Category: Lisa Leoni

Using social media to learn about authors and books

~ Lisa Leoni/Lisa Kinley ~ 3 Comments

I love social media. So much, in fact, I’ve built a career around it managing social media for a university and coaching authors on using it. One of the things I love most about social media is using it to learn about things, like new (to me) books and authors.

Social media helps people find others who share the same interest. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I love cozy mysteries. I’ve joined some Facebook groups for cozy readers, like Cozy Mystery Corner and Save Our Cozies. These groups are a great place to share book recommendations, hear from authors about their upcoming releases and ask for book suggestions if you’re in the mood for something specific. Are you in any reader Facebook groups? Share a link in the comments!

Another perk of social media is the social proof factor and the authentic reviews/recommendations. How many times have you seen a friend recommend a book they just read and you stopped to consider getting it for yourself? For many, myself included, peer reviews hold more weight than ads. If I see an ad for something on Amazon, you bet your britches I’m going to go read the reviews before I consider buying it. The same goes for books. If a friend, whose opinion I’ve agreed with in the past on books, suggests something, I’m far more likely to check that book out. I’ve snagged so many books for my TBR pile that way.

Hashtags are also a great way to learn about books and authors, especially on Twitter and Instagram. I just did a search of the #cozymystery hashtag on Twitter and saw mention of several new books that I may not have otherwise learned about. Are there any hashtags you look on to find new books/authors? Or, for those of you who are authors, what hashtags do you use to promote your books to readers?

I’d love to know how you use social media to find new books and authors!

Cozy mysteries… on TV

~ Lisa Leoni/Lisa Kinley ~ 4 Comments

I love cozy mysteries so darn much (so much that I’m saying darn instead of something with a bit more bite). I love to read them and I definitely love to watch them. There’s something about the quirky characters and charming settings brought to life on the screen that makes them so enjoyable.

I’m a huge Hallmark fan. Park me in front of my TV, turn on Sling and let me binge watch Hallmark Christmas romances and I am a very happy woman.

Very. Happy.

Guess what I love as much as a Hallmark Christmas romance? A cozy mystery on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. There are so many great ones and I wanted to share a few of them with you.

As a writer, I love to see how the stories are assembled in film form. As a reader, I can watch a cozy much faster than I can read one 😀 And some of the Hallmark cozies are based on books, which is like super duper extra bonus round.

Mystery 101 series

I LOVE this series. There’s two out currently with a third releasing in September. This series combines several of my favorite things: criminology, academia, romance, and a good mystery.

The setting is great and the chemistry between the two characters sizzles. I love a slow burn romance. But you know what I love most about this one? The female amateur sleuth is brilliant. She’s not ditsy and she doesn’t stumble upon the answers by accident. She’s smart and respected.

Also, the detective respects her. Instead of spending the whole series giving her crap and telling her to stay out of his way, he respects her contributions and acknowledges that she’s helping him solve the murders. I really enjoy the banter, cheekiness and respect these two characters have.

Morning Show Mysteries series

This series first drew my attention because it’s set in the Pacific Northwest (where I live). The family and friends of the characters are so charming, loving and downright silly sometimes.

This mystery also includes a second-chance romance between the amateur sleuth and the detective. Their chemistry is fantastic. Also #RickFox #swoon.

This one does a great job blending several interests, specifically television and cooking. If you like either or both of those things, this is the series for you.

Your turn! Do you watch any Hallmark mysteries or other cozies? I’d love your recommendations!

 

 

New Member

~ patyjag ~ 1 Comment

To fill in the fifth Monday of the month, I’ll introduce you to our new member.

We were sorry to see Sally Carpenter leave the Ladies of Mystery, but I’m excited to say I found some to take over her day.

Lisa Leoni is a writer I’ve known for many years. I met her when we were both members of the Salem, Oregon chapter of Romance Writers of America. We roomed together at a conference and spent time together being officers of the chapter.

I moved on from RWA and began working on writing mysteries, not realizing Lisa was too. When I discovered she is writing mystery books, and then Sally said she’d like to step down from the blog, I immediately thought Lisa would make a good addition.

Lisa will have her first post on this blog next Monday, the first Monday of every month. I look forward to hearing what she’ll have to add to the blog.

Here is her bio: Lisa has found a way to combine her lifelong love for happily ever afters and her (un?)healthy fascination with crime by writing cozy mysteries. She writes cozies set in her own backyard of the Willamette Valley of Oregon and writes contemporary romances set in Scotland. When she’s not plotting ways to murder people, she’s being herded by her ginger cats and juggles a dozen craft projects.

Welcome, Lisa!