The Writer's Juggle: Finding Harmony in Chaos ✍️

I hope this message finds you well and thriving amidst the everyday whirlwind. Today, I want to get a bit personal and talk about the balancing act of writing amidst life's chaos. 

As many of you know, weaving the intricate tales including the chilling narratives in Forest of Silence, doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's a dance performed on a tightrope of responsibilities, personal commitments, and, yes, the precious moments of quiet solitude that fuel creativity.

A peek into my daily routine might look familiar to many of you. My mornings begin with the ritual of family and personal care, setting the tone for the day. Writing sessions are meticulously carved out amongst the hours, often squeezed between the demands of family life and personal responsibilities. It's not uncommon for my most profound ideas to strike at the least convenient moments, leading to a frenzied scramble to jot down notes before they evaporate into the ether.

Staying motivated in this whirlwind of activity is a challenge unto itself. I've found that setting realistic, achievable goals is key—not just in word count or chapters completed, but in the small victories, like refining a complex character or untangling a plot knot. It's these moments of clarity amidst the chaos that keep the passion for storytelling alive.

But here's where I turn the spotlight to you, my wonderful readers. How do you manage the juggling act of your creative pursuits, responsibilities, and self-care? Any tips, routines, or strategies you've found effective would be gold dust to me and, I'm sure, to our fellow readers. Sharing our experiences can only strengthen our community, providing support and inspiration to each other.

In wrapping up, I want to stress the importance of self-care and realistic goal-setting. It's easy to get caught up in the rush of deadlines and expectations, both from ourselves and from others. Remember, the journey of creativity is not a sprint but a marathon. Taking the time to breathe, reflect, and care for ourselves is crucial in keeping our creative wellsprings flowing.

 Your support and enthusiasm for all of my books series, including the latest adventures in Forest of Silence, mean the world to me. It's your engagement and feedback that enrich this journey, making the tightrope of writing among life's chaos not just manageable, but exhilarating.

Thank you for being part of this incredible community. Together, let's continue to support each other, sharing our stories and strategies for thriving in the beautiful mess of creativity and life.

Warmly,

Kate Gable 

Behind the Scenes: Crafting Villains for my mystery thriller books☠️

I hope you're all doing well. In this newsletter, I want to share a bit about what goes into creating the villains in the Kate Gable mystery thriller series, with a special focus on the serial killer in Forest of Silence.

Creating a compelling antagonist is key to keeping the stories engaging. My villains aren't just obstacles; they're central to the narrative's tension and excitement. Crafting these characters involves more than labeling someone as the antagonist; it's about making them an integral part of the story.

Inspiration for my villains often comes from real-life experiences and observations. While I can't dive too deep into specifics—no spoilers here!—I can say that real-world encounters often inspire the creation of memorable villains. 

This approach helps make my antagonists more than just cardboard cutouts.

It's crucial that the villains in my series, like the serial killer in Forest of Silence, are complex. I aim to provide them with clear motivations and backstories, making them relatable and adding depth to their character. This complexity makes the story's conflicts more interesting and the interactions more intense.

Now, I'm curious about your thoughts on the serial killer in Forest of Silence. Did you find him intriguing? His creation was a deep dive into the psychology of what drives someone to such darkness while maintaining a veil of normalcy in day-to-day life. His intelligence, charm, and twisted justification for his actions were designed to provoke both horror and fascination. I'd love to hear whether this character caught your interest and why.

I also invite you to share what traits you find most intriguing in a villain. Your feedback is invaluable, and who knows, it might inspire future characters in the series.

In closing, creating a balanced villain is about making them a believable and challenging force in the story. They need to evoke a range of emotions, from intrigue to repulsion, maintaining the delicate balance that keeps the narrative engaging.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for my books. I'm grateful for your engagement and look forward to sharing more mysteries with you.

Warmly,

Kate Gable 

Unlocking Creativity on the Move: My Unique Writing Journey✍️

In the world of writing, the journey from the seed of an idea to a flourishing story is as diverse as the authors behind the words. Today, I'm thrilled to pull back the curtain on my own creative process, a routine that might seem unconventional at first but has become the backbone of my storytelling—especially for the mystery tales that many of you have come to love.

Yes, you read that right. My first drafts are often born while I'm on the treadmill, dictating the unfolding mysteries of my latest work. This dynamic approach infuses my stories with a sense of energy and pace that sitting behind a desk just doesn't inspire. There's something about the rhythm of my steps that translates into a fluidity of thought, allowing ideas to cascade and intertwine in exciting and unexpected ways.

This method was born out of necessity. I was experiencing severe wrist pain and was at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome due to the extensive hours I spent typing. This led me to explore alternative means to continue writing without further compromising my health. Thus, I discovered dictation and it has transformed my writing process ever since.

However, this method is not without its challenges. Balancing the physical exertion with the mental focus required for storytelling requires practice. The art of dictation while maintaining a steady pace can be tricky, but the exhilaration of a chapter coming together as the miles roll by is unmatched.

My creative process doesn't stop at the treadmill. Walking my dog through the neighborhood or along the trails is another source of inspiration. These moments of movement, paired with the tranquility of nature, provide the perfect backdrop for plotting twists or deepening character arcs. It's during these walks that I've untangled complex plot lines or discovered the heart of a character's motivation. The combination of physical activity and the freedom to let my mind wander sparks connections that are less accessible in the confines of my office.

For those curious about dictation, the key is finding the right tools and techniques that work for you. A reliable dictation app on your smartphone is a great place to start. I recommend experimenting with a few to find one that accurately captures your voice and nuances. Additionally, investing in a good quality set of headphones with a microphone can make the process smoother, allowing for clear dictation without having to shout over the noise of your surroundings.

The biggest tip I can offer, though, is to give yourself grace. Dictation might feel awkward at first, but with patience and practice, it can liberate your creativity in ways you never imagined.

My journey through the worlds I create is literally a journey, marked by steps, breaths, and the soothing rhythm of movement. This method might not be for everyone, but it underscores an important message for all creative endeavors: find your routine, no matter how unusual it may seem. Embrace the practices that unlock your creativity and allow your stories to flow.

I encourage you to explore and experiment with different routines. You might be surprised at what can inspire and elevate your writing. Remember, the best process is the one that brings out the best in your work.

My new series, Alexis Forrest FBI Mystery series, was written this way, just like all of my other books. Have you read the first book, Forest of Silence? 

I would love to hear what you thought of it! The second book just came out.

Thank you for joining me on this exploration of the moving muse behind my writing process. Here's to finding that unique spark that ignites your creativity and storytelling.

 Warmly,

Kate Gable 

Our Big Bear Ski Adventure 🎿 Lessons from the slopes

I hope this newsletter finds you cozy and warm, wherever you are. I recently returned from a delightful family ski trip to Big Bear, the very city that inspired the setting for my Girl Missing series. Nestled about two hours from our home in the desert near Palm Springs, Big Bear is our go-to retreat, offering solace and adventure in both winter and summer with its ski resorts and beautiful lake.

This trip was particularly special as it marked our 6-year-old son Tristan's first foray into skiing—a challenge that turned into a heartwarming journey of growth and laughter for all of us. Teaching Tristan to ski was no small feat. The patience and persistence required reminded me so much of the writing process. Just like developing a story, there were falls, moments of hesitation, but above all, an underlying current of excitement and the thrill of trying something new.

 Kevin, ever the supportive father and husband, found an ingenious way to encourage Tristan down the slopes. He skied backwards down the hill, arms open, inviting Tristan to glide into his embrace. This act of trust and encouragement was a sight to behold, and it wasn't long before Tristan was navigating the bunny hill on his own, his confidence blooming with each run.

 Drawing parallels between this experience and writing, I'm reminded of the countless times I've had to pick myself back up, dust off the snow (or in my case, the rejection letters and plot holes), and try again. Both skiing and writing are practices in resilience, patience, and the joy of learning. They require us to embrace the process, with all its ups and downs, celebrating each small victory along the way.

Reflecting on this trip, I'm reminded of the importance of family, the resilience we all possess, and the beauty of stepping out of our comfort zones to try something new. These experiences, whether on the slopes or in front of a blank page, enrich our lives, adding depth and color to our stories.

If you've enjoyed this glimpse into our family adventure and the parallels I've drawn with the writing process, I invite you to delve deeper into the world of Big Bear and discover more about its influence on my writing. Girl Missing is not just a series; it's a journey into the heart and soul of a place that has captivated me and my family. Get your copy today and experience the mystery, the beauty, and the adventure that Big Bear has to offer through the eyes of my characters.

 Thank you for allowing me to share this slice of my life with you. Here's to finding adventure, learning in every challenge, and writing our own stories, on and off the slopes.

Warmly,

Kate Gable 

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Cover and Titles Updates!

I have been working on another rebrand of my Charlotte Pierce mystery series. The entire series is set in Mesquite County, California (fictional desert/mountain county in Southern California) where all of my future books will also be set. I am working on a creating a whole world for you to enjoy and that’s why this is such an ongoing process.

I believe that I have settled on a good representation of my Charlotte Pierce series and I’m updating all 3 books that are currently available (titles and covers). To celebrate the changes, the first one, LAST BREATH will now be only 99 cents!

These are standalone books so they can be read in any order but you will get more out of them if you read them in order.

Let me know what you think of these covers!

Cover Reveal!

I am excited to reveal the covers of the next two books of the Detective Charlotte Pierce mystery series!

Detective Charlotte Pierce was first introduced in What She Did , but her story doesn’t fully begin to take place until When She Left (Book 2). These are standalone books so they can be read in any order but you will get more out of them if you read them in order.

Let me know what you think of these covers!

Start reading Detective Charlotte Pierce’s First Book now!

I want to give you a sneak peak into my upcoming release, What She Did. It's about a woman who finds ex-husband and his new wife murdered in their bed with no memory of how she got there or what had happened. I hope you enjoy it!

---

Something bad is about to happen. Goose bumps run down my spine. I step on the accelerator to get there faster.

I don’t know where I’m going. Rain is falling sideways in sheets.

A sappy love song program, easy listening for the over thirties, comes to a close. It must be after midnight.

How does that saying go again? Nothing good happens this late at night.

I pull onto a familiar looking street.

I don’t think I’ve ever been here before, but it’s familiar in that way that all planned communities are.

Perfectly spaced trees. Immaculate lawns. Pristine roofs. Houses painted the same three colors.

I turn right onto a cul-de-sac.

Wait a second, I think I’ve been here before.

Three black mailboxes in a row.

The BMW SUV parked at the house next door.

The rose bushes right under the white shutters.

This house is different. It’s a little unlike all the others.

Parking in the front, I get out of the car.

The rain that has sent my windshield wipers into overdrive, somehow catches me by surprise. The droplets hit me like little pins.

I should feel cold, but I don’t feel anything.

My gaze follows the water down to the ground.

Crouching down, I knock off a few raindrops from a blade of grass. It vibrates like a violin string.

Getting up, I head up the steps. I run my finger over the glass window and peek inside.

You know it’s a safe neighborhood where nothing ever happens when there’s glass surrounding the front door for anyone to peek through.

My index finger meanders over to the button.

Soft and rounded, it invites me to press it. But it would be rude to use the doorbell in the middle of the night.

My other hand presses down on the door handle.

Much to my surprise, the door opens.

I take a deep breath and step inside.

I walk through an unfamiliar living room. The hardwood floor creaks underneath my footsteps.

It’s dark, but the room is illuminated by the city lights streaming in through the cathedral windows.

I look around.

It’s a modern, relatively newly constructed home, much like my own.

But the ceilings are much higher, well over twelve feet.

To my left is an elegant formal dining room, which is probably only used on holidays and other special occasions.

The open floorplan winds around, leading me to the kitchen with stainless steel appliances and crown molding to complete the look.

The cabinets are light and the waterfall countertop island is huge with seating for at least five.

“Where am I?” I whisper to myself.

As I make my way down the hallway, I suddenly stop dead in my tracks.

No.

It can’t be.

I pick up one of the framed pictures from the side table and look at their smiling faces.

There’s Susannah with her long, elegant legs. Derek is kneeling down next to her with his arms around her stomach.

I can almost smell the grass and the sunflowers behind them. This is their pregnancy photo shoot.

I put down this photo and pick up another.

It’s Derek and Susannah lying on a beach.

I read the word Jamaica on the frame and double over to catch myself from throwing up.

The room fades to black. When my vision comes back, it’s blurry and full of spots.

Rising to my feet, my head starts to throb. The ache pounds so hard that all I hear is the sound of blood rushing in between my ears.

Somewhere in the distance, something catches my eye.

I squint, trying to focus.

The French doors at the end of the hallway are wide open.

Walking over, I trip over my own feet and grab onto the wall to keep myself upright.

There, in the distance, against the wall, in the king-sized bed, I see them.

My stomach ties up in a knot. A familiar queasy feeling rises up my body to the back of my throat.

They’re just asleep, I say to myself. They’re just asleep.

Blood runs cold through my veins.

My heart jumps into my chest.

I take a few steps back, slipping on the puddle of something viscous.

When I lift up my foot, I see the dark liquid all over the bottom of my slip-on shoes.

Blood.

Oh my God.

I stepped in the blood.

I look at the couple lying in the bed. Neither of them makes a sound.

Please get up and kick me out of your house, I plead silently.

Neither of them moves a muscle.

I take a deep breath.

I can’t just walk out.

This is Derek’s house and that’s Derek and Susannah in bed.

And if they aren’t asleep…I let my thoughts trail off, unable to follow through with the rest of the sentence.

There’s only one thing to do.

I take another deep breath and walk through the doors into the master bedroom on my tiptoes, holding my breath.

“Wake up,” I say. “Please wake up."

I should yell at the top of my lungs, but I’m terrified.

I can barely make my voice go louder than a whisper.

They are just sleeping, I say to myself.

When I reach the end of the sprawling bed, I see Susannah’s long hair spread out on the pillow. Her face is facing away from me.

I watch her body and wait for her chest to move up and down with her breath. But nothing happens. The sheet wrapped around her body is drenched in blood.

Derek faces away from me. He’s motionless.

“Susannah,” I whisper. “Don’t be dead.”

You can’t be dead, I say to myself over and over.

Carefully, I place my hand on her shoulder. Her arm falls off his side. The weight of it pulls her body from the bed and onto the floor.

Something within me shifts.

“Susannah! Susannah!” I yell, kneeling down and grabbing her by the shoulders.

I shake her as hard as I can. But her head just bops from side to side as if independent from the rest of her.

Her body is limp, missing all signs of life. My hand lands in some gooey substance that’s covering her lower half. Black and viscous, it doesn’t seem like blood at all.

Repulsed, I’m also mesmerized, unable to stop staring at my open-faced palm.

A moment later, when I finally come to my senses, I walk around the bed to Derek’s side.

He always had to have the left-hand side of the bed. No matter whether we were in our own house or a hotel room.

And here he is, lying on the left-hand side of Susannah, shot in the head.

Looking at little dark particles splattered all over his white puffy pillow, this place feels like a scene in a play.

Or maybe it’s just a dream…

Wasn’t this something I had secretly wished for over this past year?

Taking a step backward, my foot starts to slide.

Before I know what’s really happening, my legs fly in the air and the rest of me hurls toward the floor.

I land flat on my back.

My chest seizes up and I can’t take in a breath.

A few moments pass as I struggle to inhale and finally manage to get some air.

Turning to one side, I prop myself up on my elbow to get up.

Then I slip again.

I can feel the cold, wet blood sticking to my back and the side of my body. I am covered in their death.

Before I can scramble up to my feet, I feel sick to my stomach. A big lump makes its way up my body and I throw up all over the floor.

👉Pre-order now (coming March 1, 2022):

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Don't want to wait until March 1?

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Read Girl Missing for FREE for a Limited Time!

🎁 FREE BOOK for a LIMITED TIME! 🎁

When my 13-year-old sister disappears, I will do anything to find her. Big Bear Lake is a world away from my life as a detective in Los Angeles. It’s the place I grew up and a place that’s full of lies and secrets.

A murderer is lurking in the shadows and the more of the mystery that I unspool the closer I get to danger myself.

Can I find the killer and solve the mystery of my sister’s disappearance before it’s too late?

What happens when someone else is taken?

Read now:

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ARE YOU READY for my NEW STANDALONE THRILLER?

I am excited to introduce my NEW detective, Charlotte Pierce, and my brand NEW series. I know you will love it!

She walks through the strangely familiar house, hardwood floors creaking under her feet. They are in bed: peaceful, except for the pool of blood spreading across the white sheets.

A couple expecting their first child is brutally murdered in their home. The prime suspect? The scorned ex-wifewho supposedly has no knowledge of why she’s there or what happened.

When Detective Charlotte Pierce arrives at the scene, it’s up to her to unravel the mystery of newlyweds’ murder. It looks like an open and shut case, but certain things are not adding up.

Despite pressures from her FBI director father, Charlotte came to Mesquite County to escape the burdens of a big city police department. She has been through a lot and a quiet suburban community where nothing really happens is exactly what she is looking for.

Little does she know that this quiet community is filled with secrets of its own, including those within the police department. She could easily go with the flow, but she refuses to ignore even the smallest inconsistencies.

Was it the ex-wife or is the murderer still out there?

Can Charlotte get to the truth before he kills again?

👉Pre-order now (coming March 1, 2022):

Amazon (US, UK, etc): https://geni.us/ABnJ

Apple Books: https://geni.us/3sKzAve

Google Play: https://geni.us/NLT4Jqr

Nook: https://geni.us/9FMF3

Kobo: https://geni.us/pC5z5n

Don't want to wait until March 1?

Paperback and hardcover versions are available now!

Paperback: https://geni.us/fltz

Hardcover: https://geni.us/i6ba