It’s been an exciting few months since I made the leap to close my business, Tech Savvy Creatives, and dive full-time into a dream I’ve held onto for years—writing fiction.

I’ve always been a fan of cozy mysteries, those charming, small-town tales where a missing recipe can cause as much drama as a murder mystery. Now, I’m thrilled to be writing my very own cozy series!

Crafting “A Trail of Lies”

One of the most enjoyable parts of this journey has been bringing the world of my debut novel, A Trail of Lies, to life. Initially, I imagined my series as “A Sandcastle Bay Mystery,” set in a quaint Australian beach town. But as I developed my protagonist, I realized “Mia Watson” didn’t quite fit. She needed a name that better reflected her strength and independence, and so “Kimberley Clarke” was born. With her arrival, my series took on a new identity: A Kimberley Clarke Mystery.

A ChatGPT Cautionary Tale

Let me take a quick detour and share a cautionary tale. Like many authors, I’ve experimented with AI tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming names and plot ideas. While I made plenty of changes to the plot suggestions, I naively used some of the character names as-is—without further research. Big mistake! I later discovered that many of those names, including the cat’s, had already been used in other books.

Lesson learned: Always check for originality, even with character names. Thankfully, I caught it in time and reworked my characters to make them truly unique.

Meet Kimberley Clarke and Coral Cove

Bringing Kimberley and the town of Coral Cove to life has been an absolute joy. Kimberley’s mother, Lizzy, is a quick-witted character, always ready with a pot of tea and some sage advice. And then there’s Jack, Kimberley’s former crush and now a local police officer, who has his hands full navigating the town’s secrets while trying to support Kimberley’s investigations. There are plenty of other quirky and lovable characters in the mix, and I can’t wait to share more about them as the series progresses.

My Writing Process (and Favorite Tech Tools)

Balancing a full-time job with writing hasn’t been easy, but I’ve found a rhythm that works for me. Weekends are dedicated to writing, and I use my tech-savvy background to stay organized. I rely on Aeon Timeline to map out the plot and link story arcs, characters, and locations, syncing everything with Scrivener. This approach helps me structure my chapters and keep track of important details. As a plotter, this system has been a lifesaver.

My Tech Tools - Scrivener and Aeon Timeline — My Tech Tools - Scrivener & Aeon Timeline

First Draft Done, Now Onto Self-Editing

After two months of hard work, I’m thrilled to have a completed first draft of A Trail of Lies! Now, I’m diving into self-editing with ProWriting Aid to refine the story and ensure the details are on point. For example, I’ve been working on fixing timeline gaps—like making sure Kimberley isn’t having dinner one minute and a morning coffee the next. There are a few loose ends to tie up and a lot of flow issues to smooth out, but I’m loving the process of making this story the best it can be.

The Joy of Writing

This journey has been a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Despite the challenges of juggling a full-time job and recovering from burnout, I’m making steady progress—one word at a time.

I can’t wait to share A Trail of Lies with readers soon! If you want to follow along with more of my writing journey, feel free to clap and follow. Your support means the world!

If you’re curious about my brainstorming and planning process or the tech tools I use, drop a comment and I’ll share more tips.

Chasing My Dream: From Tech-Savvy to Cozy Mystery Author