Exploring Cozy Mysteries with Joyce Farinella

Meet Joyce Farinella, a Missouri-based author and content writer with a penchant for cozy mysteries. She brings a delightful twist to the genre with her Furs and Feathers Pet Sitter series, where a pet sitter stumbles upon dead bodies amidst her routine. Each book highlights different pets, offering recurring furry and feathered companions throughout the series. Discover Joyce’s unique suburban Chicago setting, quirky characters, and the blend of humor and mystery in her engaging tales.

Could you share a little about yourself and the cozy mysteries you write?

I’m from Missouri, and I live on ten acres with my husband and daughter. I’ve been a content writer for over a decade. I write the Furs and Feathers Pet Sitter series, which is a cozy mystery series about a pet sitter who discovers dead bodies in the course of her job. Each book features a different pet with some pets recurring throughout the series.

How do you develop your characters, particularly your amateur sleuth?

I start with personality traits that I or someone I know have and imagine how they would handle the situations I create in the book. I continue to work on my main character’s growth throughout the books as she gets an apartment and develops one or more potential love interests.

Cozy mysteries often feature unique settings or themes. Can you tell us about the setting/theme of your latest book and what drew you to it?

My setting is a fictional suburb of Chicago. I love visiting Chicago, and I thought it would make a fun setting while keeping with the cozy theme by developing my own suburb with fun eateries, coffee shops, and other businesses.

What do you find most challenging about writing cozy mysteries, and how do you overcome it?

Probably the most challenging thing is to give enough clues to solve the murder without revealing too much. I try to include several viable suspects to make it more difficult to solve the crime.

Cozy mysteries often incorporate humor and wit. How do you balance the lighter elements with the seriousness of the mystery?

I created some fun characters with quirky personalities who naturally liven things up even in the midst of solving murders.

Can you share any interesting research experiences or fun facts you discovered while researching for your books?

Most of my research has been limited to how to kill people, which has brought up some strange facts. LOL

Do pets play a role in your cozy mysteries, and do they reflect any real-life pets or experiences?

I have multiple pets in every book with a different one playing a central role for each book. In my first book, Fussy is modeled after my own Pomeranian. The second book features a bird but isn’t taken from any real-life pet. The third book will feature my cat Riddle, which is his real name. I plan to add some of my friends’ pets as well.

Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring cozy mystery writers?

Know the genre well along with all the different tropes and styles and understand what readers expect. Find the right tool to stay organized because it can get difficult to remember details about locations and characters from one book to the next, but readers will catch those mistakes.