I have always been fascinated with human nature and what makes people tick. I attribute my success as a sales exec and as a cozy mystery author to being a lifelong people-watcher. The result of my observations of how people react to situations is the foundation of all my writing. As a people person, I am naturally a character-driven author, rather than a plot-driven one. I develop the characters first and build the plot around them, not the reverse.
Historically, the main cast of continuing characters in all the stories in The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series have dealt with crises within the confines of their home turf. When I started plotting the latest story in the series, I remembered the sage advice best-selling mystery author Harlen Coben once gave me: never stop asking WHAT IF? What if protagonist Holly Schlivnik and her cohorts, the Yentas, went on the road? Would being out of their lane impact how they dealt with a crisis? And if so, in what respect? Well, there was only one way to find out… So, for the first time in the series, the girls packed their sample crates and, naturally, got into all kinds of trouble while at the Miami Beach Swimwear Trade Show. No spoilers here…if you’re curious as to how they handled the trouble they got into, you’ll have to read the book:
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Coconut-Holly-Swimsuit-Mystery/dp/B0GX9FZDNP
To be a good writer, you must be a voracious reader, and I am. As it turns out, five of my favorite humorous cozy mysteries, written by other authors, featured what happened to their protagonists while they were away from home.
Book DNA, formerly known as Shepherd, is an independent, reader-driven platform that curates and shares personal reading recommendations based on shared tastes and interests. Book DNA was the perfect place to share how characters react to a crisis while away from home. Click the link & see:
https://bookdna.com/best-books/cozy-mysteries-with-protagonists-who-are-away-from