Hearts and Hazards by Josh Lanyon
QUEER CLUES & COZY MOODS
Dive into the world of cozy mystery writing with a twist—murder and romance through the lens of LGBTQ+ characters—guided by the hand of a seasoned author who’s made her living in both mainstream and self-publishing for more than thirty years.
Packed with analysis, writing exercises, checklists, tips, and tools, Hearts & Hazards: Writing the Gay Cozy Mystery offers more than just the ABCs of Character, Plot, Setting, Theme, and Dialogue. It delves deeper, exploring the nuances that will elevate your book from good to unforgettable, infusing your mysteries with the richness of LGBTQ+ life and love, all while ensuring your tales are wrapped in the warmth, wit, and intrigue cozy mystery readers adore.
With a rare blend of industry insights, tailored advice, and practical strategies informed by an author who’s actually “been there, done that,” Hearts & Hazards: Writing the Gay Cozy Mystery addresses the unique challenges and opportunities of weaving LGBTQ+ themes into the cozy mystery genre, providing a roadmap to not only craft your story but also connect with an audience eager for representation.
- File Name:hearts-and-hazards-by-josh-lanyon.epub
- Original Title:Hearts and Hazards: Writing the Gay Cozy Mystery
- Creator:Josh Lanyon
- Language:en
- Identifier:ISBN:9781649310491
- Publisher:JustJoshin Publishing, Inc.
- Date:2024-04-20T18:30:00+00:00
- Subject:Education,Language Arts,LGBTQ+ Fiction
- File Size:981.895 KB
Table of Content
- 1. About This Book
- 2. Dedication
- 3. Introduction
- 4. 1. What is a Cozy Mystery?
- 5. 2. The Star of Your Show – Protagonist
- Exercise: Charting a Cozy Mystery Character Arc
- Exercise: The Character Interview
- Exercise: The Day-in-the-Life
- 6. 3. Home Sweet Home – Setting
- Exercise 1: The Sensory Map
- Exercise 2: The Setting’s Biography
- 7. 4. A Series of Unfortunate Events – Series
- Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Comprehensive Series Bible
- 8. 5. Your Supporting Cast – Other Players
- Whodunit – Your Villain
- Be Still My Heart – Your Love Interest
- The Retro Love Quiz
- The Contemporary Love Quiz
- Exercise: Developing Your Cozy Mystery Villain
- Exercise: Creating the Perfect Romantic Foil
- 9. 6. Footprints Left in the Snow – Plot
- Murder in Three Acts
- Exercise: Checklist for Loose Ends
- Sample Cozy Mystery Outline: “The Curse of Witches Bridge”
- A Crash Course on Criminal Investigation Basics
- 10. 7. Love and Romance
- “Love Quiz” for Your Main Characters
- 11. 8. Let’s Talk About Dialogue
- Crafting Dialogue
- 12. 9. Theme, Tone, Mood, and All That Jazz
- Exercise: Temperature Gauge
- 13. 10. Is That All There Is?
- 14. Acknowledgements
- 15. About the Author
- 16. Also by Josh Lanyon
Josh Lanyon
