. She’s an everyday woman, just like us! We can live vicariously through her.
Because cozy mysteries are also usually part of series, when we read them it’s like returning to a familiar place with people we recognize and want to check in on. Cozies are like a big hug!
ASIDE FROM BEING AN AUTHOR, ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE COZY COMMUNITY IN ANY OTHER WAY?
The cozy mystery reader community is such a blast. I’ve taken part in a couple of author takeovers with different Facebook groups. I also love hanging out in those groups as a reader to get book recommendations and hear what others are excited about reading. I’ve been able to take part in the 12 Days of Cozies the past few years, both on Instagram and Twitter. And I have to give a shout out to It’s Bookish Time TV and the hosts of that YouTube channel, Sarah E. Burr and J.C. Kenney, cozy mystery authors themselves, who have been so gracious in having me on their show to talk all things books around my new releases. It’s such a fun platform!
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS?
Oh, this is a tough one! Jane Austen is my all-time favorite author, no question about it. I think I’ll stop with her because otherwise I’m at risk of listing a bunch of amazing author friends who I learn from every day!
IF YOU WERE MAROONED ON A DESERTED ISLAND, WHAT 3 BOOKS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU?
Only three?! That’s an impossible ask. Let’s say Pride and Prejudice, the Bible, and maybe a fully stocked eReader.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS COMING UP THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
The next book in the Larkspur Library Mystery series, Mayhem In Circulation, is set to release on December 5, 2023. In this book, we catch up with Greta and her friends as they’re preparing to put on Larkspur’s Fall Festival and anticipating the arrival of a popular journalist who is set to spotlight the town. Some recurring instances of vandalism take a sinister turn, and disaster strikes when one of Larkspur’s own is found dead just as the journalist arrives. Greta sets to work to index clues and determine who is trying to sabotage the town. Early readers are loving the red herrings in this one and the slow burn romance that may be brewing between Greta and a certain police detective!
The Quickie 5
- FAVOURITE FOOD: Pizza! And apples! And ice cream!
- BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: I love an iced vanilla latte, any day of the year. Now that it’s a bit chilly, I’ll start subbing it out for a hot latte, hot chocolate, or hot apple cider, too!
- MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: My mini-van. I have five kids. That thing is worth its weight in gold.
- FAVOURITE SEASON? Fall. But I think I would choose whatever season we’re in at the moment.
- FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT? The Wisconsin Northwoods!
To keep up to date with Leah Dobrinska online, you can connect with her on:
WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB
Books:
- The Larkspur Library Mysteries (Amazon)
- Death Checked Out Purchase link (Amazon)
- Death Checked Out Purchase link (Barnes & Noble)
- Mayhem In Circulation Purchase link (Amazon)
This is a new-to-me series. I’ll have to check it out. Great Cozy 52, Stephanie and Leah!