A few years back, Deb moderated a panel of mystery authors at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference. One of the panelists is a best-selling, award-winning author of what I would call a cozy series. An attendee asked a question that included the term "cozy mystery." Famous Author just about went ballistic.
"'Cozy' is a derogatory term," she stated. "It brings to mind tea pots with crocheted tea cozies around them. Like in the Miss Marple books."
There seemed to be a bit of bafflement among the other three authors. As well as Deb and me. Being compared to Agatha Christie is a bad thing? Isn't there a prestigious award for mystery authors that's named for her?
The attendee sputtered out and sat down. Finally, one of the other panelists--a not quite as famous cozy writer--spoke up. "I don't mind the term at all. But, Famous Author, what would you call the genre?"
"They are domestic mysteries."
Famous Author has the right to say her books fall into whatever genre she wants. She can call them "Regular folks doing detective-y work mysteries" if she sees fit.
However, to me, domestic mystery sounds like they never leave the house. A murder happens to one family member, another family member solves it by figuring out which other family member committed it.
I'm with Not Quite As Famous Author. You can call my books cozies. That's what I call them.
What do you think? What would you call mysteries in which the protagonist isn't a professional detective?
If you don't write mysteries, is there a term for the genre you write that you don't like? I know some science fiction writers hate the term sci-fi. Is there a taboo genre name for what you write? What is it?
I don't like it when YA and middle-grade gets lumped in with children's. Nothing against children's books, but there's just a big difference between picture books and Percy Jackson, etc.
ReplyDeleteLots of award categories do this, and it doesn't do any of these categories justice to toss them in the same bucket.
I love cozies. It takes a lot of talent to create characters and a setting that you want to come back to book after book. You're really good at that, D.B.--can't wait to read your work again!
Aw, thanks, Fleur! I'm working on some stuff now.
ReplyDeleteI don't get the lumping of YA, MG and children's either. It's like saying "Fiction" and leaving it at that.