The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

More About Me…

September 16, 2008

A site visitor to the site who is a library science student asked for some more clarification about the site for a paper she is writing – the following is how I answered her questions:

“…As I said in my “About” page on my blog… I pretty much started this site because I love to read cozy mysteries. I didn’t actually start the site thinking that it would become as big as it has. I started the site with only the authors who I had personally read. However, with time, I got more and more recommendations of authors who other cozy mystery readers thought would be ideal for the site.

Again, as it says on the “About” page… I started making lists of all of the authors I followed. Also, I had one particular friend from the days when I was in online mystery reading groups who had very similar preferences in authors. So, we would “introduce” each other to new authors. The online mystery reading groups that I belonged to would take nominations from the members and then vote on which books we would read every month… so I was introduced to a lot of new authors.

I had (literally) pages and pages of authors who I read, and my husband kept telling me that rather than retype the list each year when I brought it up to date, I should store it on my computer so that I could just “strike out” the books that I had read or add the new books that the author had written during the last year. I did all of this for several years before I actually started the site. My husband thought that since I liked chronological lists of my favorite cozy authors, there were probably people out there who would also like lists of their favorite authors’ chronological lists. And, since I am always on the lookout for new Cozy Mystery authors, I knew that there were others looking for new authors to add to their lists.

As for my “authority”… Several times on the site I have written that I simply love the cozy genre of mysteries. I don’t tout myself as an expert of any sort… I simply like my cozy mysteries, and like to read books in their correct chronological order. I became very frustrated having to pick out all of the books by one author out of the library shelves just so that I could get their chronological publishing dates. (Of course… it doesn’t need saying that I always re-shelved the books in the correct alphabetical order!!!)

Yes, I do believe that I have connected readers to books that they will enjoy. I receive a good deal of mail from site readers, and many of them have told me that they found a new author (or two, or three!) from perusing the site.

I get most of my information from the different authors’ websites, from a wonderful librarian who writes me letters keeping me posted on new books from some of the authors on the site, or new series from some of the authors on the site, and from readers of the site. I am amazed at how many people want the site to be a good site, which is complete with up-to-date information. And, the amount of author recommendations astounds me! I am very lucky for all of the site readers’ input!

Since I always go to the authors websites, I believe that the “validity of any information” is 100%. Of course, since not all authors have websites, I have actually had to contact some of them so that they can provide me with the correct information via emails. And, in some cases, the authors’ websites are organized in such a way that it is difficult to decipher the books’ order… that’s when I hit the internet and Google everything I can.

I have a search feature on the blog part of the website, but haven’t thought about putting one in on the main site. I rely on my husband to fix/upgrade/”computerize” the site and he is so very good about doing all of the actual computer work that I hesitate asking him to have to work through that type of feature. But, I am sure that we will discuss it….”

***Actually, I should not have said 100% accurate… I have received letters from site readers a few times where I have been told that my dates were off by a year or two, and once, I was corrected by a fan of an author who told me that I had “topsy-turvied” two books… But, since I always correct things (after verifying the need) on the site that are brought to my attention, I think that I can safely say that I strive to be 100% accurate.

♦Not in my answers is this: Thank you all for the author recommendations and the comments. This website has grown because of the response of people like you!♦

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

5 Comments - Click Here to Read the Comments or to Add Another

Comments

  1. Chris says

    September 20, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    I have to tell you that I absolutely LOVE your website and am VERY thankful that you take the time to do what you do. Beats the heck out of when I would surf through Amazon or write down book titles or authors I had found in the back of books on scraps of paper and leave them laying around my desk until I got around to checking if the local library had them or not. I usually check it about once a week just to see what you have added! I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way, but you are VERY much appreciated! 🙂 (So, don’t stop, ok?)

    Reply
  2. Danna - cozy mystery list says

    September 21, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    Hi Chris,

    I know that I have said this before… but I always appreciate the positive letters that I get from site readers.
    I know exactly how you feel about scraps of paper with authors’ names on them… This site should solve that problem!

    Thank you for writing and telling me how much you are enjoying the site!

    Reply
  3. BB says

    December 24, 2012 at 9:48 am

    Okay, so I’m going through some old posts…

    “I became very frustrated having to pick out all of the books by one author out of the library shelves just so that I could get their chronological publishing dates. (Of course… it doesn’t need saying that I always re-shelved the books in the correct alphabetical order!!!)”

    Danna, I do the same thing! As a former student worker in two libraries, it drives me bonkers for books to be out of order – alphabetically, numerically, and chronologically. And, of course there’s a little OCD there, too…

    Reply
    • Danna - cozy mystery list says

      December 27, 2012 at 11:52 pm

      BB, “a little OCD there”?!?

      Reply
      • BB says

        December 28, 2012 at 6:51 am

        Umm…well, maybe more than just a “little” – about some things, anyway. LOL

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please don't tell us about Cozy Mystery authors or books you don't enjoy.

Please use a nickname or your first name and last initial (unless you are an author and want your full name to appear).

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search the Site

Subscribe to Blog Post Email Alerts

  • Cozy Mystery Blog Home
  • Cozy Mystery Site
  • Soon to be Released Mysteries
  • Cozies by Themes
  • New Mystery Releases
  • New Mystery Series
  • Cozy Mystery Recommendations
  • Most Popular and Recommended Cozy Mystery Series
  • Free & Cheap Kindle Mystery Books
  • Holiday Mystery Book Lists
  • What Is a Cozy?
  • TV and Movies
  • Author Interviews
  • Cozy-Mystery.com on Facebook

Recent Posts

  • March 6 to March 19, 2023
  • Ellie Alexander: Sloan Krause Mysteries
  • Cozy Mystery News: Hallmark Aurora Teagarden Continuing
  • April 2023 Mystery Book New Releases
  • Scottish Television Mystery Series: Taggart

Recent Comments

  • Danna - cozy mystery list on Ellie Alexander: Sloan Krause Mysteries
  • Danna - cozy mystery list on Ellie Alexander: Sloan Krause Mysteries
  • Debra Sewell on Great Narrators of Mystery Books on Tape… Pt. 2
  • MJ on Ellie Alexander: Sloan Krause Mysteries
  • Lesley on Ellie Alexander: Sloan Krause Mysteries

Cozy Mystery List Home | Affiliate Disclosure | Cozy Mystery Blog Home  | Cozy Mystery Blog Sitemap | Privacy Policy  | Contact Me   | About |

Copyright © 2006-2023, Cozy-Mystery.Com, All rights reserved.
A Guide to Cozy Mystery Books, Movies, and TV


MENU
  • Cozy Mystery Blog Home
  • Cozy Mystery Site
  • Soon to be Released Mysteries
  • Cozies by Themes
  • New Mystery Releases
  • New Mystery Series
  • Cozy Mystery Recommendations
  • Most Popular and Recommended Cozy Mystery Series
  • Free & Cheap Kindle Mystery Books
  • Holiday Mystery Book Lists
  • What Is a Cozy?
  • TV and Movies
  • Author Interviews
  • Cozy-Mystery.com on Facebook