by author Cathy Elliott
I remember the day my writing career formally began. My daughter had just called with happy news, announcing her engagement. We chatted for a while about how the lucky man proposed. And about her beautiful ring, of course. Then I hung up the phone and a curious notion came into my head.
Now, at last, it was time for me to write.
What? Who said that? Hadn’t I always been too busy for such activities? Still, I reasoned, my daughter wouldn’t need me as before. And just like that, I adjusted my focus, joining a local writers group the next month.
At my first meeting, three authors were on the cusp of having books released by Tyndale House, Bethany House, and David C. Cook. As one author handed out author copies of his latest humorous book, he talked about what it took to become a successful, producing author. Scribbling notes, I made a pact with myself to listen and learn.
Since I worked in a college library and devoured every new mystery added to the collection, someone suggested I write in that genre. A little spark of an idea began to grow in my brain. An antique dealer named Thea finds a list of names….
These days, I find inspiration for my stories from curious things that happen to my friends or family, soon noted on little scraps of paper and labeled: for Thea, for Gram, great plot, etc. Ideas to use at just the right time. I love the touch of reality one can put in fiction by using real situations – with one’s own novel twist.
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Cathy Elliott is a full-time writer in northern California whose cozy mysteries reflect her personal interests from quilting and antique collecting to playing her fiddle with friends. She also leads music at church and cherishes time with her grandchildren. Cathy’s plot-twisting works include A Vase of Mistaken Identity and Medals in the Attic, and she invites you to read the first chapter of her new release, A Stitch in Crime.