Author Spotlight: Michelle L. Cullen

Michelle Cullen is the author of the Harry and Emma Mysteries, a cozy mystery series featuring a millennial and a retired widower who work together to solve puzzling mysteries.

Cozy Crime Reads Interview with Michelle L. Cullen

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Who’d have thought that thirty minutes on a Saturday morning as a kid in front of a TV would influence the rest of your life. But that was me, riveted by the children’s show Big Blue Marble, which featured the lives of kids all over the world. Every episode I was fascinated by how different life could be based on your geography — and yet somehow despite the variations, how many commonalities could be found. It’s what led me to study anthropology and sparked my wanderlust to travel the world.

Decades later, I’ve got a few well-stamped passports and a lifetime of amazing experiences. I’ve worked as a (decent if powered by enough espresso) bilingual secretary in Paris, backpacked around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa, and helped rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific. In other words, I’ve accumulated a lot stories. So it was hardly a jump for me to want to write and to make one of the main characters an anthropologist; someone who shares my curiosity about this big blue marble we inhabit.

What attracted you to the cozy mystery genre?

What I remember the most about my post-conflict work was that despite the tragedy and harsh living conditions, so many people were happy and able to find good despite all the bad surrounding them. This unexpected dichotomy has stuck with me over time, and when I started writing, I knew I wanted to capture it. I love the idea of mixing light and dark – of blending misfortune with charm, whether through characters, setting, theme, or humor.

When I started writing A Field Guide to Murder, my goal was to create a book that readers would want to hug at its end – plus a murder or two. I wanted to provide a lighthearted escape that would make readers miss the main characters, feel a sense of belonging, grow curious about different perspectives, and feel satisfied that, in the end, justice prevailed.

What are a few of the essential elements that make a cozy stand out to you as a reader?

I enjoy cozies that feature main characters who I like and admire. I want to read about people who I’d grab a coffee or beer with, someone who is determined to right a wrong, someone with a good moral compass, someone who makes wise decisions (or at least decisions that seemed wise at the time). My favorite cozies are also based in places I’d love to live or visit, be it an exotic beach town, a quaint mountain retreat, or a charming small city. My favorite cozies also integrate humor. If there’s a series that includes these elements, I’ll read every book!

Do you have a favorite amateur sleuth?

I have so many! Some favorites from my recent reads include Vera Wong (Jesse Q. Sutanto), The Thursday Murder Club (Richard Osman), Judith Potts and team (Robert Thorogood), Miss Hortense (Mel Penant), Pomona Afton (Bellamy Rose), and Delilah O’Leary (Mindy Quigley). I also love historical mysteries, with amateur sleuths like Lady Petra (Celeste Connally), Saffron Everleigh (Kate Khavari), Veronica Speedwell (Deanna Raybourn), and Lily Adler (Katharine Schellman). And there are certainly more…these are just the ones that come to mind first.

What inspired your first cozy mystery?

My mom sparked the idea for my debut mystery. She initially resisted the idea of downsizing to a condominium for years, stating that she valued her privacy and didn’t want other people sticking their noses into her business. A few years later, however, she ended moving to a stand-alone patio home that was part of an HOA. So, imagine my surprise when I went to help her set up her new home and found her frequently running from window to window to watch her neighbors’ comings and goings. With that, the idea for Harry Lancaster was born.

How do you research and create the “cozy” elements in your books, like the settings and community?

They say to write what you know, so for my first mystery, I set it in a town that is similar to where I grew up. That way I didn’t have to dream up something new, I could instead go back to my memories or go back to visit family and friends to get additional ideas on how I wanted to map out Lakeview Estates and Westerly. I also like to ground my stories in reality, so do online research in addition to interviews with experts in topics related to my stories. I’ve consulted, among others, nurses, a police chief, real estate agents, cybersecurity experts, lawyers, and people who have fractured their hip.

What is one key step in your writing process that helps you transform an idea into a finished book?

I develop a short outline, and once I’m happy with that, draft a longer one with key scenes, story beats, and characters’ backstories. Once I start writing, sometimes the characters or plot will veer off into different directions that what I’d outlined. When this happens, I happily follow.

What advice would you give aspiring cozy mystery authors who want to start writing their first novel?

The best advice I’ve received was to go to writing conferences and join writers’ groups, like Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. Writing can be a lonely journey, and it is certainly a complicated one. It’s made easier and more enjoyable when you’re able to connect with other people who love to read and write.

What are your future writing goals?

A Field Guide to Death and Deceit, the sequel to my debut novel, hits the shelves in September of this year, and I would love to continue more books in the Harry and Emma Mystery series if there’s demand. If that doesn’t work out, I have two other mysteries series in mind and have started to write the first book for each one. I fully intend on continuing to write—it gives me joy, and I love being part of the mystery writing community.

Where can readers connect with you online?

You can learn more about me and my books on my website, where you can also sign up for my newsletter. You can also find me at the following:

IG: @michellelcullen

Facebook: @MichelleLCullenAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55985912.Michelle_L_Cullen