Author Spotlight: Elizabeth Spann Craig
Bestselling Mystery Author
Elizabeth Spann Craig writes several mystery series, including the bestselling Myrtle Clover Mystery Series
Elizabeth Spann Craig is a bestselling author who has written more than 60 books in five different mystery series. She is best known for her Myrtle Clover Mysteries, which feature an octogenarian sleuth and a senior sidekick solving mysteries in Bradley, North Carolina. Read more about the Myrtle Clover Mystery series and get a free reading kit for Pretty Is As Pretty Dies, the first book in the series.
Her other mystery series include the Southern Quilting Mysteries, the Village Library Mysteries, and the Sunset Ridge Cozy Mysteries. She also writes the Memphis BBQ Cozy Mystery Series under the pen name Riley Adams.
Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Elizabeth Spann Craig
What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?
I loved the comfort and tidiness of cozies. It’s wonderful the way this idyllic setting would have a chilling murder and the murder would be neatly tied up at the end. I started reading cozy mysteries shortly after 9/11 and found a lot of comfort there.
What are a few of the essential elements that make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?
The sleuth should be a gifted amateur—someone who uses their own unique natural abilities to solve murders. The setting should make the reader feel at home and enveloped. And the supporting/recurring characters should be a quirky bunch that readers can connect with and enjoy spending time among.
Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?
I’m going to cheat a bit here and say Hamish Macbeth from M.C. Beaton’s series. He’s technically a police officer, but he’s such a slacker that he basically counts as an amateur. A true amateur I admire is Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, who helped influence my Myrtle series.
The first twelve books in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series
What inspired your first cozy mystery?
My first couple of cozies were Myrtle Clover mysteries. Those were inspired by my small-town upbringing in Anderson, SC (which has gotten to be a lot bigger since the 70s!) The gossip, the pace, and the interesting characters that lived there all colored the stories.
How do you research and create the "cozy" elements in your books, like the settings and community?
For the Memphis BBQ series (written as Riley Adams), I researched Memphis by visiting there with my family, eating out, and reading a lot.
With other series, I’ve found it easier to base the fictional town on a location I know well. That way, I can easily remember where things in my town are and not make mistakes. The communities are all influenced by towns and cities I’ve lived in and people I’ve known. It all sort of meshes together in a fun way in my head.
What is one key step in your writing process that helps you transform an idea into a finished book?
I hate to admit because it’s just so nerdy, but I’m a reluctant convert to outlining. I don’t enjoy outlining and sigh when I see them every day, but they’re basically a necessary tool to keep me on track and ensure my mystery makes sense.
The first four books in the Memphis BBQ Mystery Series
What advice would you give aspiring cozy mystery authors who want to start writing their first novel?
Set the bar low. This may seem counterintuitive, but if you make a goal for five or ten minutes a day, you may find you’ll make more consistent progress than with a larger goal. When you establish a writing habit, you can gradually grow your goals from there.
How can readers connect with you online?
Readers can find me on Instagram (elizabethspanncraig), Facebook (elizabethspanncraig), or on my website (elizabethspanncraig.com).
Elizabeth Spann Craig Cozy Mystery Bookshelf
Use the arrows on either side of the images shown below to cycle through all of the books in the Elizabeth Spann Craig Cozy Mystery Bookshelf.
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