I’m going to break a little news here on the Cozy Florida blog: I’ve started writing a new mystery.
When I wrote my first cozy, GROUNDS FOR MURDER, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy writing the genre. I wasn’t sure if a publisher would buy the book, or if anyone would read it. Much to my surprise, Crooked Lane Books acquired not one but two books in the series. I was thrilled!
I spent all of 2020 writing the second book, COLD BREW CORPSE. Returning to my tropical island paradise world, and my characters was a respite from the pandemic. I finished the book late last year, and spent the first three months of this year in edits. I’m happy to report that book two of the Coffee Lover’s Mystery Series will be published December 7, 2021.
Then, angst hit me. What should I work on next? I haven’t gotten the green light yet for a third book in the coffee series. Should I return to romance, which I’d written before? Or should I continue down the path of cozies?
I fretted about this for a while. I wasn’t certain if I was ready to begin a new world, create new characters, and think up a different murder. It seemed so daunting after living through the events of 2020. But then, as I was taking my daily walk through a tropical park here in St. Pete, inspiration struck like a Florida lightning bolt.
Alligators. Swamps. Florida. Plot bunnies (plot gators?) scurried around in my brain. Because I’m inspired by the news, a recent political scandal here in Florida came to mind. An hour of idle scrolling on Instagram led me to my fictional love interest (well, hello, Michele Morrone, a sexy Italian actor) and my brain started to spiral from there.
I’m pleased to report that I have 28,000 words in my new series. It’s about a part-time gator trapper, and I can’t wait to bring you the final product. I don’t know when, or if, a publisher will pick it up, or if I’ll indie publish — but I can guarantee that it will someday be available for you to read. It’s possibly the most fun book I’ve ever worked on. I find myself laughing as I write, and that’s the best feeling of all.
In the meantime, you can pick up my debut novel, GROUNDS FOR MURDER, or pre-order COLD BREW CORPSE. Links on my website: www.taralush.com.
