Meet Finn, Quinn, and Colton: The Chaos is Coordinated (Mostly)
I am working hard on the rewire for my recent book, Pine Crimes. It’s a temporary title, since I don’t want my fun working title to give the concept to a shady plagiarist. I’m trying to get it out there as soon as possible, when I won’t need to be as secretive about the core inspiration. For now, though, it’s our little secret- The Cozy Crime Lab. I’m considering a working name of Cozy Crime Time.
I know we can’t control everyone, but I believe my take on the concept is unique. Come for the mystery, stay for the cozy.
Cover art is deliberately clunky, done in AI Firefly and Canva. The friends mentioned are everyone that laughed as we sorted ideas for this world.
Every forensics team needs a little unpredictability. In Cozy Crime Time, that unpredictability is named Finn, Quinn, and Colton.
Finn organizes the chaos.
Quinn creates the chaos (but with purpose).
Colton is in the chaos.
Together, they keep things interesting.
Quinn: The Vlogmas Mastermind Behind the Scenes
Quinn might seem calm and quiet, but that’s a trick. He’s actually the one crafting the story.
🎥 He’s the genius behind Vlogmas Gamerton, the YouTube channel that blends just enough actual knowledge with enough absolute nonsense to keep viewers guessing.
📽️ He has a filmmaker’s mind, making sure everything they do feels like it has a purpose.
😏 While Finn is setting up logistics, Quinn is already three steps ahead, figuring out how to make this content.
Finn: The Organizer (and Enabler)
Finn is the reason their plans don’t collapse instantly.
📅 He organizes their adventures, makes sure they have permission first, and communicates with whoever they need to.
😎 Once permission is secured? He’s all in. No hesitation, full chaos mode.
🚑 He’s also an actual EMT, which is helpful when they inevitably need medical attention.
🕹️ He and Quinn apply their vast experience with video games to deliver shockingly effective (and sometimes concerningly accurate) emergency care.
Colton: The Wildcard on Fall Break
Colton was supposed to be focused on college at North State University (NSU, home of the Fighting Hedgehogs!), but instead? He’s here.
🏈 Not playing sports, but serving food in the charitable burger booth.
📹 Visiting on fall break, volunteering with Finn and Quinn while considering making a movie or recording music afterwards.
🎤 If there’s an opportunity to say something that makes people pause and rethink their life choices, Colton will take it.
When Lady Evangeline’s sword was discovered, his first reaction?
"So…who’s the chosen one?"
Honestly? Fair question.
Why These Three Matter
Are they unpredictable? Yes.
Do they sometimes make professionals regret their career choices? Also yes.
But do they bring humor, energy, and a unique insight to every scene? Absolutely.
Finn, Quinn, and Colton aren’t just there for comic relief. They care about the work they do. They just happen to do it in a way that involves movie-making dramatics, video game references, and at least one questionable idea per shift.
And honestly? The team wouldn’t be the same without them.
Behind the Scenes: Today’s Writing Challenge
Today’s challenge was introducing them to Raven in a way that felt cohesive, chaotic, and also reasonable, so the characters didn’t blur into one another. I used a lot of details and unique perspectives to keep them distinct. They’re unpredictable, questionable, and a lot of fun.
Anyone remember a search and rescue game on Mount Everest? Or maybe it was a trying to climb Everest game. With lots of ladders.
Anyway, a pretend Everest game inspires the trio’s technique for searching the pond.
And you know I had to create a university for Colton—because he’s on break, so of course, he’d be wearing a college mascot t-shirt. Welcome to North State University, where the books aren’t banned and students can be curious. And their mascot? Meet the NSU hedgehog. The Fighting Hedgehogs never back down. They may be small, but they’re scrappy, and sharp.
I had to choose an eclectic mascot for the Pine Crimes university. After all, I’m a proud Banana Slug! 🐌💛
I mainly wanted an image for Colton’s t-shirt. And now I have a library of graphics that I want to put on t-shirts. Fake university, real cool hedgehogs 🤣 More graphics coming soon! Thanks for joining the adventure. What do you think? Should I modify the working title to keep the premise more under wraps for search engine crawlers? Or keep using the original working title so we dominate if anyone searches for a cozy crime lab? I genuinely don’t know which way is most beneficial to our mighty story.
Hope your day is going well 🩵
