Why do you write the genre that you write?
I write cozy mysteries because they are lighthearted stories with a happy ending. The villain is always caught, and nobody is badly hurt. Cozies have a fantasy element in this way, because in real life you might not get such a good outcome. Instead, when you pick up a cozy mystery, you can count on an entertaining tale that provides a few hours of pleasant escape. I also like to read them because they are clean stories without any bad language or graphic violence. If you want forensic details or psychological profiles of killers, this is not the genre for you. I like to be uplifted and entertained when I read, and that’s the experience I hope to give my readers. A murder mystery to solve, quirky characters, distinctive settings, clues, a touch of romance, a dab of humor, and recipes are what I enjoy reading as well as writing.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
My hairstylist sleuth, Marla Vail, is a coffee addict. Hot coffee, iced coffee, or coffee ice cream, she’ll consume it all. Cream only, no sugar in the coffee, please.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I wrote short stories and poems when I was young. Then when I was in grad school for my master’s degree in nursing, I bought a book called “Structuring Your Novel.” This taught me step-by-step how to write a book-length work of fiction. I wrote three books before I got an agent. Joining Florida Romance Writers made the difference. I acquired my first agent at their conference. She went on to submit three more of my books. But it wasn’t until I wrote Circle Of Light, a science fiction romance, that my work sold to Dorchester. This title became my first published book and won the HOLT Medallion Award. I went on to write more books for Dorchester as well as Kensington, Wild Rose Press, and Five Star. When Five Star cancelled its mystery line, I went indie. I’ve been independently publishing my work since then.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I worked as a registered nurse for ten years. In my last job, I was a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. I got married and quit my position right before our son was born. That’s when I became a full-time writer.

Where do you write?
I have a dedicated home office that I love. It has a huge computer desk with hutches and another mahogany desk that I use for household correspondence, multiple bookshelves, framed awards and other mementoes of my career.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
I am a Fritos fan.

Who is an author you admire?
I admire all my fellow authors at BookloversBench.com. We help each other with career questions, cross-promote our work, and share marketing tips. All of us write cozy mysteries that I enjoy reading. Our team includes myself, Terry Ambrose, Maggie Toussaint, Lois Winston, Debra H. Goldstein, Cheryl Hollon, and Diane A.S. Stuckart.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
I’ll read several books at the same time. These are most often genre fiction. I’ll read historical romance, cozy and historical mysteries, science fiction and fantasy. I also read YA. So it varies depending on my mood!

What are you reading now?
The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen; Death by Pins and Needles by Susie Black; Guns and Roses by Taffy Cannon and Never Pursue a Prince by Regina Scott.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
If anything, a glass of wine.

What is next for you?
I am putting all my earlier eight romances into new paperback editions. I’m also working on a standalone mystery that is not part of my Bad Hair Day series.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate or vanilla
Chocolate

Cake or ice cream
Ice Cream

Fruits or vegetables
Fruits

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Dinner

Dining in or dining out
Dining Out

City life or country living
Suburbia

Beach or mountain
Beach

Summer or winter
Summer

Short story or full-length novel
Novel

Extrovert or introvert
A Mixture of Both

Early bird or night owl
Early Bird

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
Galaxy Quest

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A friend for company, Sunglasses, Drinking Water

My bio:
Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. These books have won numerous awards along with her nonfiction titles, Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World.

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