Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the Murders on Cripple Creek! To mark this special milestone, I am changing up Mondays are for Murder this week to dedicate this week to the series that started it all!
When I first published Murders on Cripple Creek, it was an incredibly emotional time for me—not just because it was my first book that I truly felt worthy of publishing, but also because of everything going on behind the scenes. It was a bittersweet and chaotic moment in my life. Two weeks before the launch, I was laid off from my job after only six months. Then, two days before my release event, the venue I had booked ghosted me, and I had to scramble to find a new one. To top it off, I ended a relationship with someone I cared about deeply. Calling it an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement. I was struggling to fully enjoy what I had accomplished, even though it was such a monumental moment for me.
This past year has been both a challenge and a gift—wonderful and painful all at once. It’s surreal to think that tomorrow marks the anniversary of its release on Kindle. So much has happened since then!
Over the summer, I hired a social media manager, and she pushed me past the marketing fears I had, helping me explore my potential. While we parted ways due to creative differences, I learned a lot about branding and the steps I needed to take to establish myself as an author. It was an eye-opening experience with its highs and lows. During that time, I launched my blog, started a podcast with a friend who narrated my weekly Blood on the Bar episodes, kicked off my Mondays are for Murder series, and finished most of the sequel to my western. That creative push was exhausting at times, but I’m grateful for how much it helped me grow.
One of the most exciting things about this past year has been the feedback from my audience. Readers are eager to know what happens to some of my other characters—Abe, Jane, Daisy, and Rodrigo in particular—and I love that because they were such a joy to write.
Looking back, Murders on Cripple Creek has taught me so much about my own writing process. I’ve learned to take feedback with a grain of salt, understanding that everyone has their own tastes in pacing, style, and structure. But that’s what makes writing so unique—it’s personal to each author. While no one can go it alone, I’ve learned there’s also such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. Not everyone will love westerns, or even my books—and that’s okay!
The biggest inspiration for Murders on Cripple Creek came from a chance encounter with someone I met at White Linen Night. I was attempting to write a fantasy novel based in biblical times and had only briefly dabbled in mysteries. When they asked how my novel was going, I hurriedly texted them a rough synopsis that I came up on the fly — little did I know, that idea would grow into something so special, filled with characters I now love and cherish. Though I’m still working through the editing process for the sequel, I’m taking my time to ensure it’s even better than the first! My plan is for a four-book series, so stay tuned!
To everyone who has followed my writing journey, I’m beyond grateful for your support and encouragement. As I continue working on my next murder mystery, a contemporary murder mystery which is set to release in 2025, I’m excited to keep creating stories. To celebrate this milestone, I’ll be giving away a few autographed copies of Murders on Cripple Creek—stay tuned for details on my Instagram!