Kathy Manos Penn joins us for this week’s The Cozy 52 interview. Read on to find out more about how Kathy started writing, the bucket list trip she took in 2018, and what’s coming up next in her Dickens & Christie series.
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 Kathy Manos Penn
NAME: Kathy Manos Penn
LIST ALL YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES: The Dickens & Christie Mystery series
HOW ARE YOUR COZY MYSTERIES PUBLISHED? Self-published
The Q&A
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF
I am happily retired from corporate America and live in Atlanta with my husband and my two four-legged office assistants. We think of our home as our own private nature preserve as we have regular visits from deer, hawks, and recently—a black bear—all on our small, wooded lot in suburban Atlanta.
LIST THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT WE WOULDN’T READ IN YOUR ‘OFFICIAL’ BIO.
- I was born in NYC and thought it was the end of the world when we moved to Atlanta when I was 13. You cannot imagine how quickly I acquired a Southern accent.
- My favorite colors are black, white, red, and purple.
- Once upon a time, I took regular bicycling vacations—the last one was in Normandy.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WRITING? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE COZY MYSTERIES?
- Therein lies a story. I taught HS English for 4 years before going to work for a bank, where—somehow—the writing jobs always fell to me. On the spur of the moment, I submitted an article to a small local paper, and they asked me to become a columnist. What a fun side job that turned out to be!
- Why did you choose to write cozy mysteries? It was quite serendipitous. When I retired, I published a collection of my columns, co-wrote a small book with my dog, and then, one day, a friend suggested I write a novel, specifically a cozy mystery.
WHAT SUBGENRE(S) OR THEMES OF COZY MYSTERIES DO YOU WRITE?
Cozy animal and Cozy Culinary, and another cozy mystery author says my books are paranormal-lite because my MC can converse with her cat and dog.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR COZY MYSTERY SERIES. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SERIES?
The talking pets seemed a natural element because I so enjoyed writing in my dog’s voice for my first book. My pets inspire the personalities of Dickens & Christie. The setting was a no-brainer because I’m a huge Anglophile and took my bucket list trip to England in 2018 where I fell in love with the Cotswolds. As for my main character, Leta Petkas Parker, she’s an American widow who decides to retire to the Cotswolds. I purposely populated the series with accomplished, “mature” women who range in age from fifty- to eighty-something, and their friendship is a key part of the stories.
WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LOVE TO READ COZY MYSTERIES?
They’re an escape from the nightly news and any other angst in our lives, and even those set in the current day evoke a simpler time. Reading a cozy series is like going home and connecting with old friends.
ASIDE FROM BEING AN AUTHOR, ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE COZY COMMUNITY IN ANY OTHER WAY?
I belong to a few Cozy Facebook groups, but no, I’m not involved in any other way.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS?
Jacqueline Winspear, Deborah Crombie, Jodi Taylor, and Kate Ellis—I mentioned I’m an Anglophile, right?
IF YOU WERE MAROONED ON A DESERTED ISLAND, WHAT 3 BOOKS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU?
Oh my! I’m sure my answer changes daily, but for now—The Rose Code, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, and Love Saves the Day.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS COMING UP THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
Candy Canes, Canines & Crime just came out. This is the second book I’ve written that’s set around Christmas, and they were both a joy to write. The words are slowly beginning to flow for Book IX.
The Quickie 5
- FAVOURITE FOOD: Cheese and crackers
- BEVERAGE OF CHOICE: Red wine
- MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: The small rocking chair I’ve had since I was a child
- SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter in front of a roaring fire
- FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT? The beach in the fall
To keep up to date with Kathy Manos Penn online, you can connect with her on:
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | FACEBOOK | AMAZON
