The Daydreamer Detective (Miso Cozy Mysteries #1)By SJ Pajonas
Genre: Mystery/ Cozy Mystery
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 31 march 2016
Blurb:
Luck? Forget it. Mei Yamagawa is fresh out of it. She's just been downsized from her 3rd job in five years and her bank account is dry. Now, to keep her head above water, she must leave Tokyo and move back to her rural Japanese hometown. And there's nothing worse than having to face your old rivals and ex-boyfriends as a failure while starting life over as a farm girl.
But when her best friend's father is murdered, and her best friend is named the main suspect, Mei turns her daydreaming ways towards solving the crime. Between dates disguised as lunches with the town's hottest bachelor chef, searching for clues, and harvesting sweet potatoes, Mei has a lot of non-paying work cut out for her.
Will she catch the killer before her bad luck turns worse? Or will she fry in the fire with the rest of her dreams of success?
You can find The Daydreamer Detective on Goodreads
You can buy The Daydreamer Detective here:
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- iBooks
About the Author:Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, amateur astrologer, Capricorn, and Japanophile. She loves foxes, owls, sushi, yoga pants, Evernote, and black tea. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing or spending time outside, unless it’s winter. She hates winter. Someday she’ll own a house in both hemispheres so she can avoid the season entirely. She’s a mom to two great kids and lives with her husband and family outside NYC. They have no pets. Yet. When it comes to her work, expect the unexpected. She doesn’t write anything typical. Find her online at http://www.spajonas.com.
Interview:
Where are you from?
I'm originally from Michigan. It's where I grew up and went to school. I've lived in the east coast now, though, for 16 years, the first ten in New York City and since then in New Jersey, where I currently reside.
Tell us your latest news?
On March 31, I publish the first book of my Miso Cozy Mystery series, The Daydreamer Detective! This is a cozy mystery, drama, and romance series that takes place in Japan. I’ve always loved mysteries so finally writing a whole mystery series is going to be fun for me! This first book will be followed by the second book in late June.
When and why did you begin writing?
I have the typical “I’ve always written story” but I deviated from the plan quite a bit from college onward. I wanted to be a screenwriter, but then I graduated from college with a lot of debt that I needed to pay back. So instead of moving to California to try and be a starving artist, I learned how to design and build websites, which is what I did for 10 years until I married and had kids. I decided to stay home with them and go back to writing instead of returning to web design. It’s been great writing and publishing books. I feel very fortunate.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think once I was in high school and I saw that I could be creative with writing. I learned how to write and put together a story by writing fanfic in the 1990s. Then I learned more about creative writing and writing for the screen in college.
What inspired you to write your first book?
I wrote a lot of screenplay from high school through middle school. Everything from thriller to romance, but they all sit in a trunk now because they were awful! My first full-length novel that went anywhere was my debut, Removed. It’s the first book in a Japan-inspired post-apocalyptic science fiction series. I got the idea for the novel five years ago after the great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I saw the devastation and the amazing resilience of the Japanese people and thought, “If anyone will survive the end of the world, the Japanese will.” That’s when I got my idea! It’s been great writing about Japan the last 5 years. I love Japan and Japanese culture and exploring it through my writing is a lot of fun.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I believe I do, but it’s hard to describe. The way that I put together sentences is pretty unique. A lot of people identify my work by the way I that I write. Until recently, I felt I could only write in present tense, but I challenged myself on this last book to write in past tense! I had a lot of trouble adapting to the new style, so I ended up writing the book and present tense and switching it to past tense in revisions. It worked out really well, and I think the book is stronger in past tense.
How did you come up with the title?
Titles are the hardest thing for me to come up with for a book. Either I know the title right away or I struggle with the title for many months. When I realized that my main character in this cozy mystery was a daydreamer, the title jumped right out at me. And I love the fact that the title is alliterative. The Daydreamer Detective just rolls off the tongue. I’m pleased with that.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
It seems that I always have a few messages in each book. This particular book contains a few themes I think readers will like. Mei Yamagawa, the heroine of The Daydreamer Detective, struggles with her own self-worth. She’s like a lot of people who are confused and not sure what to do with their lives. I hope readers see a little bit of themselves in her struggles. One of the other themes of the book is that modern isn’t always better. Sometimes traditional methods are just as good as their modern counterparts.
How much of the book is realistic?
That’s a tough question! The Daydreamer Detective is definitely fiction, as most murder mysteries are, and the rural town of Chikata is fictional as well. All of the Japanese elements in the book, though, are realistic. The Japanese police and judicial system are very different from the ones I’ve come to known here in the United States, so I tried to make solving a mystery in Japan as real as possible within a small community. The Japanese food, customs, and cultural elements are all true as well. I tried to include some Japanese vocabulary in an effort to keep things genuine, too. Hopefully readers will get a good taste of Japan and want to learn more!
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I based some of Mei’s doubts and career problems on my own experiences in my 20s but that’s about it. I like to gather relevant news stories and other current events both here in the United States and in Japan and use them in my books. Inspiration for story elements can come from anywhere!
What books have most influenced your life most?
I find that the science fiction books that I read in my youth are still the most influential books I’ve ever read. They inspired me and kept my creativity alive. I still find myself daydreaming about far-off worlds often, and I want to get back to writing science fiction in the very near future.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
My favorite author is Haruki Murakami. I love his ingenious ideas and the simple way he writes his books. I wish he could be my mentor!
What book are you reading now?
I’m currently in an audiobooks kick! I’ve been listening to James S. A. Corey’s The Expanse Series and really enjoying the audiobook narration. I’m currently between books on my Kindle but I plan to pick up a science-fiction romance book soon. I think I’m going through a science fiction phase right now. Could be worse!
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
When it comes to cozy mysteries, Nikki Haverstock is my new go to author. I find that I’m attracted to fairytale fantasies and want to learn about new authors in that genre, but otherwise I’ve been writing a lot and haven’t paid attention to new debut authors. If you have some suggestions, please leave them in the comments!
What are your current projects?
I’m currently doing some freelance writing, I’m working on the second book of the Miso Cozy Mystery Series, and I’m plotting out a science fantasy novella for publication in December. My main focus is on the second book of the mystery series, The Daydreamer Detective Braves the Winter. I can’t wait to get it out to everyone!
What would you like my readers to know?
I want to thank your readers for having me here today! If they’re looking for unexpected fiction with the Japanese twist, then I have plenty of books for them! You can find me on my website at http://www.spajonas.com
You can find and contact SJ Pajonas here:
- Website
- Goodreads
- Tumblr
- Youtube
- Wattpad
- Amazon
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Daydreamer. There will be two winners:
- One US Resident will win: One paperback copy of Adult Coloring Book Japan, One Signed Copy of The Daydreamer Detective, One signed copy of Removed, and a surprise flavor of Pocky!
- One International Resident will win: One ebook copy of The Daydreamer Detective, One ebook copy of Removed, and One ebook of each Rice Cooker Revenge, Washing Statue Wanderlust, and Mamachari Matchmaker
For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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Thanks for being part of this blog tour and for sharing your interview with SJ Pajonas! I enjoyed reading it! I definitely think Pajonas has an unique writing style, I always find writing style hard to describe, but there's something about her writing style that works for me. And I loved reading about the Japanese justice system in this book. Great interview! I enjoyed reading it :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for having me today on your blog! I so enjoyed answering all of your question. :)
ReplyDelete