From scribbler, to author. Is that even possible?!

I have started “novels”, a couple of times, even have the pages, and pages to show for it. Somewhere. But a couple of years ago, after choosing to be brave, went to a local writing group, and thought, maybe I could do this!

So, I started. October 2025, I sat down at the computer, slowly taught myself how to use Scrivener, and wrote words. Lots of words. Lots more words. Until one day, I came to the end. Or did I?

As someone who has been taking a deep, deep dive into the Golden Age of Mystery Writing, in particular, Agatha Christie, my interest lies in the mystery genre. At first, I thought I would write a cozy mystery. For those interested, or even if you aren’t interested, a “cozy” mystery is one that does not have foul language, no sex, violent deaths, nothing that is too much of something that would gross you out, or make you cringe.

I like cozy mysteries. I do. But when I started writing, that wasn’t quite what came out. As I went on, I realized that I really prefer a more traditional mystery. A puzzle mystery, or one that wasn’t quite as twee. That is a word an English friend of mine uses for things that are too sweet, too cute, too much.

So, my book, is finished. Ha! I don’t think that is even a close. I went through it, twice, then sent it off to four people to read it, as my alpha readers. To see if it even held together at all. Or if it bored them out of their skulls.

I have received one of my “Alpha Reader Questionnaires” back! Oh happy day! I have talked, briefly to one of the people who is local, and was given some encouraging words. But I need more than encouragement. I need to know what does not work. What characters are too much, or not enough. Does the reader feel like they are in the world I have built?

Check it out! I’m using real writer words! Yep, I am working at it. When I receive all the questionnaires back, I will revamp my novel, and then pass it on to the next readers, beta readers. Somewhere in there I will, gulp, look for an editor, a particular kind of editor.

You’re reading along thinking, ok, that’s all fine and dandy, buy what is the book about?

Fair question. At present, the working title is Murder Along the May. It will, hopefully, be part of a series of books in the May River Mystery series.

It is set in a fictional small, southern town, along the May River, which is real, in South Carolina. Two older sisters are the main characters, along with a yellow lab, named Lucy. Scary times come to Pine Bluff, in the form of an unscrupulous builder, hoping to build an upscale boutique hotel, on historic property, where no one else wants it.

Charlotte, the main protagonist, look, more writer-words, is older, but not elderly. She has a background, and no, I am not telling you what that is. You’ll have to read it.

There are bodies. There is sleuthing. There is also a community of people who support each other, even if they are all different, and unique.

That just gave me an idea for a character!