In 2009, I hit a wall. I was burned out, stuck in a career that no longer lit a spark, and I had no clue what came next. I needed out and I needed something that would make me feel alive again.
I’ve always had the travel bug. New countries, new cultures, the thrill of being somewhere completely foreign. That was my fuel. So, when I found myself questioning my life path, I had a wild thought.
The Big Question That Changed Everything
What if I wrote a book?
I had no grand plans or dreams of bestseller lists. Just curiosity leading the way. I uploaded my first book a year and a half later and waited for the sales to roll in.
Crickets, Crickets, And More Crickets
Spoiler alert: the sales didn’t come. Neither did they with the next book. Or the one after that. It wasn’t until I scrapped everything and started over that something clicked.
The Character Who Saved Me
That’s when Abby Kane came to life. She wasn’t just a character. Abby was a lifeline. A gritty, brilliant FBI agent with heart and attitude. Her voice was clear. Her stories had teeth. And readers finally started to respond. Abby didn’t just save my career. She saved me.
Fast forward to today. I've written 47 books, with 18 starring Abby Kane. And I’ve done it all while living out of a suitcase.
From Cafes to Crime Scenes
Since 2013, I’ve been a full-time digital nomad, writing thrillers from beach huts in Bali, bullet trains in Japan, and street food stalls in Thailand. I don’t have a home base, but my career fits in a carry-on.
None of this would’ve been possible without self-publishing. And I’ll always have a soft spot for Barnes & Noble Press. They were one of the first platforms I used, and they’ve been with me ever since.
A Career I Didn't Plan—But Wouldn't Trade
Looking back, I never set out to be an author. I stumbled into it, one failed book at a time. But sometimes burnout is just the universe shaking you loose so you can find the thing you were meant to do.
This is mine.
The Story Continues...
From burnout to bestseller, and I’m still chasing the next “what if.” My latest thriller, DarkBright, throws Abby into her darkest case yet. Find out more about DarkBright here.