Contests

CONTEST NOW OPEN. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT JULY 2023 MEETING.

Entries are due by 11:59PM PST on Saturday, November 25th, 2023 (the day before our November Book Club meeting).

Write the first chapter of a fictional cozy mystery novel.

Your sentence must include ONE of our first paragraph winners entries (see below).

Ding, ding! It's Writers Choice this round! With two such wonderful winning entries for our first paragraph contest we simply could not decide on just one. So you have options, it's a good old fashioned Choose Your Cozy!

Stephanie J:
I didn’t know what I would find inside the secret room of my newly renovated condo, but the dead body of my realtor was definitely not it. I mean, I was no fan of Gigi, for sure. I had cursed her a million times during the renovation for talking me into this condo that required so much TLC, but I don’t recall ever wishing her dead. As I was wondering who did want her dead, Detective Maraschino appeared in my doorway. Apparently, not only did I leave my door slightly ajar after trying to kick it shut with arms loaded with groceries, but I had screamed loud enough to disturb one of the neighbors who called the police. And guess who shows up with his usual sass hitting me with, “What have you started now, Ms. Limón?” “Nothing!” I said defensively, then blurting out, “I had my arms full and tripped coming into the kitchen and fell right into that drywall with Gigi behind it!”

Rosemarie S:
I found myself sipping a tall glass of lemonade in my backyard, contentedly admiring my lusciously green garden, completely oblivious to the fact that my passion for horticulture would soon unravel a sinister secret. It was one of those idyllic afternoons, where the world seemed to fade away amidst the serenity of a familiar landscape. The vibrant petals of my prized roses bloomed proudly, nodding their delicate heads as if whispering secrets only they knew. Little did I realize that my seemingly innocent passion for horticulture was about to entangle me in a web of mystery. As I soaked up the tranquility, completely oblivious to the impending storm, fate was conspiring to test my detective skills. Unbeknownst to me of course, beneath the lush exterior, my garden harbored a sinister secret that would soon blossom into a case begging to be solved.