Confessions of a Mystery Reviewer - An Interview

Today I'm happy to allow Maureen Klovers to take over Cozy Up With Kathy. Maureen writes the Rita Calabrese Mystery series. In a switch up, instead of me interviewing Maureen she interviewed me! 

Confessions of a Mystery Reviewer: 
My Interview with Kathy Kaminski, the Cozy Mystery Fan Behind “Cozy Up with Kathy”

For a change, I’d like to shine the spotlight on an unsung heroine of the cozy mystery community: Kathy Kaminski.

One of the most talented and insightful reviewers in the blogosphere, she summarized the essence of my series far better than I ever could when she wrote “Food, Family, and Fun could be the motto for this series. Food can reflect emotions, family can drive you batty while also providing support, and life, even when dealing with murder, should be fun.” And I suspect other authors feel the same!

Kathy also throws terrific Facebook cozy mystery parties for Halloween and Christmas, founded the Western New York chapter of Sisters in Crime, and has done much to champion outstanding indie and small-publisher authors who would otherwise languish in obscurity.

I hope you enjoy this peek behind the mystery reviewing curtain with one of the greats!


Me (Maureen): I like to play "Two Truths and a Lie" to get to know someone. So tell me two true things about you and one lie, and I'll try to guess the lie!

Kathy: Here are my three things: (1) I was a police officer in Texas, (2) I am an avid baker, and (3) I once owned an off-track thoroughbred who I competed with as a Hunter/Jumper.

Me: Thoroughbreds are crazy expensive, so I’m thinking that’s the lie.

Kathy: Nope! I had a thoroughbred named Harley. His racing name was Bad to the Bone.

Maureen: That sounds like a cozy mystery title. Did he win any races?

Kathy: Yup!

Maureen: OK, so I am going to guess being an avid baker is a lie.

Kathy: You’re right! That’s a lie. But I do love watching the Great British Baking Show.

Maureen: That’s kind of odd, don’t you think? I mean you read culinary mysteries with recipe but you don’t make them…so tell me about being a police officer.

Kathy: I was a patrol officer the University of Texas-Austin. Now I’m a rehabilitation counselor in the forensic unit of a psychiatric hospital, working with patients who are involved in the criminal justice system. My main focus is vocational training; getting people ready to join the workforce when they leave the facility. I’m most proud of the greeting card program I run; patients make greeting cards that they share with other patients. I also run a mobile library. I run several groups including a “mystery history” group for patients where we watch and discuss documentaries. I teach creative writing.

Maureen: Do you get any “true crime” stories—or even confessions—from your patients?

Kathy: No—and if I did, I couldn’t tell you. I did have one patient who was an actual psychopath. That’s actually pretty rare, because most psychopaths are never caught. They’re the “nice guy” who lives next door. But he was actually one of my favorite patients.

Maureen: What was the first mystery you ever read?

Kathy: I read the Hardy Boys mysteries and the Three Investigator Mysteries as a child. I distinctly remember my first cozy mystery, CATERING TO NOBODY by Diane Mott Davidson. I loved the mystery, I loved the food, I loved escaping into a world with lovely people I wanted to spend time with—I loved it all!

Maureen: Do you read in other genres?

Kathy: With my review schedule I rarely have time to indulge in genres other than crime fiction. In addition to cozies, I enjoy traditional mysteries, historical mysteries (which are usually cozy or traditional), and the odd police procedural or thriller. I try to find time for non-fiction as well. I like reading about spiritual matters, cults, history, and more!

Maureen: What motivated you to make the leap from mystery fan to mystery reviewer?

Kathy: Qwilleran, from the “Cat Who” series!

Maureen: I enjoy Lillian Jackson Braun’s reporter-and-Siamese-cats crime-fighting trio as much as anyone, but I’m not following.

Kathy: Qwilleran always said he can write 1000 words about anything. So inorder to improve my writing I started a blog. Then, since I knew several authors I decided to start a mystery blog. Cleo Coyle was my first giveaway, and Lorraine Bartlett was my first interview. Then I started doing tours. The rest is history! I do tours now with Dollycas and Partners in Crime.

Maureen: If you could be one fictional character, who would it be and why?

Kathy: This is a very difficult question. My first thought was Amelia Peabody, a Victorian-era Egyptologist, but I want modern conveniences, especially indoor plumbing, so she’s out. Then I thought Molly Kimball from the Cambridge Bookshop Mystery series by Elizabeth Penney. Moving to England with my mom to help run the oldest bookshop in Cambridge would be fun, and it would be great to have a boyfriend who is not only really nice, but rich! But she is so young. Hmmm. Maybe Aleksandra Daniels from the Enchanted Bay Mystery series by Esme Addison. She shares my Polish heritage, and a there is the added bonus of magic!

Maureen: What mystery series hasn’t been written but should be?

Kathy: A clerical mystery series starring a rabbi and a priest, both in their 70s, who grew up together.

Maureen: That’s an interesting premise.

Kathy: My dad was born in 1939. I just remember all the funny stories he had about growing up. I’ve read and enjoyed several clerical mysteries with priests and nuns as sleuths, and I enjoyed a few series with wives of rabbis!

Maureen: How has the cozy mystery genre evolved since you started reviewing?

Kathy: The volume has really increased, for one thing! It used to be books in a series would publish once a year, now it’s every 3-4 months! Lately, I am seeing a lot more paranormal mysteries, especially ones that are self-published.

Maureen: So for those of my readers who are interested in becoming a reviewer, how does it work?

Kathy: It starts with getting the books. I am a member of two touring companies, I work closely with publicists from Kensington, plus other publicists and authors contact me as well. After I finish the book, I focus on writing a review that captures the essence of the book, not just what happens, but the mood, the theme, how it makes the reader feel. Then I post my reviews on my blog, as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, Bookbub, thestorygraph.com, and Netgalley if I got the book from them. I add links to my personal Facebook page as well as my corresponding Cozy Up With Kathy Facebook page and on Blue Sky as well.

Maureen: Do you try to solve the crime along with the sleuth?

Kathy: No, I read solely to enjoy it. Sometimes I know who “dunnit” before the protagonist, but I don’t keep track.

Maureen: Do you ever read a book and have a completely different reaction to it than other reviewers do? Do you even pay attention to what other reviewers write?

Kathy: Yes! I get mad when I see bad reviews about books I loved and, conversely, I’m amazed at good reviews for books I thought were awful! I never read someone else’s review for a book before I write my review for it. Consequently, and I know this sounds bad as a reviewer, I rarely read reviews.

Maureen: OK, since this is for my newsletter, let’s talk Rita. What’s your favorite Rita Calabrese mystery, and why?

Kathy: I love Rita so much!!! It’s hard to say which was my favorite Rita Calabrese mystery, but I’ll go with OF MASQUES AND MURDER, the fourth book in the series, where Rita decides to give up meddling for Lent!

Maureen: How do you want the characters to evolve as the series progresses?

Kathy: The evolution of a character is a tricky thing. We love to have characters grow, but Rita's foibles are some of the things I like best about her. She's opinionated, she meddles, but most of all she loves her family. I don't think that should ever change. It will be interesting to see how her relationship with her husband may change due to his new journalistic endeavors. And neither the Widow Schmalzgruben nor Cesare and Luciano (her Bernese mountain dogs) can ever die!

Maureen: Apparently, you and my dad think alike – maybe it’s the shared Polish heritage! I was going to kill off the widow at one point and he talked me out of it. Well, I think that’s a wrap! Thanks so much for talking with me, Kathy.

Kathy: My pleasure! 

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Links:

For Kathy:

Website: https://cozyupwithkathy.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CozyUpWithKathy
Facebook Party Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2735820886635502
Blue Sky: @katreader.bsky.social‬

For Maureen:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureenkloverswrites 

An Au Pair to Remember - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Stephen Kaminski back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Stephen starts a new series with AN AU PAIR TO REMEMBER. This first book in the Male Housekeeper Mystery series was released earlier this year.

Kathy: You start a new series with AN AU PAIR TO REMEMBER. Was there a specific inspiration for this series?

Yes, I wanted to have the series take place in a village modeled on the small town I grew up in—Romeo, MI. So description of the town of Rusted Bonnet is heavily influenced by my fond hometown memories.


Kathy: Cam Reddick takes the helm of his mother’s housekeeping business upon his return to his childhood home of Rusted Bonnet, Michigan. Do you enjoy cleaning? Would you ever consider doing it professionally?

SK: Ha—no! That said, I am very tidy and like having things in place. I was seeking a profession where my protagonist could have access to places he might not regularly enter. A housekeeping business is perfect for that. And Cam’s ex-wife is the Deputy Chief of Police so he’s privy to additional information through her. I also liked showing that I am all for gender equality in professional endeavors.


Kathy: While Cam is struggling with his personal life, he does have a pet to confide in. How did you decide on a pet fish named Bait to be his companion?

SK: Cam’s personal struggles are significant and I expect it to be an undercurrent that weaves its way through all books I write in this series. It’s funny, because as a rescue cat owner, you’d think I’d gravitate toward a feline. But a rescue cat is fairly cliché, so I thought, what better confidant than a rescue fish named Bait, who was saved from being bait himself.


Kathy: Your other series features Dabbling Detective Damon Lassard. How similar or different are your two protagonists?

SK: They are similar in certain external attributes—e.g., age and proclivity toward amateur sleuthing. But their backstories are quite different; Cam has deeper internal struggles, and in this series, I plan to involve even more side plots revolving around clever cons.


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Cam and will you share any other upcoming books?

SK: I’m actively writing the second book in the series with a plan to have it hit the shelves in January 2020. The crux of the story will take place in a funeral home.

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AN AU PAIR TO REMEMBER: A Male Housekeeper Mystery by Stephen Kaminski

About the Book

 

An Au Pair to Remember: A Male Housekeeper Mystery  

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

Cozy Cat Press (January 27, 2019)  

Paperback: 260 pages

From the author of the award-winning Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective series comes the Male Housekeeper Mysteries, focusing on charming characters, snappy dialogue, eclectic murders, and cunning confidence schemes. To his mind, Cam Reddick has failed—as a husband, as a father, and as a professional. After recognizing that his vanilla credentials didn’t stack up in a big city brimming with overachievers and toiling in drudgery for half of a decade, an emotionally raw Cam returns to his childhood hometown—the quaint and quirky village of Rusted Bonnet, Michigan. He’s determined to resuscitate relationships marred by youthful immaturity, most importantly those with his ex-wife Kacey Gingerfield (who doubles as the village’s Deputy Chief of Police) and their first grader, Emma. Armed with striking looks and an endearing proclivity for mixing metaphors, but saddled by “momma’s boy” tendencies, Cam takes the helm of his mother’s housekeeping business—Peachy Kleen. Access to homes across the village facilitates Cam’s penchant for amateur sleuthing as Kacey’s aide-de-camp. Surrounded by Kacey, his sophisticated mother Darby, garrulous senior housekeeper Samantha, and recuse fish cum confidant Bait, Cam’s circuitous journeys to solving murders and unravelling complex cons hasten his struggle down the path of self-healing to self-respect. And there’s hope that—just maybe—he can rekindle the romance he once had with Kacey.

In An Au Pair to Remember, Cam’s plan for a quiet return to Rusted Bonnet is dashed when a beautiful German au pair, Greta Astor, is found dead in Dutch McRae’s foyer with all signs pointing to a hastily disassembled trip wire at the top of the stairs. When Kacey learns that Cam was cleaning the McRae home the previous afternoon, she confides to him that Chief Bernie Leftwich is set on arresting Dutch for the murder—either alone or in tandem with Greta’s bartender boyfriend. But she worries that Bernie’s been duped. And later, when his mother Darby becomes a suspect, Cam inserts himself into the investigation and stumbles through a series of ostensible incongruities—a thief swallowing a cache of stolen diamonds, a snack food distributor laundering money, and a Cash-for-Gold scam. Meanwhile, Peachy Kleen’s young African housekeeper has disappeared with one of the company vans. All the while, Cam finds himself flirting with his new neighbor and struggling with his complicated feelings for Kacey.

About the Author

Stephen Kaminski is the author of An Au Pair to Remember, the first installment of the Male Housekeeper Mystery series. He also writes the award-winning Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective books. Stephen is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the trade association representing the United States’ poison control system and its fifty-five centers. He lives with his daughter and rescue kitty in the Washington, DC area.

Author Links:

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43834065-an-au-pair-to-remember  
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DamonLassard/  

Purchase Links: Amazon Kindle - Amazon Paperback 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Male Protagonists in Cozy Mysteries

I saw a post the other day on one of the cozy mystery pages I follow. It was from a male cozy reader who was wondering about male protagonists in cozy mysteries. The majority of cozy mysteries are written by women and feature female protagonists. However, some female authors have male protagonists, and there are male cozy authors who have both male and female protagonists.

So who are some of these male leads?

One of my favorite series is The King Harald Mystery series by Richard Audry. King Harald is actually a dog (male at that) and the human protagonist is Andy Skyberg. Andy is a laid back, ordinary guy whose lovable dog keeps finding trouble in Minnesota. Grab some Biberschwanz Pilsners and settle in for a fun time.

Jeffrey Cohen writes a few mystery series using a few names. I first was introduced to him via his Double Feature Mystery series. Elliot Freed owns the Comedy Tonight cinema in New Jersey where he only shows comedy films. I loved this laugh out loud series, which sadly, is only comprised of three books. Some of his other series feature female protagonists, but he has another male protagonist in his current Asberger's Mystery series.

Tim Myers is another prolific mystery writer. Writing under the names Time Myers, Elizabeth Bright, Melissa Glazer, Casey Mayes, Jessica Beck, and Chris Cavender, Tim features both male and female protagonists. The Lighthouse Inn Mystery series (Tim Myers) first introduced me to this author. I really enjoyed Alex Winston. I also liked both his Candlemaking series with Harrison Black, and Soapmaking Mystery series with Benjamin Perkins.

I love John J. Lamb's Bear Collector's Mystery series. It features retired homicide detective Brad Lyon who now makes collectable teddy bears with his wife.

Miranda James in actually Dean James who pens a few mysteries. As Miranda James he features librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery series while as Dean James he has the Simon-Kirby Jones Mystery series set in England.

Terry Ambrose writes a few series including the Seaside Cove Bed and Breakfast Mystery series. These feature single dad Rick Atwood and his precocious 10 year old daughter. Jeffrey Allen writes the Stay at Home Dad Mystery series set in Texas with Deuce Winters. Tim Cockey's protagonist is undertaker Hitch Sewell, featured in the Hitch Sewell Mystery series while Stephen Kaminski has Damon Lassard in his Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective series.

There are several female authors who chose male protagonists for their series. Of course, we have our founding traditional mysteries which include Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael. Lilian Jackson Braun features Jim Qwilleran, a journalist, in her long running Cat Who Mystery series. The Barnabas Tew Mystery series features a male Victorian private investigator who investigates in the Egyptian Underworld in his first outing by female author Columbkill Noonan. Nupur Tustin features Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn in her historical mystery series while Sheri Cobb South features bow street runner John Pickett in her Regency Mystery series.

I haven't really touched on the traditional mysteries, many with well known male protagonists such as Father Brown and Hamish Macbeth, and I'm sure I've left out many other male cozy protagonists. Have you read any of these mysteries? Do any of these men rank as a favorite protagonist for you? Feel free to share your favorites in the comments below.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading a manuscript of my dad's memoirs, Nine Decades; The Life and Times of a Boy from Buffalo by Louis J. Kaminski. My dad has led an interesting life and would always tell some great stories. After he suffered a stroke several years ago, he was at loose ends during his recovery. I badgered him to start writing his memoirs. I was disappointed that my Aunt Bert had died and her stories died with her-I didn't want that happening with my dad. Lo and behold-he actually took my advice and has been working on his memoirs for the past few years. He just finished his first book-dealing with his childhood. He gave me a copy of the manuscript for my birthday and asked me to read it and to see if I think it's possible to be published. He's already working on a sequel his life in music.

Two Kaminskis - Interview of a Kaminski by a Kaminski - No Relation

I'd like to welcome Stephen Kaminski to Cozy Up With Kathy. Stephen writes the Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective Mystery series.

Kathy: I must admit I was excited to interview you as we have something quite personal in common...our surname. Yes, I am also a Kaminski!
SK: Hi, Kathy, It’s a pleasure to meet a fellow Kaminski!

Kathy: I'm quite proud of my Polish heritage. Do you follow any specific Polish traditions?
SK: I’m proud as well.  One Polish tradition my family follows happens during the December holidays—passing the oplatek.  Oplatek is a traditional unleavened wafer that symbolizes family unity.  We stand in a circle holding hands, express our gratefulness for being together as a family during the holidays, break off a piece of oplatek and pass the remainder around, and culminate the process with hugs and kisses.  Another Polish tradition I follow is eating paczki on Paczki Day (also known as Fat Tuesday).  

Kathy: Damon Lassard is the head of Hollydale's citizens association. Have you ever held such a title? If not, would you want to do so?
SK: I haven’t been the head of a local citizens association.  It’s largely a thankless position and one I’ll definitely save for retirement.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
SK: I’ve always been a mystery lover, because I’m particularly drawn to complex plotting. What led me to the genre of cozies is the focus on witty dialogue and character development over the course of a series. I’d much rather focus on plotting, twists and turns, and snappy repartee than overt violence.   

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
SK: I don’t.  I have a full time position with a national non-profit organization so I have to focus my writing time on a single series.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SK: The Damon Lassard Dabbling Detective series features amateur sleuth Damon Lassard.  Damon recently returned to the United States after a stint in the Japanese professional baseball league.  He moves to the Hollydale community of Arlington, Virginia, just west of Washington, DC to live near his twice-widowed mother, Lynne. Damon spends his days volunteering as Hollydale’s citizens association president, at the local branch library, and with a community crime solvers tip line – giving him just enough free time to solve the pesky murders that seem to keep popping up. 

The cast of characters is a loveable one: Damon’s mother Lynne has a wicked sense of humor, Mrs. Chenworth is the local gossip who adores pushing Damon into corners, Rebecca (Damon’s best friend) and the breathtaking Bethany Krims add complicated twists to Damon’s love life, and Damon’s next door neighbor who is going through a mild depression allows Damon to demonstrate his compassionate side.  

Cozy Cat Press has published two books in the series thus far: It Takes Two to Strangle (2012) and Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk (2013). 

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
SK: My favorite character is Mrs. Chenworth, the town busybody.  I use Mrs. Chenworth to impart physical comedy into my books.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
SK: Just personal satisfaction and the joy of being able to bring a good story to others.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
SK: I’ve always been an avid reader and for quite some time wanted to try my hand at writing.  Once I started, I couldn’t stop.  Then, I wanted to share my stories with others and had the good fortune of finding a wonderful publisher in Cozy Cat Press.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
SK: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Agatha Christie, James Madison (solely in his capacity as the principal author of the U.S. Constitution), and Ayn Rand (to query her on the handling of the recent financial crisis).

Kathy: What are you currently reading?
Winter of the World by Ken Follett and An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
SK: When not writing, reading, or working, I spend the majority of my time playing with, and shuttling around, my seven year-old daughter.  I also enjoy playing soccer and cooking (but not baking).

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
SK: Kosher baby dill pickles, Swiss cheese, blueberries, and red wine (mainly Malbec and Shiraz).

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

SK: I’m working hard on a third book in the Damon Lassard series and hope to have it ready for publication in the fall of 2014.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
SK: Writing and editing. I truly enjoy spending an early weekend morning with multiple cups of strong black coffee and my characters.  I love the feeling of writing something and knowing that six to eight months later, someone will read it and laugh out loud or say to themselves, “that was totally unexpected.”