Celebrating Five Years of the Wicked Cozy Blog

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Thank you, Wicked readers, for being with us for five years! Okay, so maybe you haven’t been with us all five years (here’s a link to our very first blog which, unsurprisingly, didn’t have any comments), but we are so glad you found us and are part of our writing adventures. When we started out we had three published books between us. Since then each of us has had at least one Agatha Award nomination.

This is the very first picture we uploaded to our website. It’s still on our about page.

It’s been so lovely to swap stories with our readers and learn about you through your comments. We’ve had so many fantastic guests along the way. We consider them and all of you, part of our Wicked family. We’ve been lucky enough to meet some of you at conferences, but the rest of you we meet here.

During the first few weeks of the blog we interviewed each other so readers could get to know us. Wickeds, how has your life changed since we first started the blog five years ago?

This is a picture from the Seascape Writers Retreat where so many of us met.

Jessie: How quickly the time has passed! Five years ago I had one book in print through a small regional press. Since then I have published three Sugar Grove books, two Change of Fortune books and one Beryl and Edwina mystery with two more at least on the way. I’ve had my first novel published by a company in Germany, enjoyed the pleasure of having a book released as an audio version and have been nominated for two Agatha awards.

Most importantly, I have come to find my confidence as a writer, to trust my own voice on and off the page and to be more grateful than I ever could say to have been supported in pursuing my dreams by my blog mates as well as all of our readers! Thanks so very much everyone! Click here to read the first Wicked interview with me.

Sherry: When we first started the blog I had just gotten the contract for the first three Sarah Winston Garage Sale mysteries. Now I’m writing the eighth book, then the ninth, and will be starting a new series. I never dreamed I’d be so lucky. I didn’t realize how much publishing a book would change my life. I’ve met and made so many wonderful friends in the writing and reading community. The best part has been doing it with the Wickeds and our accomplices. Each of you bring a unique perspective to life and have enriched mine. Click here to read the first Wicked interview with me. Thank you for celebrating with us!

Here are the first book covers we uploaded:

 

Julie: When we started the blog, I was the only Wicked without a contract. Since then, I’ve signed three contracts for three separate series. More than that, I’ve gotten to know the other Wickeds, and consider each and every one of them a dear friend. As much as I love to celebrate my own successes, there has been such joy celebrating all of their successes as well. I have no doubt that this journey would not be as much fun without Barb, Sherry, Edith, Liz, and Jessie. I also love that Sheila, Kim, and Jane are part of this blog, as are the dozens of guests we’ve hosted over the years. Writing is solitary, being an author requires community. This is one heck of a community, Thank you, dear readers, for being part of it. Click here to read the first Wicked interview with me.

Edith: So many changes! When we started the blog I had one book out – Speaking of Murder, written as Tace Baker, from a small press – and my first Local Foods mystery, A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die was about to release in June. My mom, who taught me through example to love reading mysteries, had died the month before without ever reading one of my novels.

Now? Five books featuring organic farmer Cam Flaherty are out in the world. The second Tace Baker book. Three Quaker Midwife Mysteries, with two (or more) to come. And four Country Store Mysteries, written as Maddie Day, with at least five more in the future! I’ve been nominated for five Agatha Awards, had ten short stories published, and won awards. Mostly, I’ve had the company of these wicked awesome women to keep me company, make me laugh, and provide comfort. And I’ve gotten to know so many devoted mystery readers and fans, on this blog and elsewhere. Thank you for keeping us in business, and for sharing what our stories mean to you. Click here to read the first Wicked interview with me.

Sheila’s first blog post was on July 1, 2013. She’s been on the first Monday of the month ever since. Click here to read her first post.

Liz: When we first started the blog, we were racing to get it launched in time for my first book, Kneading to Die. It’s been such a wild ride since then! In five years, I’ve had six Pawsitively Organic books published, with the seventh coming out this year, and started my new Cat Cafe Mystery Series as Cate Conte. This blog has been a life-changer for me, too – being able to share these experiences with five amazing friends has been one of the high points of this career. And meeting and interacting with all the readers – priceless. Thank you for coming along for the ride with us! Click here to read the first Wicked interview with me.

Our first guest was Connie Archer on June 13, 2013. Click here to read the interview.

Barb: When we first started the blog, Clammed Up, the first book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series, wasn’t out yet. That would come in September. Since then, there have been six books and a novella, with a seventh book, Steamed Open, and a second novella collection, Yule Log Murder coming this year. During the initial period when we started the blog, my granddaughter was born and my mother died, so it has very much been the circle of life for me over the last five years. Click here to read the first Wicked interview with me.

Kim joined us on January 21, 2014. Click here to read her first post.

Jane Haertel joined us on February 6, 2015. Click here to read her first post.

Readers: How has your life changed in past five years?

Published by Sherry Harris

Sherry Harris is the author of the Agatha Award nominated Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Mystery series.

47 Thoughts

  1. It’s so much fun to be part of this blog! (she says, waving at those of you I saw or chatted with this past weekend at Malice Domestic). I’ve been published for ten years now, but the biggest change has been that that people now recognize me, and come up to me at events like Malice and tell me that they love my books, and thank me for writing them. That’s why we all do it, isn’t it? Love the writers’ community, both authors and readers!

  2. Five years!?! How can that be, when I’m the same age now as I was when you all started the Wickeds blog….My writing life turned completely sideways after Seascape, when I became more of an editor than a writer, but it’s been a great pleasure seeing classmates pursue their dreams. You all have provided so many fun posts over this past half-decade. Thank you!

  3. Happy 5th anniversary! Your blog is one that I read every day. Over the past five years, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you better. You have all become some of my favorite authors, and I impatiently wait for release day each time a new book comes out. Keep up the great work!

  4. Happy anniversary, Wickeds! I love all you’ve accomplished, and I love how you make each other stronger with your support. Here’s to five, ten, and fifteen more!

  5. Happy Five years! I discovered this blog through Facebook and enjoy reading the blog every morning, before I head off to work. Thanks to your blog, I’ve learned about each of you fabulous authors and what it’s like to be a writer. Your blog has also tuned me into new authors and new books and I really enjoy recommending them to friends and library patrons. I’m a huge cozy/ mystery book lover and this blog is just terrific to read! Thank you ladies and continued success! 😊📚

    1. We’re so pleased you are part of our community, Andrea. That was our goal – to create a community of readers. Thank you for your warm words!

  6. So many changes in my life too. We took the plunge and sold out, decluttered and moved into our new home at the other end of the state. For me who doesn’t like change, that was a major thing.

    On top of that, Mom who had lived with us for 5 years with cancer and Alzheimer went to her heavenly home. For years my “job” was to take care of my folks. Now they were both gone and I didn’t have the job I loved to do.

    Medical problems have increased in the last five years. Understand when they say getting old isn’t for sissies now.

    In recent years, with being unable to do a lot I could before, have been able to read more and thoroughly enjoy it. <3

    1. Those are a lot of changes, Kay, and not easy ones. I’m glad we can help with the silver lining of providing you with reading material.

  7. Congrats on five years! And on all the great work all of you do! Great seeing so many of you at Malice—but hey, Liz, missed you!!

  8. Love this blog. In the past five years, I have happily retired early. Have a tiny small business and finished draft one of my first mystery. Hopefully getting through the draft 2 process soon!
    Oh! And busier than ever now that I am retired!

  9. You ladies rock! Wow! You’ve accomplished so much, seriously, I stand in awe. Long live the Wickeds!!!

  10. Happy 5 years! 5 years ago I was still a newlywed, and we had moved into our house and were prepping for our first summer with a pool and a high-maintenance yard. Had we known…might have stayed in the condo. 🙂 I wasn’t the voracious reader I am today, and I didn’t have my own fur-baby. So life is much better than it was then. More complicated, but better!

  11. So proud of you all. In the last 5 years, I have retired and am loving it!

  12. Happy five-year blogiversary! How has my life changed? Instead of just dreaming about being published, I AM published. Every time I said, “My debut novel comes out in August” while at Malice last weekend, I couldn’t believe those words were coming out of my mouth. 🙂

  14. Happy anniversary, ladies! I may not always comment but I do enjoy this blog and while I haven’t quite gotten to some of the books yet, I have books written by all of you. The ones I have read are awesome and I know the ones I will read will be just as amazing! Here’s to many more years for the blog, you’ve all come a long way in 5 years!

  15. It was such fun reading your first post. I don’t think I had ever done that. I need to go back and read your interviews now – later today for sure.

    I found your blog just before your first anniversary. And this reminds me, there is one Wicked book I still haven’t gone back and read yet. I still need to get my hands on Barbara’s first book. But that is the only one I am missing. I’m so glad I found you because I love your books, and I’m not sure I would have picked all of them up otherwise.

    5 years ago, my nephew had just been born and I was working a temp job down in Burbank. That job ended the next spring, and when I was unemployed I found your blog. Some of your books were devoured while I was looking for another job. That next job has come and gone (company was bought out, last day was last Friday). I’ve gotten to meet all of you when I made it to my first two Malice Domestic conventions, which was so much fun.

    This blog is one I make sure I visit every day. I love hanging out with all of you.

    1. And we’re delighted to have you as a regular, Mark, and as a reviewer who loves the kinds of stories we write! Wishing you all the best finding the next job.

      1. Thank you very much, Edith.

        And I can’t believe I forgot to mention a very big way my life has changed in the last five years. For the first time in my adult life, I don’t have roommates! That’s as of August of last year.

    2. Your blog, Carstairs Considers, is amazing too, Mark! I have found so many great books to read by visiting it. Thanks for all you do for authors!

  17. Thanks for being here every day. I certainly enjoy finding you on my screen. Congratulations on the first five years and on your exceptional successes!

  18. Congrats on 5 years and for all your accomplishments!! In the last five years, I retired, went back to work at a completely different kind of profession, retired again (almost), and am thoroughly enjoying all your books. Finding this blog is one of my best discoveries ever. I feel I have a whole new family here. Thanks for bringing so much pleasure to us all.

  19. Happy, happy Blogversary!!! I do not remember how many years ago that I found you, probably in the first year somewhere.. It has been such a pleasure to watch you all grow as authors and to try to keep up with all the books you have written. Here’s to many, many more!!!

  20. Happy blogiversary to you all, my wicked friends! It was just five years ago this month that I sold the first cozy in my Witch City Mystery series to Kensington. Working now on Book #8. I feel as though I know you all and hope to meet each of you in person some day. (Maybe Bouchercon 2018?)

    1. It sounds like we are on the same path, Carol! I’m writing number 8 too! I will be at Bouchercon so I hope we can meet!

  21. Hi wicked writers! I’ve only been on Facebook a couple of years. Before that, too busy with teaching and other life “stuff!” I have been reading cozies for Many a good long years. The wicked author I’m most familiar with is Barbara Ross. I’ve read all her Clambake books. Seeing her name drew me to the blog. Great luck! I always enjoy the blog when I have time to read it. Also like the clock shop series. I hope to get to more of all your wicked books within the next five years! Keep on with on your wicked writing! Happy Fifth Blog Year!

  22. Happy Anniversary to all the Wickeds. It has been a joy for me to read your blogs every day. I look forward to reading this blog for many many more years. I felt your love for us readers at Malice this past weekend. It is nice to feel appreciated. Keep up the great work ladies.

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