What would people think of me and my book? Would the attendees and authors be friendly, or would they snub a newcomer?

This would also be my first conference in about a year that I’d be attending with my POTS diagnosis. For those who don’t know, POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It’s an autonomic disorder that causes my heart to beat faster and faster when I change positions or exercise. Large crowds, lack of sleep, and lots of noise often cause my POTS symptoms to worsen, and if you’ve ever been to a writer’s conference before, you’ll know that they often have large crowds, late nights, and lots of noise.

The last conference I attended with POTS was Realm Makers 2025, and there were several times that I barely made it back to my hotel room before I collapsed on my bed and had to lay still for a while because of dizziness. It made the conference incredibly difficult during the day because I just felt awful the whole time. But I was determined that this conference would be different. I didn’t want to spend every moment trying to determine if I was going to pass out or if I could work through my symptoms.

Several of my favorite authors were going to be in attendance, and I didn’t want to miss out on meeting them because I was stumbling back to my hotel room.

So this time, I made a plan, and it’s a plan that I will continue to use as I have two more conferences and one more book festival to attend this year!

1. Remember that it’s okay if your schedule looks different.

I’m one of those people that only ever sleeps well in my own bed. Which means whenever I go to conferences and am staying in a hotel, I know I won’t get good quality sleep. At Realm Makers 2025, I paid for my lack of sleep dearly and spent several weeks with really rough POTS symptoms that refused to go away. I didn’t want that to happen again, so I spent time figuring out my schedule, even if it looked a lot different than I wanted it to be.

I marked every session that was a must-attend session for me, and every other time slot that wasn’t a must-attend session was a time for me to go back to my hotel room, put my feet up, and rest.

I didn’t attend the late-night events. Instead, I went back to my hotel room, showered, and tried to get some sleep.

Did this mean I missed out on some things that sounded really, really fun?

Yeah, I did. However, I didn’t spend the whole conference dizzy and in a half state of consciousness. I was able to actually enjoy the sessions and signings that I went to because I rested when I could.

2. Eat and drink.

Coffee is a staple for writers. And it’s the go-to source of all nutrition and energy at writer’s conferences. Who needs water and fruit and veggies when you’ve got coffee to fuel you for three days?

Well, after nearly passing out in the Starbucks line at Realm Makers 2025, I realized that coffee and me were no longer the best friends that I wanted to be and drinking only coffee at a conference was no longer feasible for my body.

During the Malice Domestic conference, I made sure to eat three full meals with fruits and veggies, had a salty snack on me at all times (for those who don’t know, salt often helps POTS symptoms!), and drank mostly water with electrolytes. I only caved and got coffee twice, and both times, I made sure it was decaf.

It’s amazing how much better one can feel when actual food and water are being consumed…

3. Don’t go it alone.

It was so helpful to have my husband there with me because he knew my struggles. I’m really bad at remembering to eat and drink right, and he made sure I had two water bottles with electrolytes a day and had all three meals every day. He never complained about missing a session or late-night event while I rested in our hotel room, and he always insisted on keeping me company.

And honestly, he was the best marketer for my book. I felt so shy about sharing that I was a debut author, but my husband proudly carried around my bookmarks and passed them out to every single person who looked his way!

If you are at all able to travel with a spouse or friend or family member who knows your POTS struggles, I cannot recommend it enough.

While I was sad to miss out on some wonderful-sounding events at Malice Domestic due to POTS, I’m very grateful that I was able to enjoy the entire conference and reach my home without any severe POTS symptoms. It truly was a night-and-day experience with the last writing conference I attended, and I plan to use these tips for my upcoming conferences as well.

I also can’t end this post without giving a shout-out to Malice Domestic. The conference exceeded my expectations with its kind attendees and authors, and I am 100% planning on attending next year with my husband! Everyone made else feel so welcome and was so excited with me over my debut Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out. I already can’t wait for next year!

For those with a chronic illness, how do you handle writer’s conferences or book festivals? Are there different things that you have to do to survive? Give me all your tips!

For years, I wrote fantasy novels and dreamed of traditionally publishing in the YA fantasy space. But then my husband introduced me to the cozy mystery genre, and I completely fell in love with the stories. They were a light in a world that was so dark. They made me laugh, and through reading these stories, I remembered just how much laughter could be a balm for my soul.

But there was one thing missing from the cozy mysteries I was reading—younger protagonists. I felt strongly that cozy mysteries could and should have a larger audience. Especially with the rise in cozy fantasy, I felt like new adult readers were longing for more stories with cozy vibes. And who wouldn’t want a cozy story with a side of murder (okay, maybe just me, but still)??

So I set out to write a story in a genre that’s called “junk fiction” (people don’t know what they’re talking about. This term makes me so mad when it refers to cozies. Just because something is cozy and light doesn’t mean it’s junk. Since when was laughter junk???) and for a different age group than cozies are usually written for. Smart? I don’t know about that. Unhinged? Definitely.

I poured myself into the story and prayed that it would find its readers. I didn’t expect that to be so hard.

I thought that a good book cover and a good back cover blurb would help make sure my book would find the right reader.

HA

I received a low review because someone thought the book was a thriller (still confused by this. What about this cover and synopsis says thriller??).

I received a low review because there wasn’t enough romance.

I received a low review because I talked about food too much in the book.

I received a low review because someone didn’t know there was family drama in the book and didn’t like that (they clearly didn’t read the back cover copy…).

I was told at a writer’s conference that no one who loved cozy mysteries would read my book because it was written from the perspective of a Gen Z amateur sleuth.

For a while, I thought maybe I’d made a huge mistake. Maybe my book was actually trash and I never should’ve published it. Maybe I never should’ve tried writing for a new adult audience in a genre that was typically for women 50+.

But then a reader reached out to me, in tears. She’d been going through a tough family situation, and my book gave her hope that maybe one day it could be resolved.

Another reader reached out—my book had made her laugh during a time when life was really hard and she had so few things to smile about.

And this is what I wish I could’ve told my pre-debut self. Not every reader is going to like your book. Not every reader is going to understand your book.

It’s going to be insanely hard to find those right readers for your book. You’ll probably find a lot of the wrong readers first. But when you do find those readers who understand your story, hold onto that. Because it is for those people that you keep writing.

Someone out there needs your story. So write it.

WHERE TO FIND ME

I’d love to be able to see you this year! If you want to bring your copy of Beatrice to be signed or snag a signed copy, you can find me at the events below!

June 10-12, 2026 One Year Adventure Novel Conference

June 24-27, 2026 Realm Makers Conference

July 11-12, 2026 Columbus Book Festival

Which is exactly what they tell you not to do as a debut author.

Oops.

But after taking some time to reflect on my first book release, I wanted to share something I’ve been thinking about.

Fear.

The truth is, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on writing craft workshops, conferences, and webinars all talking about the best way to write a book and catch an agent’s eye. I’ve entered contest after contest only to never make it to the second round. I’ve been writing for fifteen years now, working and reworking story after story, hoping that each one might be the one that I can call my debut. I’ve queried over a hundred agents, each email sent with a prayer that they might think my writing worth something.

And little by little, as the rejections trickled in, as conference speakers told me I just needed to work harder to be a better writer, as the contest judges told me my books were “okay just not good enough,” I slowly lost all confidence in my ability to write.

What I didn’t realize is how that would bleed into my debut’s release.

Every day that I worked toward publishing Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out, the voice in the back of my head became louder and louder.

Who did I think I was to publish a book?

No one in my audience wanted a silly Gen Z cozy mystery. They only wanted poignant, heart-wrenching fantasy or science fiction.

And no one in the cozy mystery audience would want me either. They wanted books about middle-aged women kicking butt, not a new adult woman trying to figure out life again.

Sadly, the closer I drew to release day, the more I was afraid to let this book release. My marketing plan fell apart. I started to post less, I withdrew from my street team, I didn’t reach out to the podcasts or blogs or newspapers that I’d wanted to.

Release day arrived, and it was hard to feel celebratory. I didn’t feel proud of myself. I didn’t feel like I knew how to be proud of myself.

That is my biggest regret. I didn’t believe in my myself. I didn’t believe in this book.

And that meant I missed out on opportunities I could’ve had. I missed out on celebrating something I’d worked very hard on.

Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out was not written to be a heart-wrenching, tear-jerking story that settles deep in your soul. And for that reason alone, it won’t be a book for many. Instead, it was a book written for anyone who has felt alone, directionless, and purposeless. A book meant to make them laugh and remind them that joy can be found even in seemingly small moments of life.

It was a book written to be quirky and humorous and silly because sometimes we need to be reminded that laughter is a balm for the soul.

Publishing a book is worth celebrating for sure. But publishing a book that came from the heart is doubly worth celebrating, I think.

So to each and every one of you who picked up a copy of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out despite my poor attempts at marketing, I cannot thank you enough. You are incredible. Thank you for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I’m so lucky to have readers like you!

If you’re interested in reading the first three chapters of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out to see what you think or if you’re a huge cozy fan and want to snag some other mysteries to cozy up with this winter, a group of cozy authors and I have joined together to give away some free, cozy books/book excerpts! (NOTE: I have not read the other books in the promo, so I can’t speak to their quality, but I’ve already downloaded several to try myself!).

Snag Cozy Mysteries!

If you love stories of laughter and joy, of sibling banter and loyalty, then I invite you into the world of Thisbe Harbor, and in its pages, I hope you find the hope and courage to keep flickering onward, even when all seems lost.

I want to take a moment to give a HUGE shoutout to my street team. They received early ARCs of the book, and their encouragement and love for this story fueled many days where I just felt like maybe I should cancel it all. Thank you so much to each and every one of you for all your help. You gave a chance on this newbie, scatterbrained author, and I’m so grateful to you.

If you haven’t snagged a copy yet, feel free to grab one at any of the links below!

Order a signed copy direct from me.

Order to support an indie bookstore.

Order from Amazon.

Order from Barnes & Noble.

I hope that you love this story and it brings some laughter and joy to you!

I’m so grateful to each and every one of you who have shouted from the rooftops about this silly quirky book and every one of you who have preordered and helped bring my dream of being an author to life. Authors truly couldn’t do it without readers, and I’ve been so blessed to have some wonderful readers already!

To celebrate receiving my final copies, I read part of the first page over on Instagram!

It’s been a joy to see readers enjoying Beatrice already. Here are some kind words they’ve had to say!

If you’re interested in preordering, there’s still time, and you can snag your preorder goodies too!

Preorder a signed copy direct from me.

Preorder to support an indie bookstore.

Preorder from Amazon.

Preorder from Barnes & Noble.

Claim your Preorder Goodies

And last, but not least, I’m attending several events this year that I’d love to see you at!

April 4, 2026 Signing at Paragraphs Bookstore

April 24-26, 2026 Malice Domestic Conference

June 10-12, 2026 One Year Adventure Novel Conference

June 24-27, 2026 Realm Makers Conference

But after my first son was born, I struggled with severe postpartum depression. Writing something as complex and expansive as fantasy could be just wasn’t an option. I found myself not writing at all because I was too exhausted and overwhelmed to even think about the fantasy world I wanted to write about much less create any rules for the magic system. Even reading fantasy felt impossible (with the exception of a few cozy fantasy books that I will forever recommend ((Coral by Sara Ella at the top of that list. This book helped me find my courage to ask for help with my depression, and I will forever be grateful to Sara for writing this book.)))

It was then that my husband introduced me to the cozy mystery genre. They were humorous, light-hearted books that were just a blast to read. While the stakes were high (solving a murder/keeping another murder from happening), the suspense and tension weren’t so gripping that I couldn’t put the book down when mom duties called.

These books were exactly what I needed, and I DEVOURED them.

But the more I read, the more I wished that there was a cozy mystery about someone in a similar situation of life to me. Someone who was a young/new adult (early twenties at the time) who really didn’t know what they were doing in life. Someone who was struggling against the expectations of others and of society and trying to build their own path but not knowing how to do it.

I also wanted to see a cozy mystery where the protagonist truly struggled to build a small business. I’m more than happy to suspend my belief to read about a baker who starts a bakery from scratch and is highly successful by the end of the book because it’s just fun. But I wanted to know if it was possible to write a series of cozies where the protagonist truly started from nothing and built her niche business from the ground up, going through the struggles real small business owners go through.

And so a seedling of an idea was planted.

As a small business owner myself, I knew intimately what it took to build a small business and not see immediate success or even reach the goals you’d hoped for year after year. I knew what it was like to struggle to build a small business while balancing family and life and all the random craziness that life throws at you. And I wanted to show this in a story.

In 2022, I wrote the first drafts of what is now Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out. The story went through several different iterations, an earlier version becoming a finalist in The Claymore Awards and receiving a revise and resubmit request from a prominent cozy mystery publisher. But the story that it’s now is the one I’m most proud of. And after lots of thinking and praying, I decided that I wanted to retain control of the characters and the series and decided to self-publish.

So here we are, 21 days from the release of my debut novel. It’s quirky, it’s funny, and the main character is balancing a lot. But it’s real and it’s hopeful and I can’t wait for you to enjoy it. If you’ve never picked up a cozy mystery before, consider giving this one a try. You may find that a slower paced story filled with sibling banter is just what you need.

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For example, after having my first child and working through severe postpartum depression, I couldn’t read fantasy books. Even the lightest of fantasy books felt too much for my mind to handle. And it’s during this time that I found cozy mysteries.

They were the light, laughter-filled balm that my heart needed. They were the perfect book where I could put it down to care for my child and pick it up again when I needed another laugh. There were no high stakes, heart-pounding, mind-blowing moments in these books, but that’s exactly what I was looking for.

As I mentioned earlier, though, not every book is for every person. So here are 5 reasons you may not like my debut, Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out:

1. You don’t enjoy slower paced stories focused on the characters.

There is certainly a mystery in Beatrice Ophelia—a mystery our heroine gets quite wrapped up in. But the story isn’t a high stakes, page flipper. It focuses more on the characters’ journeys. Where they’re at in life, their struggles, their insecurities. At its core, Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out is about a woman who’s reached adulthood but still doesn’t know what that is supposed to look like. She’s feeling lonely, not good enough, and completely incapable of meeting society’s expectations for her. It’s a story of her letting herself dream a little again and trying to make a go of adulting one more time.

2. You don’t like main characters who are overthinkers.

Beatrice is an overthinker. She’s juggling a lot on her plate and is trying to figure out how to balance it all while also trying to consider her future. So if you’re not a huge fan of a character who thinks a lot (and sometimes spirals in her thoughts, iykyk), you probably won’t enjoy this book.

3. You don’t like stories where the main character actually has to work hard at starting a small business from nothing.

A big pet peeve of mine is when a story has a small business and that small business is hugely successful at the start and never has any problems. I’m a small business owner (I make candles at Lamplighter Literary Creations!), and I know intimately that starting and running a small business is HARD WORK. It took me a whole year of working hard to break even, two years to see a bit of profit, and four years before I saw my candles in a physical store.

And I want to show that real journey in this series. So in this book, Beatrice finds her dream of candlemaking and begins considering to make it a reality. She’s scared, she’s overwhelmed, but she’s passionate about it and going to do everything in her power to make her candlemaking business work.

So if you’re not a fan of seeing a real behind-the-scenes look at starting a small business (And I get it! Sometimes it’s fun just to see the business already working!), Beatrice is probably not for you.

4. You don’t like sibling banter.

Theseus (or Theo), Beatrice’s brother, is inspired by my own brother, and the brother-sister duo is inspired by my own relationship with my brother. I adore my brother, and we often banter back and forth. I wanted to capture that fun in this story between Beatrice and Theseus!

5. You don’t like Gen Z characters.

This is probably a big “run away” for many people, but Beatrice and Theo and Julian are Gen Z. So yes, the story will read a bit younger than your standard cozy mystery. Because they aren’t your standard cozy mystery protagonist (which usually are between 35 and 60ish). Think of this book more like Vivien Chien’s Noodle Shop Mysteries where Lana Lee is a millennial.

But if you’re not a fan of a true new adult protagonist figuring adulthood out, then Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out is probably not for you!

So what do you think? What are your opinions on these?

And don’t forget, if you’re interested in reading the first three chapters of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out to see what you think or if you’re a huge cozy fan and want to snag some other mysteries to cozy up with this winter, a group of cozy authors and I have joined together to give away some free, cozy books/book excerpts! (NOTE: I have not read the other books in the promo, so I can’t speak to their quality).

So all who preorders a copy of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out and fills out the claim form will receive:

• A character art card of Beatrice, Julian, & Theo at Dine on a Dime (drawn by @watersnail1 on Instagram!)

• A sticker of Julian and Beatrice (drawn by @watersnail1 on Instagram!)

• A Smallmouth Bass Festival ticket bookmark

• Entry into the Grand Preorder Prize Giveaway of all the items above PLUS two 9oz wood wick candles and a cookie mix inspired by the book (candles created by Lamplighter Literary Creations and cookie mix created by StoryCrumbs!)

And if you have not yet preorder the book, but would like to do so, you can support a local bookstore by preordering from Paragraphs Bookstore (they are truly the best bookstore in the world and are the kindest people ever!!) or you can order directly from me at Lamplighter Literary Creations.

Claim Your Preorder Goodies

And as a fun update, I was so so grateful to be able to do a short interview with Dru Ann Love at drusbookmusing.com! I’ve followed Dru for quite a while and have gotten several incredible recommendations of cozy authors to read from her amazing blog! I’d be so honored if you’d check out the blog post and say hi!

Read the Interview!

And if you’re interested in reading the first three chapters of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out or snagging some other mysteries to cozy up with this winter, a group of cozy authors and I have joined together to give away some free, cozy books/book excerpts! (NOTE: I have not read the other books in the promo, so I can’t speak to their quality).

Check Out More Cozy Books!

But I thought I had a thick skin when it came to reviews.

Turns out, I don’t.

I received my first 1 star review and my first two 2 star reviews last week, and it sent me into a spiral of “do I even want to publish anymore” and “no one should have to read my words, I’m the worst writer ever.” And this was something that I feel isn’t talked about enough in the author world.

I’m in the midst of drafting book two of the Lake Erie Mysteries. I’d told myself that I wouldn’t read any reviews of my book, but I might have my husband gather up any 4 and 5 star reviews for me to read and to encourage me on my drafting journey.

What I didn’t account for was the fact that apparently Netgalley EMAILS YOU every single piece of feedback that you receive. I’m assuming this is just an indie author thing as I’ve never seen a traditionally published author talk about this, but as an indie author, this is very much something I wish I’d known before putting my book on Netgalley!

Now, I know that I don’t have to open those emails, but I don’t have that kind of self control. So instead, I read every single word of every single one and two star review. I cried.

This book was supposed to make people laugh! To be cozy and fun. Not to be an irritant where someone can’t wait to finish so they don’t have to pick it up again.

Imposter Syndrome is something that every writer has to deal with. The little voices in your head telling you you’re not good enough or that no one will like you. But when those little voices seem like they are becoming reality in the form of a review, writing becomes 100 times harder.

Writing book two felt impossible. Entering a world where someone found my characters annoying and the story irritating? Why would I waste my time writing if that’s all I could write?

Thankfully, God gave me the sweetest husband and little boy to remind me why I write.

On one of the hardest days, where I was frustrated by the low reviews and doubly frustrated because I was struggling to write book two, I trudged upstairs to tuck my son into bed. And there next to him lay an early copy of my book. I’d gifted it to him a few days ago, and he’d been thrilled, but I’d thought nothing more of it. After all, it’d be quite a few years before he’d read it.

Yet there he lay, my book tucked next to him. He flipped the book over and patted the back cover, where my author picture smiled back at us. “I get to sleep close to you tonight, Mommy,” he whispered.

I’m not usually a happy-crier. But there’s something about seeing in your son’s eyes that he is proud of you, and his joy at having my book next to him reminded me of one very important thing:

I did not write this book for everyone.

I wrote this story for girls like me, who never feel like they are quite enough, because I wanted to remind them that your “enoughness” is not found in your successes.

I wrote this story to show overthinkers that they’re not too weird but there’s a place for them too.

And if there’s someone out there who doesn’t like the way an overthinker thinks or doesn’t like a slower paced mystery with a heavy emphasis on characters…well, my book wasn’t written for them.

Once my time on Netgalley is over, I plan to go back to not reading my reviews. Because the truth is, I don’t have a thick skin. I struggle to keep writing when reading other people’s thoughts about my stories. Instead, I want to keep the “who I’m writing for” at the forefront of my mind and keep creating stories for them.

How about you? Would you read your reviews if you had the choice? How would you handle a negative review?

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As a distance swimmer in high school, my coach constantly reminded me that I wasn’t as good as the other girls, and she largely ignored me.

A girl that I’d thought was my friend told me I wasn’t pretty enough to be anyone noteworthy.

So, as a junior in high school, I turned my attention to academics. I wanted to prove that I could be good at something. That I wasn’t mediocre at everything. At the age of 18, I graduated college with a 4.0 GPA from an online college. I thought I’d made it. That finally, people would see that I was good at something.

My parents were so proud. They were excited for the future ahead of me, and that made me excited too.

Until a different relative asked, “So when are you going to go to a real college?”

It felt like everything I’d worked so hard to accomplish vaporized in an instant. It didn’t matter that I had a bachelors degree at 18 years old. I hadn’t attended a “real” college, only an online college, so my achievements didn’t count.

I turned my attention to writing, a passion I’d discovered in high school. I longed to write stories that encouraged others, and I wanted to help other authors find success too. At a writer’s conference, I met with a literary agent who offered me an internship. I was over-the-moon excited. Finally, someone who thought I might be of some help to them. Who thought I was worth something!

But that literary agent never made it to a single one of the Zoom calls she’d set up to chat about the internship. I was devastated. I felt like I wasn’t good enough to be worth anyone’s time.

So I focused on writing. I wrote book after book after book. I dove deep into learning the craft of writing and how to develop a solid story. And when I had a book I felt might be the one, I queried.

Countless rejections later, an agent told me: “Your prose is beautiful, but the story is completely unsalvageable.”

Once again, I wasn’t good enough.

For a while, I quit writing. Beautiful prose was worth nothing if you couldn’t craft a decent enough story. And clearly, I couldn’t do that.

I was simply a mediocre girl. Never pretty enough. Never good enough. Never talented enough.

But a few years later, God gave me another story. One that I wished I’d had to read years earlier.

The story was about a college dropout who’d been laid off from yet another job. She was trying to figure out her passion in life but felt like she wasn’t good enough at anything. That she’d be stuck in small jobs that she hated for the rest of her life.

This woman was an overthinker, like me. Finding herself often spiraling about her life circumstances, desperate to change them, but having no idea how. Yet she doesn’t give up.

The story went through several different iterations, but that character always remained the same—Beatrice Ophelia Sawyer, a girl like me.

Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out has two dedications that are so very important to me:

I wrote this story for girls like me, who never feel like they are quite enough, because I wanted to remind them that your “enoughness” is not found in your successes. It’s found in Christ and His death on the cross. And that’s so freeing because it has nothing to do with you—it has everything to do with Him.

And then I wrote this story for my parents. As a thank you to them. They were the first ones who ever believed and invested in me as a writer, and to this day, they’ve never stopped believing and cheering me on. This story wouldn’t exist without them, and I’m so grateful that they never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not good enough or that you’re too mediocre to follow the dreams God has given you, this book is for you, and I hope it encourages you.

Last week, I posted a giveaway for a physical ARC of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out! Because you guys are the greatest, I’ve decided to give away TWO copies. And our winners are…

AlicetheDragonLover

and

Stephanie Koathes

Congratulations to both of you!! When you have a chance, shoot me a message with your address, and I’ll get your ARC sent to you ASAP!

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Beatrice is part of a another cozy mystery promo where cozy authors are joining together to promote their books! So if you’re interested in preordering Beatrice or reading some other cozies, check out the promo (NOTE: I have not read the other books in the promo, so I can’t speak to their quality).

From my research, I’ve heard that Netgalley readers are a very picky crowd. Several indie authors recommended not to use it because there are so many readers on there who will simply request everything in a category for the chance to receive a free book but are not actually your target audience and will leave a poor review. And Mystery & Thriller is such a broad category—a cozy mystery is certainly a lot different than a twisting thriller.

But I decided to go ahead and take the plunge because—and this is rather selfish, I know—I wanted to see my book on Netgalley. As a Netgalley user myself, it’s so cool to see my book listed with fellow Mystery & Thriller authors!

And who knows, maybe someone will read Beatrice, and I’ll be the author that convinces them that cozy mysteries are actually a lot of fun to read!

Beatrice will be up on Netgalley for request from January 1 to February 25, at which point it’ll be archived and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that reviewers will leave feedback and post reviews onto Amazon on release day! Speaking of which, we’re in 2026 so release day is 71 DAYS AWAY!

For those of you who are not on Netgalley, never fear, there is already an opportunity for you to read the first three chapters! Beatrice is part of a cozy mystery promo where authors are giving away samples or, in some cases, whole books for free! So if you’re interested in sampling Beatrice or reading some other cozies, check out the promo (NOTE: I have not read the other books in the promo, so I can’t speak to their quality).

And last, but not least, I think it’s time for a giveaway, don’t you? My very limited physical ARCs just arrived today, and I want to share them with you! ONE lucky subscriber (US only, I’m so sorry!) will be mailed a PHYSICAL ARC of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out! To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is comment below what you’re most excited about for this book. The winner will be announced in next week’s newsletter!

1. Cover Design

As a newbie author, I knew that a good cover would be one of the best ways to sell my book. I’d been advised by several cozy mystery authors to simply buy a premade cover and tweak it to fit my book. After all, covers are often one of the biggest expenses for indie authors. But I wanted something that would stand out against the sea of other cozy mysteries on Amazon and feel true to my story. Thankfully, through my editing business, I’ve connected with several incredibly talented cover designers. As I thought of who I wanted to hire, one person kept coming to mind: Lyndsey Lewellen.

I’ve loooooved Lyndsey’s covers from the first time I laid eyes on one, and I knew she would be able to perfectly capture my vision, so I saved up the money to hire her for the e-book, paperback, and hardcover editions of my book. And she was worth every penny!

If you’re wanting to hire a professional cover designer for your book, I’d recommend setting aside at least $500, but it really depends on who you want to hire and what kind of cover you want. Illustrated covers will often cost much more due to the extra time they take!

2. ISBNs

After looooots of research, I decided to go ahead and purchase my own ISBNs rather than have Amazon or IngramSpark generate their own. I wanted full control over everything I did with my book and the ability to make changes as needed.

I went ahead and purchased a pack of 100 ISBNs from Bowker ISBNs which cost me $575. While it’s technically a good deal when it comes to ISBNs, $5.75 per ISBN rather than $29.50 per ISBN (which is what it would cost if I’d bought just 10 ISBNs), I do somewhat regret this purchase because it was A LOT of money upfront. This means, my break-even point is $280 more than it could’ve have been. However, I do plan on writing several books in this series, so I’m hoping the large upfront cost will pay off in the long run! *fingers crossed*

3. Edits

As an editor myself, I know the value of hiring a good editor to go over my manuscript, and I was not about to skimp on this step in the indie publishing process. According to the Editorial Freelance Association’s rate chart, developmental edits cost an average of .03 to .04 per word. Copyedits cost an average of .02 to .03 per word. And proofreads cost an average of .012 to .02 per word.

Edits are really expensive. But hear me when I say, they’re really, really, really necessary for authors. In all stages of their writing journey, in my opinion.

Even as a professional editor myself, I hired someone to edit my book. Because I’m too close to my story to see all of its mistakes.

However, there are sometimes ways to cut down on the cost of editing. For the developmental edits, I hired an editor to provide a manuscript assessment rather than a full developmental edit. Editors will read the entirety of a manuscript assessment, just like in a developmental edit, and it will focus on plot, structure, characters, themes—the big picture stuff—but it’s typically not as in-depth as a developmental edit, making it cheaper than a full developmental edit.

Then, for the proofread, I traded services with an editor friend of mine. She edited my book for free in exchange for me doing the same for her. While this takes more time on my part, I adore this friend’s writing, and it lowers the amount of money I have to make before I break even, which is win-win in my book!

4. Formatting

I went back and forth on the formatting for quite some time. There are some highly reputable formatters out there who are fairly inexpensive, but if I was planning on writing a series, even the cost of an inexpensive formatter would start to add up. So I decided to purchase Atticus, which was compatible with my Windows computer. Atticus cost $147, but I will be able to format all of my books in the software, which will save me money in the long run.

Atticus was…not easy to learn, however. I spent hours watching videos and messing with the formatting only to print my proof copy of my book and realize it was still slightly messed up. Thankfully, my husband is a lot more savvy than I am when it comes to formatting, so I ended up handing the software and my book over to him to fix for me.

Am I happy I purchased Atticus? Yes. In the long run, it’ll be very worth it, and formatting will go faster with each book I work on because I’ll have had prior experience.

But it’s very time consuming to learn and quite frustrating unless you’re already familiar with the mechanics of book formatting.

Do you have any questions about self-publishing or any of the costs involved?

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MEET BEATRICE

Age: 24

Favorite Things: matcha tea, beaches, candles, and books

Sleuthing Superpower: her incredible penchant for nosiness

Beatrice is wildly creative and loves to find beauty in the simplest things. But sometimes her crazy ideas get her into trouble…like taking on a murder investigation. She’s fiercely loyal to her family and will do anything for them. She and her brother Theseus (Theo) are often mistaken as twins because they do everything together and are each other’s hype team.

Beatrice is a college dropout that is struggling to find her passion. She wants to do something that will impact people and share joy, but she has no idea what that looks like. She feels like she’s mediocre at everything she tries and feels like she has failed her parents. But she’s heading to Thisbe Harbor with hopes that she might figure out her next steps in life.

MEET THESEUS

Age: 22

Favorite Things: ghost hunting (don’t tell his parents), teasing Beatrice, and sleep

Sleuthing Superpower: his forensics training classes he’s taken in college

Theseus thinks the best thing a person can ever do is make someone else laugh. And that’s his aim in life. Which is why he likes playing ghost hunter. He doesn’t really believe in ghosts, but he loves the psychology behind why some people believe in ghosts and help them conquer their fear by proving the science behind why “ghosts” appear.

He will do anything for his dear sister BO (Beatrice Ophelia makes a great nickname, doesn’t it), but he is the only one allowed to tease her. Try to discourage or disparage her, and you’ll find yourself on Theo’s black list. And let’s just say he can be pretty creative when it comes to payback…

MEET JULIAN

Age: 24

Favorite Things: jazz music, oat milk lattes, his early ‘90s Saturn

Sleuthing Superpower: his knowledge of the townspeople

With his easygoing manner, bright smile, and willingness to help, Julian is the golden boy in Thisbe Harbor. Much to the chagrin of his older brother, Joel, who is the chief of police. Julian is studying for his Master of Music in Education with hopes to one day teach at the collegiate level, but something about Thisbe Harbor keeps pulling him back to stay. And when Beatrice comes back to town…well, if only he could get her to stop calling him “just a friend.”

I’d love to hear what you think of my dear characters in the comments below! And if you have any questions about them, feel free to ask!

And don’t forget that the book is now available to preorder both as an ebook and paperback!

Preorder Now!

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Today’s post is a bit different, but if you didn’t know, as well as being a writer and an editor, I am a candlemaker! I started my candle business, Lamplighter Literary Creations, in 2021 when my oldest son was only 2. It was something that we could work on together during the long days my husband was working at the time, and it taught both me and my son several valuable lessons.

Lamplighter Literary Creations was created to bring joy and light to the ordinary situations of life through scent, and that’s what I keep in mind every time I create a candle.

So, this Saturday through Monday, I wanted to let you know that all of the Lamplighter Literary Creations candles and room sprays are 20% off! AND since you are also a subscriber to my newsletter, I wanted to give you a little extra to say thank you. So if you add in the notes comment at checkout (or, if Shopify isn’t giving you the option, because for some reason that disappears sometimes), or shoot me an email at lamplighterliterarycreations@gmail.com with your order number, I will include a FREE room spray in your order!

As much as I hate being salesy, this is a really crucial time of year for most small businesses. This is the time of year we usually make the most sales, which enables us to continue through the slower months of the spring and summer. It would mean so very much to me and my family if you’d consider getting a candle or two as a gift for your friends and family and supporting our small business! Thank you!

1. BookFunnel

BookFunnel is an amazing tool for indie authors. It allows us to send ebooks out to endorsers and ARC readers, create and send out reader magnets while collecting emails for our newsletter lists. This was something that several indie author friends had recommended to me, but I’d forgotten about until I needed it—when I was sending out ARCs to potential endorsers.

BookFunnel wasn’t too expensive, compared to some of the other things I paid for in my indie author journey, but it was $100 that I wasn’t planning on spending right then. However, I would say that it was very worth the price. BookFunnel made it very easy to send out early ARCs to potential endorsers, and it’s taken a lot of stress off the ARC process for when it comes to sending out to my street team members.

I also appreciate that I can see who downloads the book I’ve sent out so I can ensure that the book has been received. As someone who has had trouble in the past with emails not arriving to their intended recipient, it’s a relief to know when my book has been received!

And, another perk, is that I’m able to offer a sample of my book through BookFunnel! For years, I’ve marketed myself as a fantasy author on Instagram. And while I still write and love fantasy, it’s not the genre I’m debuting with anymore. Since a lot of my audience hasn’t read a humorous mystery before, I wanted to give them a taste of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out, and BookFunnel gave me the opportunity to do so.

If you’re interested in a sneak peek (or interested in seeing how BookFunnel works), you can read the first three chapters of Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out by clicking the button below!

Read the First Three Chapters!

2. BookBrush

I would say that this is optional for indie authors, especially if you have the time or are great at taking photos. I neither have much time nor am I very good at taking pictures, so BookBrush was a lifesaver for me when I needed to create images with my book cover that I could send out to my street team for them to use on cover reveal day.

It was rather expensive at $149 for a year, and I don’t plan on renewing my subscription to them, but it was $149 that I needed to spend in that moment to relieve some of the extreme stress that was on my shoulders.

It’s a goal of mine to learn how to take better bookstagram photos in the upcoming year, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to tackle that learning process until the new year, which is why I caved and spent the money on BookBrush.

It really is a neat tool that generates your book cover on different templates for social media posts, bookmarks, and advertisements, so if you don’t feel comfortable doing a lot of graphic design or want a tool to help you, BookBrush is handy for that!

3. NetGalley

This was more of a last-minute decision for me. I’ve always dreamed of seeing my book up on NetGalley, so I joined a co-op of indie authors who share the cost of NetGalley. It ended up being around $63/month, and my book will be on NetGalley for the months of January and February. I’ll let you guys know if I think being on NetGalley is worth it for indie authors, but I’m hopeful it’ll be helpful for gaining reviews in the first few weeks after BEATRICE releases!

4. Preorder Goodies

I am against AI. Let’s just get that over with. So when I had a very specific scene of my novel that I wanted to be illustrated and provide as a free art print to those who preorder my book, I knew I needed to find an illustrator whose style I loved and who could work in my timeframe. I ended up booking with one of my dream illustrators, but that came at a larger cost than I’d anticipated. This means that I will have to sell quite a few more books to break even on publishing BEATRICE, but to me, it’s worth it to support talented, human authors. And a chance to work with my dream illustrator…well, I just couldn’t pass it up!

Do you have any questions for me about the business/expense side of being an indie author? I’d love to help in any way I can!

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Episodes like this had never happened to me before, and it was terrifying.

In late January 2024, I was driving to pick up my oldest son from my parents’ house. A drive I’d done a million and one times before. I was coming up to a stop light when it hit me. My heart rate spiked, my body went cold and hot. My head pounded and my vision started to darken. My arms and legs went numb.

It’s truly a miracle from God that I didn’t hit a car as I desperately jerked the wheel right and swerved across a lane (that, somehow, despite being one of the busiest roads in our town, did not have any cars in it) into the parking lot of McDonalds.

It was several minutes of laying on the floor of my car, gulping in breath after breath, before I was able to shakily type in my phone password and call for help.

Fast forward to February 2024, my second son turned one, and we were loving life with two boys! I hadn’t had a bad “episode” (as we called them) in a few months, just little moments here and there of feeling slightly woozy. But then, one night, I woke up feeling like I was dying.

It was that same episode of heart racing, body alternating between too hot and too cold, loss of feeling in my limbs, and my vision going in and out. It took four hours for the symptoms to go away.

And it began happening more frequently.

It’s hard to describe the terror that I felt during these episodes. I stopped driving, too afraid one would happen when I was out with my kids. I stopped going places, too afraid one would happen out in public.

After months of tests and doctor’s visits (and being told that there was nothing wrong with me, this kind of thing was just common for women…), I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).

POTS is a disorder with my body’s autonomic system. The way I describe it to people is that my body sometimes kicks into what feels like fight or flight mode if I’m in an upright position for too long, but there are also certain things than can trigger a POTS episode. For me, these are too much noise, too much heat, too much stress, and too little sleep.

Increasing my salt and water intake, wearing compression socks, and having my Loop earbuds on hand whenever things start to get a little too loud for my comfort have helped me manage POTS for the most part. I have more good days than bad days now, and for that, I’m extremely thankful. I’m very aware that there are many with POTS who have episodes daily, if not multiple times a day, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

There are days, though, where the brain fog, the dizziness, and the body-draining fatigue hit me so hard where I cannot function. Where most of my day is spent laying on the couch with my two sons climbing all over me and wondering why I can’t get up and play. And it’s so frustrating. Because on these days, I can’t think about writing much less sit at a laptop and work on my stories. And the brain fog doesn’t usually last just one day. Sometimes it’s multiple days. Days where even if I feel physically fine, I only have the mental energy to stare at a blank document.

But I’ve learned that if I don’t let my body and mind rest, if I don’t step away from my writing on those days, I will pay for it even worse the next day, and this often affects my family too. So I have to have grace for myself. I’m not a failure if I miss one or two, or even several days of writing. I’m not a failure if I don’t post on social media, even for several weeks.

My story will be there when I’m ready to return.

My social media accounts will be there when I’m ready to return.

Our culture today tells us that rest = failure. That taking a day off = not reaching your dreams. That unless you hustle every day, you’ll never make it.

It’s not worth it, my friend.

Take the rest that you need because your story and your life will be the better for it.

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I feel like October slipped away before I could grasp it, and now we’re heading into holiday season. But before we do, I want to take a moment to document everything I did in October for my self-publishing journey and talk about rejection even as a self-published author.

This past month, I had the huge privilege of announcing my debut novel, BEATRICE OPHELIA IS FLICKERING OUT, which is releasing March 17, 2026! The kind words and encouragement I received was incredible, but the work was only just beginning.

Turns out, formatting a novel is a lot harder than I expected. With a Windows computer, I purchased the program Atticus to help me format my novel, but after several frustrating attempts, my husband took over the formatting for me. This gave me a little extra time to start sending out endorsement requests—which is one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done.

For those of you who don’t know, an endorsement is when an author you love reads your book and writes a line or two about what they enjoyed about the book. You’ll often find these quotes at the beginning of a book or on the back of a hardcover! It’s a great way to market your book because it’s a way to tell readers that if they liked this one author’s book, they might like your book too!

I had a list of twenty authors that I wanted to email, and I’ll admit, I shot for the stars with a few of my endorsement requests. I figured that the worst someone could say is “No thanks,” so why not reach out to some of the big-name authors I so admire and see what might happen.

Out of the twenty emails that I sent, I’ve received four definite No’s. Very kind, sweet No’s, but a No nonetheless. And it made me think of my querying days. Of the hundreds of rejections I’ve received.

Rejection has such a bad connotation to it. It makes people think they’re a failure or not good enough. When, really, agent and publisher rejections are so often “it’s not right for me” or even “it’s not right for the market right now.”

I’ve seen authors say that they’re not even going to bother going the traditional publishing route, because why suffer from rejections when you don’t have to?

But even if you don’t go the traditional publishing route, that doesn’t mean you won’t receive any No’s. There will be no’s when you send out endorsement requests. When you attend in-person events and someone decides not to buy your books. There will be no’s when your local indie store decides not to stock your book.

I know that I’m going to receive more no’s as I hear back from authors about potential endorsements, as I reach out to bookstores about potential signings, and as I begin really marketing my book.

But I want to challenge myself not to see these as rejections. As failures. I want to see them as stepping stones on my way to the next part of my journey. After all, if I hadn’t received dozens of query rejections on this story, I wouldn’t be here now.

So yes, rejection still happens as a self-published author. But you never know, you may have three of your most favorite authors email you a “Send over your book!” when you request an endorsement. ;)

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But five days ago, an unexpected seedling was planted in my indie author journey.

A seed of fear.

I’ve personally loved having control over my cover and illustration team. I was able to hire my dream cover designer and receive my dream cover. I’ve hired the most amazing illustrators to create the chapter headers and some character art, and I’m over the moon just after seeing some of the beginning sketches.

But something I’m only now starting to realize (why now? I’m not quite sure), is that I can have the most amazing cover, the most amazing illustrations, but the story is up to me.

And that’s one thing that I think makes self-publishing harder than traditional publishing. Because in traditional publishing, you have an agent championing your story and an acquisitions editor who gave you their stamp of approval. You have been told that your book is good enough to be put into the hands of readers.

In self-publishing, you don’t have that. You only have your own belief in your own book and your own prayer that others might love and benefit from the story too.

And that’s rather terrifying.

There is no validation of having made it through the gatekeepers (agents and acquisitions editors).

And, in my case, I actually got rejected by those same gatekeepers. After a revise and resubmit request, I was told that this story didn’t “catch their attention enough.”

So who am I—an author that was REJECTED—to think that my story is good enough to be published? Why am I putting all this time and money and effort into a story that I was told by agents and editors wasn’t interesting enough?

It’s because I believe in this story.

It’s because I wrote a story that twenty-year-old Megan needed to read, but there was no other story like it.

And if there is someone—even just one person—that is struggling like twenty-year-old Megan was and this book can encourage them…then all of the time, effort, and money I’ve put into this story will be worth it.

So, yes, I’m afraid to self-publish this book. Afraid that no one will like it. That no one will see the heart behind the words that I wrote.

But I’m self-publishing it anyway. Because maybe, just maybe, it can be the encouragement that someone needs to avoid the struggle that I faced.

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**From now until Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out publishes (and maybe a little after), I will be posting more frequent updates under this title “Mystery Author Diaries” as a way to chronicle my journey to publication. I want it to be something that other indie authors can use to be encouraged and to learn some of the ropes of self-publishing that might be lesser known. So, I hope you’ll continue following along on the journey and you enjoy these updates. If you have any questions whatsoever about the indie author journey, drop them in the comments and I’ll address them in future updates!

It’s the COVER REVEAL!

For MY book!

This feels so surreal, honestly! But I’m not going to hold it in any longer. HERE IS THE BEAUTIFUL, SUPER COZY COVER!!

This cover is designed by the incredible Lyndsey Lewellen. As well as being the author of some of my favorite books ever, Lyndsey is one of the most talented cover designers I’ve ever met! She took my odd sketches and ideas and crafted something so utterly perfect. I nearly cried when I first saw it because it was even better than I’d ever imagined!

Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out will be releasing March 17, 2026 and is a humorous mystery for fans of the unhinged humor in Finlay Donovan and Vera Wong but love the classic coziness of Nancy Drew! As of right now, the book is only available to preorder as an ebook (formatting is a lot harder than I thought it’d be…), but it is available as an ebook preorder on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and Apple Books!

And as a reminder, here’s the synopsis:

Beatrice Sawyer is flickering out, for what might be the last time.

After being laid off yet again, Beatrice returns with her family to her childhood summer home to unwind. And maybe figure out how to move out of her parents’ basement. The town is hosting their inaugural Smallmouth Bass Festival as a last-wick effort to attract tourists, and Beatrice hopes volunteering might shed some light on her future.

At first, things seem to be brightening. Beatrice rediscovers the candle shop her grandmother once owned, and a new dream sparks to life.

Until she stumbles upon her estranged aunt dragging away the marina owner’s body.

When her grandfather insists on his daughter’s innocence, Beatrice must shelve her newfound dream and team up with her brother and childhood best friend to clear her aunt’s name. But as they dig deeper, Beatrice wonders whether their efforts will mend their family ties—or if she’ll fail to save her aunt and have to watch her family go up in smoke.

I’d love to hear what you think of the cover! Let me know in the comments!

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This is one of those moments where I feel like screaming in excitement, crying in anxiety, and throwing up in fear. Because today, I am announcing that I’m embarking on the indie author journey, and my first book will be releasing March 17, 2026.

This book is an ode to my love of humor and mystery and was the fastest book I’ve ever drafted. It’s the first book that I finished where I could confidently say I loved it. The setting, the characters, the themes—I love this book, and I so very much hope that you will love it too.

So, without further ado, I present to you…

This is an adult humorous mystery for readers who love the slightly unhinged humor in Finlay Donovan and Vera Wong but also love the coziness of a Nancy Drew story.

About the book:

Beatrice Sawyer is flickering out, for what might be the last time. After being laid off yet again, Beatrice returns with her family to her childhood summer home to unwind. And maybe figure out how to move out of her parents’ basement. The town is hosting their inaugural Smallmouth Bass Festival as a last-wick effort to attract tourists, and Beatrice hopes volunteering might shed some light on her future.

At first, things seem to be brightening. Beatrice rediscovers the candle shop her grandmother once owned, and a new dream sparks to life.

Until she stumbles upon her estranged aunt dragging away the marina owner’s body.

When her grandfather insists on his daughter’s innocence, Beatrice must shelve her newfound dream and team up with her brother and childhood best friend to clear her aunt’s name. But as they dig deeper, Beatrice wonders whether their efforts will mend their family ties—or if she’ll fail to save her aunt and have to watch her family go up in smoke.

BEATRICE OPHELIA IS FLICKERING OUT will release March 17, 2026, and will be available as an e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Preorders will open as soon as I can get everything uploaded to the appropriate places, but I’ll let you know both here and on Instagram when it’s available.

If this story sounds like something you’ll love, I’d so appreciate if you considered joining the Street Team or Cover Reveal Team!

Apply to the team!

The indie author journey is brand new to me, so I will also be journaling my experience here on my Substack to help anyone else thinking of taking the plunge! So if you’re interested in learning more about self-publishing, consider subscribing for my weekly update!

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If you love the sound of this story, I’d appreciate any and all likes, shares, comments— anything to help me get the word out! Indie authors rely so much on you, our readers!