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October is Here! (and so is our next theme)

October 1, 2021– I’m so excited that October is here because it’s the most wonderful time of the year to me! It’s that much closer to Halloween and that’s my favourite day, it’s like Christmas! This month we’re going to focus on writing prompts so that you can continue to hone your craft. Writing prompts are great because they open up our minds and stretch our imaginations and sometimes allow us to escape our comfort zone by writing out of our genre. This is going to be a really great month and I’m so excited that you’ll be joining us!

Here is the writing prompt for today: Using the photo above, write a 1200 word short story in the cozy romance genre.  Definition of “cozy romance” according to the Huffington Post: Cozies are fun to read. There’s a formula to the cozies that work very well drawing readers back again and again. The amateurs in such stories are nearly always well educated, intuitive women. Books, especially in series form usually have the story line relate to the detective’s job or hobby. Murderers in cozy mysteries are generally intelligent, rational, articulate people, and murders are pretty much bloodless and neat. Violence and sex are low-key and supporting background characters bring comic relief to the story. Some cozy series are set during holidays such as Valentine’s Day or Christmas making them more intimate to the reader.

 

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This or That?

March 9, 2021– We’re continuing to answer your questions this month! All through March, we’ll explore the subjects you care about. To submit your question, send us an email to pandapublishing8@gmail.com. Let’s dive in to today’s question!

Q: “I’m a novice writer and I’ve had a couple of pieces published in some magazines that I subscribe to. I’ve decided to take the leap and write a novel. I adore mysteries and romance, but I’m not sure which one to choose to write my novel about. Can you help me decide?”

A: First off, congratulations on being published! That’s fantastic and no small feat, you should be very proud of yourself. As for helping you decide what to write about, I’m afraid I won’t be of much use in helping you answer that question; writing is a very personal thing and only you can decide for yourself. I will tell you that your heart has to be in it and that if you aren’t authentic, it will not only disappoint your readers, but you’ll disappoint yourself with trying to force something that you’re just not that in to. But, what if you combine the two things that you love to read about, you’d have a sub genre of what we call cozy romance. Here is the definition of  a cozy romance according to the Huffington Post: Cozies are fun to read! Murderers in cozy mysteries are generally intelligent, rational, articulate people, and murders are pretty much bloodless and neat. Violence and sex are low-key and supporting background characters bring comic relief to the story. Plus there is/are romantic interest(s) and interlude(s) between characters. A lot of cozy romances are set during holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and so on. This sub genre is one of my most favourite to read when I need a break from my usual stuff that’s a bit heavier. Here are a few fun statistics for you about the cozy romance market share:
Cozy Romance Novel Sales in 2020
* $1.1 billion That’s roughly one-fifth of all adult-fiction sales.
* 46 percent of romance consumers read at least one book per week. In comparison, the typical American reads five books a year.
Cozy Romance Readers At A Glance:
*Age 30-54
*College/University-educated
*Average Income $55K
*Relationship Status 59 percent are coupled, 84 percent are women, 16 percent are men
*Romance readers are more likely than the general population to be currently married or living with a partner.

I know that perhaps all of this info didn’t really answer your question. The point is to write what you love! And as cliché as it sounds, write the book that you want to see on the shelf. If you want to take your writing to the next level, check out our classes here: Best-Seller Bootcamp – Pandamonium Publishing House  Children’s Book Writing Master Class – Pandamonium Publishing House

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Snuggle Up with a Cozy Fall Romance…

October 4, 2019– I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cozy romance books are my guilty pleasure. With the weather turning cooler and my favourite holiday (should be) in precisely twenty-seven days, romance is in the air! Snuggle up and read with one of my favourite books to get you in the mood for autumn. Happy Reading! X LLB

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Cozy Romance…My Newest Guilty Pleasure!

February 27, 2018– I’m wondering if this happens to you; have you ever stuck to one specific genre for quite a long time when reading? Do you ever feel like you need a break? Lately (I mean for the past five years) I have been completely immersed in the psych/thriller/horror genre of books and I find myself needing something that will allow me to relax and recharge my psyche. It’s funny, because I get this way with movies too! Every now and then I need to throw in a night of Billy Madison or Tommy Boy to balance out the hours of Die Hard or Rocky. I know that none of these particular titles are ones that “make you think”, but sometimes I get sick of all action all the time. That’s why recently I’ve turned to something called “cozy romance.” Now, let me be the first to say that I am NOT by any means a fan of romantic fiction in any way, shape, or form, but there is something comforting about these wonderful books.

Picture this, it’s raining outside, there are two cats cuddled up at the end of your bed, and the only thing you have to do is spend the day relaxing and reading by the fireplace. It’s pure bliss, that’s what that is! That’s what reading a cozy romance feels like to me. They are a particular genre that entertains, but also doesn’t make you think too much, which is something we all need once in a while to just cleanse our literary palettes so-to-speak.

Definition of “cozy romance” according to the Huffington Post: Cozies are fun to read. There’s a formula to the cozies that work very well drawing readers back again and again. The amateurs in such stories are nearly always well educated, intuitive women. Books, especially in series form usually have the story line relate to the detective’s job or hobby. Murderers in cozy mysteries are generally intelligent, rational, articulate people, and murders are pretty much bloodless and neat. Violence and sex are low-key and supporting background characters bring comic relief to the story. Some cozy series are set during holidays such as Valentine Day or Christmas making them more intimate to the reader.

I sincerely hope you’ll check out these adorable little mysteries!

Image result for miranda james books