Tag Archives for " author life "

When readers ask where I get my ideas, the answer is usually a mix of real-life moments, random “what if” thoughts, and a dash of pure magic.

For Skeletons & Scandals, it started with a memory of my grandmother’s kitchen. She always kept a tin of handwritten recipe cards, edges curled from years of use, little flour fingerprints smudging the ink. When she passed, I inherited a few of her recipes — and I swear, every time I bake one, I can feel her standing beside me.

That feeling became the seed for Birdie’s ghost.

I imagined a once-famous local chef who loved feeding her community. When she was murdered, her body and her ghost were trapped inside an old cedar trunk. When Ava finds her, her ghost needs help solving her murder before she can pass on and enjoy  stayed in the kitchen, rearranging spice racks and leaving floury footprints until her final recipe was served — with a side of justice.

From there, the rest of the story fell into place:

A Southern Spirits Cookoff full of small-town pride and a pinch of rivalry

A poisoned casserole that turns Brax's diner into a crime scene

And a haunted attic hiding a decades-old skeleton — literally

I also pulled in the charm and chaos of Southern storytelling. Where I grew up, you couldn’t sit on a porch swing for more than five minutes without hearing a family legend, a ghost story, or a recipe tip (“Don’t you dare skip the butter, honey”).

The result? A cozy mystery that blends mystery, food, family, and the kind of magic that makes you believe a ghost could help you bake the perfect pie.

I hope when you read Skeletons & Scandals, you feel that same mix of warmth and wonder I did while writing it — and maybe you’ll keep an extra slice of pie for Birdie. <wink>

➡️ Skeletons & Scandals is out now! Grab your copy to find out what Birdie’s ghost is hiding—and what secrets Ava will uncover next. Spoiler alert: one of them might involve pie. https://www.nyxhalliwell.com/skeletons-scandals-confessions-of-a-closet-medium-book-10

https://www.nyxhalliwell.com/skeletons-scandals-confessions-of-a-closet-medium-book-10

➡️ Skeletons & Scandals releases August 19th! Preorder now to find out what Birdie’s ghost is hiding—and what secrets Ava will uncover next. Spoiler alert: one of them might involve pie. https://www.nyxhalliwell.com/skeletons-scandals-confessions-of-a-closet-medium-book-10

Why I Believe in Magic (and Mischievous Cats)

It starts with a flicker of intuition.
A tea cup that rattles for no reason.
A cat that stares just a little too long at the corner of the room like someone’s standing there.
(And let’s be honest—cats definitely know things.)

That’s the kind of magic I believe in. Subtle. Mysterious. Whimsical. And sometimes a little mischievous.

My cozy mystery series are full of magical mayhem, helpful ghosts, and—of course—feline familiars with opinions. Why? Because I believe the everyday world is already enchanted. We just need to pay attention.

In Skeletons & Scandals, the latest Confessions of a Closet Medium mystery (coming August 19th!), my heroine Ava finds herself face-to-ghost with secrets that won’t stay buried and a mischievous spirit named Birdie who’s not quite ready to rest in peace.

Add in a haunted recipe tin, a notorious food critic who dies mysteriously, and plenty of sass from Ava’s mother, and you’ve got a cozy mystery with more twists than a cat chasing its tail.

Whether you believe in ghosts, guardian angels, or just the magic of a perfect cup of tea on a stormy afternoon, my stories are for anyone who’s ever felt like the veil between worlds is just a little thin.

Because sometimes the dead have secrets. And sometimes the cat knows them first. 🐈‍⬛✨

➡️ Skeletons & Scandals releases August 19th! Preorder now to find out what Birdie’s ghost is hiding—and what secrets Ava will uncover next. Spoiler alert: one of them might involve pie. https://www.nyxhalliwell.com/skeletons-scandals-confessions-of-a-closet-medium-book-10

Cozy mysteries and ghosts don’t seem like an obvious match.
Murder? Yes.
Teacups? Absolutely.
But spirits from beyond the veil?

In my world, they belong together.

When I first started writing the Confessions of a Closet Medium series, I knew I wanted heart and humor—but also healing. Ava doesn’t just solve mysteries—she helps spirits (and sometimes herself) find peace.

And the truth is?
That’s the heart of a good cozy.
Yes, someone dies. Yes, secrets are uncovered. But in the end, the world is a little more right than it was before.

In Skeletons & Scandals, Ava is dealing with more than a ghostly food critic and a haunted recipe tin. She’s confronting emotional baggage, unsolved grief, and a very persistent spirit named Birdie who refuses to be ignored. And through it all, she’s still trying to keep her cat fed, her mom from interfering too much, and her name out of the local gossip column.

It’s spooky. It’s sweet. It’s Southern.
And it’s a hug in book form—with maybe a few ghostly cold spots thrown in. 👻🫖

If you love mysteries that wrap you in a blanket of charm (even while unraveling the occasional ghost-related scandal), you’re in the right place.

➡️ Skeletons & Scandals releases August 19th! Preorder now to find out what Birdie’s ghost is hiding—and what secrets Ava will uncover next. Spoiler alert: one of them might involve pie. https://www.nyxhalliwell.com/skeletons-scandals-confessions-of-a-closet-medium-book-10

Why I Believe in Magic (and Mischievous Cats)

It starts with a flicker of intuition.
A tea cup that rattles for no reason.
A cat that stares just a little too long at the corner of the room like someone’s standing there.
(And let’s be honest—cats definitely know things.)

That’s the kind of magic I believe in. Subtle. Mysterious. Whimsical. And sometimes a little mischievous.

My cozy mystery series are full of magical mayhem, helpful ghosts, and—of course—feline familiars with opinions. Why? Because I believe the everyday world is already enchanted. We just need to pay attention.

In Skeletons & Scandals, the latest Confessions of a Closet Medium mystery (coming August 19th!), my heroine Ava finds herself face-to-ghost with secrets that won’t stay buried and a mischievous spirit named Birdie who’s not quite ready to rest in peace.

Add in:

• A haunted recipe tin

• A cranky food critic with a mysterious death

• And plenty of sass from Ava’s mother…

…and you’ve got a cozy mystery with more twists than a cat chasing its tail.

Whether you believe in ghosts, guardian angels, or just the magic of a perfect cup of tea on a stormy afternoon, my stories are for anyone who’s ever felt like the veil between worlds is just a little thin.

Because sometimes the dead have secrets. And sometimes the cat knows them first. 🐈‍⬛✨

➡️ Skeletons & Scandals releases August 19th! Preorder now to find out what Birdie’s ghost is hiding—and what secrets Ava will uncover next. Spoiler alert: one of them might involve pie. https://www.nyxhalliwell.com/skeletons-scandals-confessions-of-a-closet-medium-book-10