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I have to confess I am finding this Goodread Group thingy a little complicated, but I guess I'll get used to it!

I was thrilled today to find two new members - you are so welcome here!! I am eager to know if you think the concept of "Canadian Cozies" is useful, or logical, or maybe right out to lunch!

Recently, I found it distressing to go through a marketer-driven genre-discovery exercise about my novels ("Who is your reader?") only to discover that my reader is... moi.

Me. Good grief, I'm a pretty boring guy... that's discouraging. In fact, one of the twenty-plus reviewers of my books even told me that and graced me with two stars. Happily, all the other reviewers gave me 4 or 5-star ratings, and told me they liked the stories, the landscape and the characters.

So... perhaps cozy mysteries... but the first word of my first novel is "Crap", and there is a brief semi-explicit love scene somewhere in the middle and the second novel touches on a developing LGBTQ relationship (lesbian) but not particularly explicit. All that stuff stretches the "cosy mystery" genre enough to really annoy some readers, apparently.

I'm Canadian, and I think the odd cuss-word is pretty normal, and so is sex, and I don't want to change my stories to fit an Amazon genre specification, so I thought maybe I'd create a genre for readers (and authors) like... moi! And... my stories are, after all, about Canadian places and people.

Any thoughts?
Cheers,
Peter

I forgot to mention... if you have written, or recently read, a book that you feel fits the general description of a "Canadian Cozy", please feel free to add it to the page!

Hi Peter. I'm happy to hear about some real Canadians. Most of the time if Canada is mentioned in a book, we have 10 feet of snow, in a raging blizzard. We would be sheltering in a log cabin waiting to be rescued by the mounties in their red uniforms either on horseback or by dogsled. we are also the place referred to in many books as the safe haven for criminals as they head for the Canadian border. Hearing about real Canadians in real Canadian settings will be something to look forward to reading.

Hi Mara - I came across this cozy author yesterday... about Mounties and stuff but real Canadians, real Canadian landscapes: Mike Martin

And the books by "eco-mystery" writer Dave Butler - such as this one - Full Curl are, in fact, Canadian "eco-mysteries" but they will satisfy many readers of the "cozies" !

Thanks Peter. Do you know if both these authors are Canadian? I'm reading another series at the moment, but will look at some of these when I'm finished the series that I'm on.

Hi Mara - was just re-reading the responses and realized that - since you like reading and are a Saskatchewan person - you might want to take a look at J.C. Paulson's "Adam and Grace" series - mysteries set in or around Saskatoon. They are a bit rougher (and raunchier!) than the average cozy, for sure, but they are well-crafted and the settings will feel right at home! The author lives in Saskatoon and obviously loves her city and its people.

Hi everyone! I write cozy mysteries set in a fictional town on the Canadian prairies. I'm also interested in reading books set in locations I'm familiar with, whether it be places I've lived or places I've visited. I'm already seeing some great recommendations I'm eager to check out. I'm happy I found this group.

Welcome, Miranda! I see you have a new release!

Thank you! And yes - I'm working away on the second book now :)

Miranda wrote: "Thank you! And yes - I'm working away on the second book now :)"

I live in a small prairie town, but I write about a (ficticious) Ontario town. That way nobody sneaks up in the middle of the night and beats me gently across the head with something heavy!

Welcome Miranda. I live on the prairies in Saskatchewan. (not far from Peter, I believe) I hope you write about the prairies. I'd like to read about areas that I know. It seems like we are invisible. Internationally, people seem to know that Canada is BC, Ontario and Quebec and some maritime provinces, but Saskatchewan.... "How do you say that? Where is that? Is there always snow there? Do people travel by dog sled? Do they live in igloos?"

I'd like to know more about you, like where you went to school, who influenced you to become an author, etc.

I wish you well and look forward to hearing more from you.