Meet Sydney

My Arts and Crafts Mystery series is steeped in a life’s experience in the world of the arts, coupled with a love for mystery books.

I have always been an avid reader of mysteries. My mom and I would go to the library to pick out an armload of mystery books, and I can recall that feeling of wonder; of losing myself in the world I was reading about.

As I’ve grown older, I still feel that way. I am particularly drawn to books with a series, where I can eagerly anticipate continuing the journey with the characters. I even feel slight anxiety when I’m coming to the end of a series, but comfort myself with the thought that I can always reread them!

My mom also included me in her arts and crafts adventures. Whether learning photography and developing film, making stained glass, doing needlework and textiles, pottery, or painting, she taught me that there are no limits to creativity and that the art world should be a place of joy and imagination.

This influence stayed with me. I have created several pieces for charity auctions and have been a part of an art group for over twenty years. We have some fantastic talent in this group, including gallery artists, but this group is for fun, laughter, and camaraderie. We experiment with multiple arts and crafts mediums, including resin jewelry, making ornaments and garden art, watercolors, painting, and drawing. But sometimes, we think outside the box, like climbing up on a retaining wall to drop paint onto canvas spinning on a Lazy Susan. I’ve included some images from this inspiring group under the Gallery tab.

My writing journey has been a bit non-traditional. Knowing my fondness for light mysteries, this group of art friends challenged me to start writing a series based on our art group. It was a running joke for years. But one day, with some time on my hands, my friend said, “Do it. Start the book!”. So, I did it. I started writing, and I’ve found that I can’t seem to stop. I spend my days at the desk, with my imagination living in the world I am creating for the characters. It’s a happy place to live. And I can feel my mom with me as I merge my love of mysteries with my love of the creative arts.

I have been fortunate to work with an excellent editor, Bryn Donovan. She has also given me the tools necessary to grow as a writer, for which I am grateful, and I can honestly say that without her, my first book would be buried in a drawer, and the next two would not have been written.

And I am happy to announce that the first three books in this series are now under contract with The Wild Rose Press! What an honor! I am already in love with my editor, Eilidh MacKenzie, and am looking forward to creating a long and happy working relationship with TWRP.