Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen Archive

Legends in Mysteries

Myths and legends work well in the fantasy genre but can play a part in any type of book. I’ve used them in my romance trilogies and in several of my cozies. They can add an element of mystery to any story. Ghosts and hidden treasure are favorite tropes of mine. I employed these in […]

A Time of Change

These last two months have been tumultuous ones for myself and my husband. Richard fell and hit his head on Christmas Eve. Life since then has been turned upside down. Now we are no longer able to do the things we enjoyed while he recovers from his injury. We’d only moved into this house to […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

Halloween Candy by Nancy J. Cohen Would you believe today (Oct. 28) is National Chocolate Day? Halloween is only a few days away, so naturally my thoughts drift to the large bags of candy we’ll buy at the superstore to fill our bowl. I ignore the advice that says to buy only what we don’t […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

Choose Your Chocolate by Nancy J. Cohen Today is National Choose Your Chocolate Day. Somehow this treat makes its way into our stories, either as an indulgence the heroine enjoys, a coffee shop menu item, or a hot drink on a wintry day. Then there are recipes that authors share with readers, tempting them to […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

Summer Blockbusters by Nancy J. Cohen Summer used to be the time for blockbuster movies. As June approached, you looked forward to some of your favorite franchises returning with long-awaited sequels. You’d buy tickets and watch the films in darkened, air-conditioned theaters while munching on popcorn or Sno-Caps. The pandemic brought a halt to movie […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

Forget Me Not by Nancy J. Cohen The forget-me-not flower has had a symbolic use throughout history. I think of it in a different manner. As I’m revising book #17 in my Bad Hair Day Mysteries, I look for repetitions so as to eliminate them. My first draft is basic storytelling. I rush through, writing […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

Box Sets by Nancy J. Cohen It’s exciting to try something new. I love to read series. I’ll get hooked on the characters and their world and devour the stories, like I’m doing now with Lindsay Buroker’s Star Kingdom science fiction world. When I turn the last page in this eight-book series, I’ll be sad […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

True Life Experiences in Fiction by Nancy J. Cohen “How much of your books are true stories from your own life?” Writers are often asked this question. In response, I’d say that many of our personal experiences inspire our stories. For my current work in progress, our problems with bathroom renovators inspired the tale. The […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on January 14, 2021 by Nancy J. Cohen

New Beginnings by Nancy J. Cohen January is the start of a new year and also the beginning of decisions to come. Should you join a health club, plan the vacation you’ve always wanted or submit your manuscript to a publisher? We start out with great resolutions that often fizzle along the way. It’s best […]

Let’s Talk about Resolutions

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Terry Ambrose

We hereby resolve to… by Debra H Goldstein, Nancy J Cohen, Lois Winston, Cheryl Hollon, Diane A.S Stuckart, and Maggie Toussaint I’ve given up resolving to do things like exercise, lose weight, or be a kinder person; so, my resolutions for 2021 (beyond hugging family and friends again) are 1) embrace my tendency to procrastinate […]

Let’s Talk about Light

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Terry Ambrose

Happy Holidays to All! What a strange year 2020 has been! And there’s good news-we’ve all survived the pandemic thus far. Keep up the great work of protecting yourself and your family by wearing masks and social distancing until we get through the vaccination process. Meanwhile, your friends at Booklover’s Bench want to help shine […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

Thanksgiving Celebrations by Nancy J. Cohen Happy Thanksgiving! Since we are expressing our gratitude this season, let me thank our Booklovers Bench followers for your support throughout the year. Your feedback, reviews and encouragement make our work as writers worthwhile. This holiday is especially meaningful to me because I was born on Thanksgiving Day. My […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

Pumpkins, Pies, and Pecans by Nancy J. Cohen October is when I take out my autumn decorations and festoon our dining room table with orange tinsel, rubbery Halloween spiders and pumpkin spice candles. Scents of cinnamon drift in the air as I anticipate the upcoming holidays throughout the house. This year, however, those family feasts […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

Summer Picnics by Nancy J. Cohen In the summers when I grew up, we used to take driving trips. My mother would pack lunches for us to picnic at rest stops along the way. It was fun when I didn’t have to prepare the food. Now I’d rather eat in an air-conditioned restaurant than outside […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

Are You a Corn Fritter Fan? By Nancy J. Cohen Today is National Corn Fritter Day. This brings back memories of summer dinners on our screened-in back porch at our house in New Jersey where I grew up. Corn fritters were part of my mother’s cooking repertoire. My father used to grow vegetables in our […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

June Storms by Nancy J. Cohen June 1st is the start of our hurricane season in South Florida. This means it’s time to examine our emergency supplies. Due to the coronavirus, we’ve already got in a good stash of canned goods and prepared foods. However, our freezer is full to capacity. Normally at this season, […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

Keeper Book Collections by Nancy J. Cohen As we are decluttering our house, I have an eye on our bookshelves. We’ve already donated to the library numerous volumes including cookbooks, coffee table books, outdated travel guides, novels we’ll never read, and niche nonfiction titles. My husband is holding onto his classic works of fiction collection […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

Spring has a Buzz by Nancy J. Cohen March heralds a transition from winter to spring. Honeybees, which have been dormant through the cold winter months, rouse to action as the weather warms and flowers bloom. I learned about these critters for Easter Hair Hunt, #16 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries. This title just […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Nancy J. Cohen

The Numbers Game by Nancy J. Cohen January is my month for financial planning. I have to complete my spreadsheets to send to the accountant for taxes. One of these pertains to household expenses, and the other to my writing career. It’s the perfect time to evaluate what worked and what didn’t, and what we […]

Holiday Let’s Talk

Posted on December 19, 2019 by Terry Ambrose

Happy Holidays! Today, we’re sharing how holiday traditions changed over the years. New birth and Hanukkah for Nancy. December holidays for our family in the earlier days meant gathering around the menorah each evening in the dining room, lighting the candles, and then watching our kids open one of eight or more gifts for Hanukkah. […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

December Doldrums by Nancy J Cohen While retail stores escalate their sales and advertisements during the December holiday rush, other businesses seem to slow down. Between Christmas and New Year holidays, forget getting many things done including house repairs. This applies to the publishing business as well. December has always been a bad month to […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Ghosts and Ghouls by Nancy J. Cohen As Halloween approaches, we look for scary stories reminiscent of the holiday. Do you like tales with a supernatural touch? Which elements appeal to you—ghosts, demons, vampires, shape shifters, zombies, witches or ghouls? Ghosts, psychics, and paranormal investigators pepper my Bad Hair Day mysteries featuring hairstylist sleuth Marla […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Discovering a New Genre by Nancy J. Cohen Do you remember which books hooked you on the genres you love? For me, mysteries are easy. I grew up on Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, and Judy Bolton. Cherry Ames inspired me to become a nurse, while Judy Bolton taught me that characters in a series need […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Bargain Books By Nancy J Cohen I’m a sucker for bargain books. I get daily newsletters from The Fussy Librarian and BookBub with free and sale books. If I see one that intrigues me, I’ll peruse the reviews on Amazon to see what other readers say. This may prompt me to buy/download the book or […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Summer Siesta by Nancy J. Cohen Here in the lazy south, afternoons are good for a short nap for those of us who are lucky enough to work at home. I get up very early to accomplish my writing goals for the day, so after lunch heralds the perfect break for reading or working on […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

May Musings by Nancy J. Cohen May is the last month of delightful spring weather before summer hits, and with it comes the heat and humidity that will last until mid-October. The stores are showing summer fashions, barbecue implements, and pool accessories to get you in the mood. My approach to summer here in South […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Love Your Library by Nancy J Cohen March brings our local library’s annual author luncheon. Owned by the city, this library is housed in a brick building amid live oak trees in a tranquil setting. The history museum is next-door. These are not huge structures, as they’re only single story. But the library evokes many […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Valentine’s Day by Nancy J. Cohen Happy Valentine’s Day! This holiday holds special memories for me. Forty-three years ago, my husband proposed on Valentine’s Day. We’d only met in September the year before, so we knew each other for five months before getting engaged. We married in December that year. We used to do the […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

Resolutions by Nancy J. Cohen New Year’s Day brings an accounting for what we’ve accomplished over the past year and what we want to do next. Aside from business goals, we tend to focus on many of the same things each year as we set our resolutions. Let’s see which ones affect you. Pick a […]

Holiday Scents Group Post

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

HOLIDAY SCENTS Dear Friends, We’re sharing our special holiday scented memories with you. Enjoy! POTATO LATKES. Since we celebrate Hanukkah, my favorite holiday scent is the smell of potato latkes frying in oil. When I grew up, we lit the menorah candles each night for eight nights and got a small gift as well. Potato […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

November Musings by Nancy J. Cohen November has always been a special month to me. It’s the start of the holiday season, with stores displaying Christmas decorations and stocking chocolate Hanukkah coins and dreidels. It’s my birthday month, which is challenging for my family because it ties in with the holidays and our December […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Wedding Countdown by Nancy J. Cohen We’re in a wedding countdown for our daughter’s nuptials happening near Halloween. Invitations have gone out. Vendors are hired. A second bridal shower will take place this weekend. Time accelerates the closer we get to the anticipated date. Does this sound similar to a book release? Indeed, it is. […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Character Quirks by Nancy J. Cohen I greatly admire authors who can make each character distinctive through a unique quirk of personality. As I recently watched an episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries (see the Acorn Channel on TV), I admired the writers’ ability. The background setting for this story took our detective team to an […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Plot Ideas by Nancy J. Cohen “Where do you find new plot ideas for series books?” is one of the responses we received from our Booklovers’ Bench reader poll. For me, this has never been a problem. One book seems to segue into the next as though my characters’ lives are naturally evolving. For example, […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Short Fiction by Nancy J. Cohen I’ve never been a big fan of short fiction. I prefer to read a novel that I can sink my teeth into, as the proverbial saying goes. I like to get absorbed in the story and love the feeling when it’s so good that I don’t want it to […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Waiting Rooms by Nancy J. Cohen You’re sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office or waiting around an airport to board a flight. How do you pass the time? In simpler days, we used to carry a book and spent the hours engrossed in reading. But now we have myriads of ways to […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on March 1, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Writers Conferences by Nancy J. Cohen This weekend I am attending SleuthFest, the annual mystery writers’ conference sponsored by Florida Chapter of MWA. I’m giving two workshops, meeting with my agent, and networking with as many other authors/fans as I can. This last part is the reason most of us attend these things. If you’re […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Nancy J. Cohen

Decluttering Tasks for January by Nancy J. Cohen Spring cleaning in my house starts as early as January. It’s a fresh year, meaning I like to toss out old tax documents and receipts that are no longer needed. This clears space for 2017 files. So what kinds of things does this include? Old financial statements […]

Let’s Talk Gifts that Keep Giving

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

The Gift that Keeps on Giving Retail stores and online vendors would like us to think that all holiday “gifts” must be purchased. Those store-bought gifts are nice, but there are other kinds of gifts. The personal touch and the “little things” are often cherished more than something picture perfect. I hope you enjoy our […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

Thanksgiving by Nancy J. Cohen Happy Thanksgiving! Since we are being thankful today, let me express our gratitude to all of our Booklovers Bench followers for your support throughout the year. It’s your feedback and encouragement that makes our work as writers worthwhile. This holiday is especially meaningful to me because I was born on […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

My Secret Vice by Nancy J. Cohen Since I write cozy mysteries, you’d think this was my favorite genre to read, right? Wrong. I have a passion for space opera and military science fiction. I don’t like stories that are too technical but prefer ones that focus on relationships. Think Horatio Hornblower in space. I’ll […]

Let’s Talk about Fall

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

This week the Booklover’s Bench authors share their thoughts about the changes associated with the season of fall. We hope you’ll enjoy this group post. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter for a Tote Bag prize. Emily Dickinson famously wrote, “There is a certain slant of light.” I recall her words quite often as summer moves […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on August 24, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

Having a Second Home by Nancy J. Cohen Having a second home can be a burden or a joy. You’re responsible for taxes, insurance, and homeowners’ association fees along with utilities and other expenses. We bought a condo in Orlando after years of visiting our kids in school there and afterward when they’d graduated and […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

A Taste of the Past by Nancy J. Cohen Recently I’ve begun sifting through my cookbook collection to see which ones I can donate to our local library. My days of cooking elaborate meals are over. Ironically enough, just before I headed down to the Mystery Fest Key West, I came across this Key West […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

Cataloguing Your Books by Nancy J. Cohen Do you mark the books you read? I never used to do so, and I easily lost track of which books I’d read. I have tons of books filling my shelves, and I may or may not have already read most of them. Somewhere along the way, I […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

Trolls – Darling or Dangerous? Nancy J. Cohen Trolls come in varied flavors. They can be cute little guys like these dolls from my childhood. Would you believe I still have my collection? These have happy faces and hair you want to pet. Then there are ugly trolls from Norse mythology. I used these mythical […]

Let’s Talk about Spring

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

Our Spring Collection by Karla Brandenburg, Nancy J Cohen, James M Jackson, Terry Odell, Maggie Toussaint, and Tina Whittle Everyone’s heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” and for me, that phrase is synonymous with spring. I’m sure many places in the US and the world still have traditional seasons, but here in the […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

Creating Romance Nancy J. Cohen Valentine’s Day has always been special to me. It’s the day my husband and I got engaged. We’re still married forty years later. In my younger days, I enjoyed the card exchanges in elementary school. Red happens to be my favorite color second only to turquoise. I like the candy […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Nancy J. Cohen

A New Year Begins by Nancy J. Cohen January 2017 January means we have to put these items atop our priority lists: (1) It’s time to gather information for tax returns. (2) We can clean out files and receipts from eight years ago. (3) We should review our calendar for the coming year and copy […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

The Appeal of Video Trailers by Nancy J. Cohen Are you a fan of movie trailers? Do you eagerly watch the newest one for the upcoming Star Wars movie? Perhaps viewing a trailer influences you to buy a ticket you’ve been wavering on? Or you may be a dedicated series fan and watch the teaser […]

Let’s Talk about Halloween

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Happy Halloween Memories All of us have gathered to share a memory of Halloween, and we hope you’ll also share one of yours in the comments section for a chance to win our custom tote bag. My husband is a bored aerospace engineer, so our Halloween season begins in August. He begins scouring the yard […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow by Nancy J. Cohen Let’s get something straight right away. This title is mine. It would be a good one for my Bad Hair Day mystery series. But we’re going to talk about hair salons today. The place where I go has been through a recent upheaval. The owners suddenly announced […]

Let’s Talk About School Memories

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Back to School Memories Memories plus a giveaway! What could be better? Sit back and enjoy our recollections, and then be sure to chime in to tell us yours. I went to elementary school in the 50s. Back in the day, the school system provided all supplies. You were allowed to bring your own crayons […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Early Role-Playing By Nancy J Cohen Our young lives at play often prepare us for later roles in life. Or at least this is true for girls who like to play house. It’s not so true for boys who pretend to be super heroes. One thing I liked to play was “Secretary.” My mother had […]

Let’s Talk about Summer

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Summer Food I know summer is here when the strawberries bloom! As a kid, we used to visit the farm where my mom grew up and go strawberry picking. We came home with quarts and quarts of strawberries that turned into delicious strawberry freezer jam and strawberry topping and strawberry shortcake. Once I had a […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Weddings Can Be Murder by Nancy J. Cohen June is wedding month. For some reason, people like getting married before the heat of the summer sizzles their blood and sends temperatures soaring. But the passions aroused by planning a wedding also lead to some potential motives for murder. You’ve all heard of bridezilla? Don’t forget […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Playing at the Beach by Nancy J Cohen The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is always crowded with tourists and locals alike, who enjoy the sidewalk cafés along with the sunshine. Exercisers whiz by via jogging, cycling or walking activities, while sunbathers stake an umbrella in the sand. This visit brought back memories of childhood summers in […]

Let’s Talk about Spring

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Five Authors Share About Spring by Maggie Toussaint, Nancy J Cohen, James M Jackson, Terry Odell, and Tina Whittle With Spring comes nice weather, and the temptation to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Of course, for writers, writing is their job, just like any other job, but it’s easy to want to set aside […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

A Writer’s Beginning By Nancy J Cohen Do you remember when you first started writing books? Or as a reader, do you remember when you discovered a new author to read? My latest project is to revise and update my backlist mystery titles and publish them as reissued Author’s Editions. The first book, Permed to […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Nancy J. Cohen

Rediscovering Your Muse By Nancy J Cohen Recently I’ve begun sorting my recipe clippings into categories. This will make things easier when I want to find a meal to make. For example, instead of hunting through my pile of papers for a poultry main dish, I can pick the envelope labeled “Chicken” and search […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Nancy J. Cohen

Gift Shopping by Nancy J Cohen As we are bombarded with shopping bargains and daily deals during this gift-giving season, let’s remember the joy a book can bring to a friend or family member. Keeping the person’s interests in mind, you can find something for every taste. What they watch on TV or in the […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Nancy J. Cohen

Halloween Stories That Scare Nancy J. Cohen As Halloween approaches, we look for scary stories reminiscent of the holiday. Do you like tales with a supernatural touch? Which elements appeal to you—ghosts, demons, vampires, shape shifters, zombies, psychics, witches or ghouls? In my romances, I tend to have heroines with special powers. My two paranormal […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Nancy J. Cohen

Book Releases—What’s the Right Interval? Nancy J. Cohen There’s a reason why publishers like book releases from authors to be months, if not years, apart. They need time to pass the manuscript from the developmental editor to the copy editor, from the page proof typesetter to the person who creates review copies. They need to […]

Hanging by a Hair, a Bad Hair Day Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Nancy J. Cohen

From Nurse to Writer By Nancy J Cohen People ask me if I’d ever considered writing a mystery series about a nurse. This is because I worked in nursing for ten years before I got married, had children, and retired. As a registered nurse and holding a master’s degree, you’d think I would have steered […]

Let’s Talk with Nancy J Cohen

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Nancy J. Cohen

Fairy Tale Endings By Nancy J Cohen My husband and I are Disney fans. Recent movies we’ve seen include Tomorrowland and Cinderella. One of our favorite TV shows is Once Upon A Time. And we have annual passes to Disney World that we visit every other month. I guess I’ve never grown out of […]

It Can Get Personal

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Nancy J. Cohen

Nancy J. Cohen Readers often want to know if writers use personal experiences in their stories. “All the time,” I answer them. Anything that happens to us becomes fodder for a novel. We could be inspired by a character we meet or by a situation that happens to us. In Hanging by a Hair, Marla […]

Let's Talk with Nancy J. Cohen

Let’s Talk with Nancy J. Cohen Archive

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