The Story Never Ends…

By Clea Simon

An interviewer asked me recently which I prefer to write: standalones or series? As I await the Level Best Books re-launch of my “Witch Cats of Cambridge” cozy series, the answer is obvious – but not for the reason you may think.

Before I get into it, I should explain that I love all my books. Asking an author if they prefer one work over another is kind of like asking a parent which is their favorite child. My standalones, which tend to be dark (like Hold Me Down or The Butterfly Trap) will always excite me. In these books, I get to explore adult themes and sexuality and really dig into the dark side of humanity. (Yes, I used to write quite a bit about psychology and mental illness, see: Mad House.) Plus, when those books were finished and off to my agent, I felt done with them – I could clean out my head of betrayal, rape, substance abuse, and characters playing off each other, sometimes unintentionally, in some truly twisted ways.

My cozy series, of which there are several, are a different experience. Over the first four “Witch Cat” books, for example, I’ve come to love spending time with (that is, writing about) dear Becca, a smart, well-intentioned young woman who truly believes she has magical powers. And I’ve fallen equally hard for her three cats – Harriet, Laurel, and Clara – who are the ones who actually have magical power and whose primary duty, as it is with all cats, is to keep their person safe.

People have some misconceptions about cozies. Because they’re gentler than other types of mysteries, some think they’re likely to be cloying or cute. In truth, they deal with real emotions, same as my darker books. If anything, they are more reliant on believable human interactions: nobody is evil in a cozy, although some are misled or confused. (Even my killers tend to either have acted on a misguided impulse or gotten worked up beyond their normal states.) Characters must have honest motivations – even if these are based on misperceptions – if readers are going to relate to them. And in cozies, even more than in, say, thrillers, the relationship between the reader and the folks in the book is vital. We read cozies for the plots, sure. But we love them for the characters.

Even animal characters need to pass muster on this point. True, in our everyday lives we may not know exactly what our cats are thinking. But as we commit them to the page, we have to see them as three-dimensional, with their likes and biases, virtues and flaws – as real as any of us. As I write Becca’s three litter-mate pets, Harriet, Laurel, and especially Clara – who, as Becca’s primary caretaker serves as the heart of this series – I’m particularly aware of how real sibling relationships can play out, and how teasing (and even bullying) give way to the underlying love when push comes to shove.

This is where the writer in me should also point out that cozies are not easier to write than darker books. Do you know the old saw about Ginger Rogers? That she did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in heels? Well, that’s true of cozies, too. Sure, we have to plot carefully and people our books with believable characters (both human and feline). Only in the case of cozies we have to make it all seem as light as a souffle – or one of Rogers’s fancy quick steps, all swirling skirts and pumps, with a smile as bright as the sun.

With both kinds of books, I – the writer – immerse myself in their world. I have to think like my characters and, to some extent, see the world as they do. Hear their voices. For the extent of the writing period, this means they’re in my head, my dreams, and my heart.

Which leads me back to that original question: Which do I prefer to write, standalones or cozies? By now you can probably guess that – at least for now – it’s cozies. You see, I’m not only awaiting the re-launch of A Spell of Murder, An Incantation of Cats, A Cat on the Case, and To Conjure a Killer, I’m finishing up final edits on The Cat’s Eye Charm, a new “Witch Cat” mystery, which should be out in December, and looking forward to starting a sixth “Witch Cat.” And that means I get to live in this particular world for a bit longer, savoring its particular brand of warmth and magic. A blend that I hope you readers will enjoy as well.

Won’t you join me?

Clea Simon is the Boston Globe-bestselling author of three nonfiction books and more than 30 mysteries, including World Enough and Hold Me Down, both of which were named “Must Reads” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. A graduate of Harvard University and former journalist, she has contributed to publications ranging from Salon.com and Harvard Magazine to Yankee and The New York Times. Visit her at www.CleaSimon.com.