Andrea J. Johnson - Craft Killer Fiction - ajthenovelist

Killer Courthouse Cozies Guaranteed to Renew Your Faith in Justice

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Turning Fact to Fiction – Interview on Author Nation

Want to learn how to use real life headlines to inspire your fiction novels? Then you will want to join me and Melody Ann Owen, host and founder of Author Nation, as we discuss what it takes to turn fact into fiction. We’ll also analyze my journey from court stenographer to cozy author as a way to discover what it takes to write a compelling novel. So if you haven’t already picked up a paperback or ebook copy of How to Craft a Killer Cozy, please do so before the interview so you can follow along.

Tune in LIVE for this fascinating conversation on Thursday, January 20, at 3PM Eastern via YouTube. But don’t worry if you miss part of the event, the entire interview will be recorded for the Author Nation YouTube page. So make sure to like, subscribe, and bookmark the channel. Melody Ann’s site is a great resource for anyone interested in becoming a successful nonfiction author. She covers a myriad of topics from book planning to promotion and everything in between.

I’ll see you there! And be sure to come with questions as there will be a Q&A at the end for anyone who’d like to learn more.

Author Nation Interview – LIVE taping 1/16/22 3PM Eastern

A Cozy Mystery Chat With Colleen M. Story

I am proud to announce that my fantastic new writer productivity manual, How to Craft a Killer Cozy Mystery, is currently being highlighted on Writing and Wellness, a blog by Colleen M. Story that’s dedicated to helping artists “overcome modern-day challenges and find creative fulfillment.”

Words can’t express how excited I am to have entered into this partnership with Colleen, who herself is a freelance health writer turned wellness coach and fiction novelist. Her blog launched in 2014 and has highlighted the work of Funds for Writers founder and mystery master C. Hope Clark as well as fellow cozy enthusiast Diane Bator, so it is an honor to be in such excellent company.

During our chat, Colleen and I discussed several aspects of what it takes to write a killer cozy:

Want eye-opening tips on how to write successful cozies? We’ve got ‘em!
Want to avoid the main pitfalls of cozy writing? We tell you how!
Want to differentiate between your story’s hook and premise? We share the secrets!
Need to figure out why the four-act structure is so important to cozy mysteries? We break it down!

This is hands-down one of the best blogs you’ll read this year. Colleen does an excellent job distilling the essence of our conversation into a learning tool that you can take with you to the next level.

To steal a term from book publishing expert Jane Friedman: Be a good literary citizen! Visit Colleen M. Story’s website and enroll in her “How to Finish the Creative Projects You Start” workshop, or order one of her many Writer Wellness books—Your Writing Matters (2021), Writer Get Noticed! (2019), and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue (2017). All are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere else books are sold. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to her blog. She hosts a new writer every week.

You can catch my rave reviews of Colleen’s work on Submittable and LitReactor, or leave your own comments about her work via Amazon.

Until next time, cuddle up and grab another killer cozy!

Talking Mysteries With Lynn Slaughter

Talking Mysteries

This Thanksgiving I’ve been invited to chat with fellow Seton Hill University, Writing Popular Fiction Program alum, Lynn Slaughter. She is the author of the recently released Leisha’s Song (2021), a romantic cozy mystery about the disappearance of a young singer’s mentor. Slaughter also has another upcoming mystery by the same publisher (Fire & Ice Young Adult Books) called Deadly Setup (2022), which follows a teenage heiress who is accused of murdering her stepfather. Both are exciting forays into the mystery genre, so I was flattered that Lynn chose me for an interview. Here is a snippet of what I had to say:

Writing a mystery is like a puzzle. I like think about the ending, the unmasking, the final showdown, or the image I want the audience to remember, then I work my way backward from there asking myself, “What needs to happen in order to get the result I want?”

Our conversation covers my background as a court stenographer and how it inspired my upcoming release, Deceptive Justice (April 5, 2022). We also discussed how I started my writing career and what I think the industry has done to embrace new writers of color. It’s a fascinating talk that I encourage everyone to read if for no other reason than to get to know Lynn Slaughter, who is breaking new ground in the young adult portion of the mystery world.

You can catch my rave reviews of Lynn’s work on Goodreads, or leave your own comments about her work via Amazon. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to her blog. She hosts a new writer every week.

Until next time, cuddle up and grab another killer cozy!

COZY Up for the Holidays!

Want to learn about cozy mysteries from the best in the business?

Join me on December 2, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. Central (7:00 p.m. EST) for “Cozy Up for the Holidays” a virtual celebration of mystery writers sponsored by Once Upon a Crime Mystery Bookstore and hosted by renowned crime authors Jessica Laine and Shelley Kubitz.

I will kick off the event with valuable writer advice on “How to Craft a Killer Cozy Mystery,” but expect tons of information on how to draft a whodunit from Abby Collette, author of the Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries; V.M. Burns, author of the Mystery Bookshop series; Jennifer J. Chow, author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries; and M.V. Byrne, author of the Mitten State Mysteries. You can register for FREE and learn how to order advance copies for each book by following THIS LINK.

This is the perfect event to catch up on everything I’ve been doing this quarter if you missed me at the Maryland Writers Conference. Take a peek at these awesome tweets from publishing industry guru Jane Friedman to get a taste of my talk. If you love what you see, then join me and this fabulous crew of mystery writers this December to learn more. Sign up TODAY!

Free Seminar: “Three Steps to the Perfect Author Tagline”

Want to learn how to create the perfect author tagline? 

Join me for a FREE weekend intensive starting Friday, September 10, 2021, as part of Savvy Author’s 2021 WriterCon: Dreams to Reality. This session will help you use three simple techniques to write your tagline and build your brand.

Branding builds name recognition and helps readers understand the value behind what you offer so that they can make an informed buying decision. But if you only have a few seconds to make a lasting impression, the author tagline may be your best bet.

A tagline is a catchphrase, slogan, or subverted call to action that describes and/or defines your brand. An author tagline tells audiences what you have to offer in a manner that’s easily repeated and defines your expertise without having to explain every detail.

To be clear, a tagline is different from a logline or book blurb—both of which summarize a single work. A tagline is about defining what YOU offer as an author. Think of a great author tagline as a motto or a mission statement that flourishes as your bibliography grows.

This intensive will focus on why every writer needs tagline, what makes a great tagline, and how to create one even if you’re a freelancer or you’ve yet to pen your novel.

To register for my FREE class, “Three Steps to the Perfect Author Tagline,” go to SavvyAuthors and signup today! Don’t worry if you don’t have the whole weekend free. This is a text-based online session, which allows participants to work at their own pace.

See you there!

xoxo AJ

Poetic Justice – New Format

Poetic Justice will be coming out in a new format on February 1, 2022: Paperback! That’s right. Fans of the series will be able to add a soft cover copy of the first book in the Victoria Justice Mysteries to their collection. But don’t worry, we are still keeping the same vibrant colors for this new version. Pre-order your copy HERE.

And for those who are still wondering if this series will ever become available in audio, I have some great news. The publishers at Polis Books are in talks have the Poetic Justice audiobook release November 9, 2021. Stay tuned here for more details! And PREORDER your copy on Audible today.