Sarah E. Burr joins us for this week’s The Cozy 52 interview. Read on to find out more about her books, how she stays involved with the cozy mystery community, and who her “writing buddies” are (you’ll never guess in a million years!)
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 Sarah E. Burr
NAME: Sarah E. Burr
LIST ALL YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES:
HOW ARE YOUR COZY MYSTERIES PUBLISHED? Traditional (Trending Topic Mysteries) and Self-pub (Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, Book Blogger Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series)
The Q&A
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF
Hi, I’m Sarah. It’s so nice to be here! After working for several years in healthcare technology, I decided to pursue my dreams of writing and publishing. Fast forward six years, and I’m getting ready to launch my nineteenth book. I guess I have really found what I’m passionate about! When I’m not plotting a murder, you’ll find me singing Broadway tunes, reading manga, and enjoying walks with my dog, Eevee.
LIST THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT WE WOULDN’T READ IN YOUR ‘OFFICIAL’ BIO.
- I love dessert. I only eat dinner so I can have dessert (because I’m a good adult).
- My dad read me the Nancy Drew books when I was little and got me hooked on mysteries.
- I have a collection of anime Funko Pops that are my official “writing buddies.”
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE COZY MYSTERIES?
My parents read to me every day growing up, so books were very much a part of my childhood. I loved the sense of adventure those stories gave me, and I wanted to return the favour to the world, so I began writing. First, I wrote fan fiction for Marc Brown’s Arthur, then I wrote Nancy Drew fanfic, then Harry Potter—I wrote a lot of fanfic. It wasn’t until college that I began writing my first original story…which has yet to see the light of day.
Once I graduated and corporate America took control of my life, it took me several years to return to writing. It was then that I fell in love with cozies. There’s just a beautiful sense of justice and goodness that they exude. I love the notion that an everyday person would be willing to do whatever they could to see justice done.
WHAT SUBGENRE(S) OR THEMES OF COZY MYSTERIES DO YOU WRITE?
With four different cozy mystery series, I write something for every type of cozy mystery lover. The Glenmyre Whim Mysteries feature a bit of paranormal sparkle and crafting. The Trending Topic Mysteries are very contemporary with a social media influencer-turned-sleuth main character. The Book Blogger Mysteries highlights books and cats, and my Court of Mystery series is set in a high-fantasy world with a crime-solving Duchess.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SERIES?
I’m celebrating the release of my latest book, Over My Dead Blog, which is first in the Book Blogger Mysteries. It features bookworm Arwen “Winnie” Lark and her twin brother Strider. When Strider—a mega-famous Hollywood actor—is accused of murdering a local reporter, it’s up to Winnie to clear her brother’s name before the police throw the book at him.
Winnie is one of my more introverted sleuths, so my personal introverted tendencies really inspired me to write her character. While she feels anxiety over dealing with crowds and strangers, she’s willing to put her fears aside in order to save her brother. I really loved seeing her grow and become more comfortable in her own skin.
The town featured in the Book Blogger Mysteries, Copper Bay, is an ode to my time living in Massachusetts. There are so many wonderful, warm communities in MA that feel like they fell out of the pages of a cozy mystery.
WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LOVE TO READ COZY MYSTERIES?
I mentioned earlier the rather moving sense of justice cozy mysteries embody. I think that’s one of the big appeals. Also, readers know at the end of the day, the good guys will always win. We have enough uncertainty out in the real world; it’s nice to know cozies will always guarantee a victory for our beloved characters.
ASIDE FROM BEING AN AUTHOR, ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE COZY COMMUNITY IN ANY OTHER WAY?
Yes! I stay involved through several avenues. First, I co-host and produce The Bookish Hour and A Book Moment YouTube series. We invite authors on these shows for an interview and to chat all things books. I also have a blog, Noteworthy, where I highlight authors and interview them about their latest book. Lastly, I offer a content creation service for authors, BookstaBundles, which delivers tailor-made social media images to writers. You can also find me on YouTube sharing everything I know about Canva and helping authors enhance their book promotion materials.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS?
Denise Swanson is my cozy mystery idol. I love her books. I also love Julia Buckley’s work. Outside of cozy mysteries, I enjoy books by Terry Goodkind and James Rollins.
IF YOU WERE MAROONED ON A DESERTED ISLAND, WHAT 3 BOOKS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU?
Just three? Faith of the Fallen, Nancy Drew: The Spider Sapphire Mystery, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS COMING UP THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
I am hard at work on Book 3 in my Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, and the next book in the Trending Topic Mysteries is due out in Spring 2024. And finally, our latest season of The Bookish Hour just kicked off. If you’re an author, editor, agent, blogger, or audiobook narrator, we’d love to host you!
The Quickie 5
- FAVOURITE FOOD: Tacos
- BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: A Dunkin’ Refresher
- MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: A signed picture of Daniel Radcliffe circa 2002
- FAVOURITE SEASON? Summer
- FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT? London, U.K.
To keep up to date with Sarah E. Burr online, you can connect with her on:
WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
It’s wonderful to “meet” Sarah. I love that she writes in different cozy subgenres to give readers more to choose from. Great interview!
It’s great to be here, Priscilla! Writing different genres is such fun for me. There’s never a dull moment 🙂
I just saw this page, and I agree with you, Priscilla Bettis. Well said!
Thank you so much for hosting me! Such great questions — this was so fun for me. And I love the little shout out to my “writing buddies.”
It was my pleasure Sarah – Thanks for your time! And of course, I had to give your writing buddies some attention (I collect Funkos too! LOL)