Life Update: From Healing Words to Murder Mysteries (and Everything in Between)

If you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to lately—besides juggling life, grief, creativity, and approximately 47 browser tabs—this post is your official update.

A New Chapter (Literally)

I’ve officially begun the process of writing my next book… and this one is different. For the first time in my life, I’m stepping away from nonfiction and leaning into a lifelong dream: writing a murder mystery.

That said, I’m not closing the door on nonfiction forever. Writing Breaking: Understanding the Loss of a Partner and The Healing Letter was deeply meaningful, healing, and honestly life-altering in ways I didn’t expect. Those books came straight from lived experience, heartbreak, and growth—and they will always matter to me.

I fully expect to return to nonfiction and likely write a sequel to Breaking in about six months. That story isn’t done yet. But for now, my creative heart needed something different—something imaginative, complex, and just a little bit dark. (Therapeutically, we can truly say this is the healthy way Courtney deals with teen craziness and chronic illness.)

Where I Am in the Murder Mystery Process

Right now, I’m deep in character development—the phase where everyone exists, but no one is behaving yet. I’m learning who these people are, what secrets they keep, what scares them, and (of course) who might be capable of murder.

It’s equal parts thrilling and overwhelming. I’m surrounded by character notes, town layouts, timelines, and questions like: Who knows what—and when? This stage feels like building the bones of a house before you can decorate it. Messy, necessary, and kind of magical.

The Content Creation Reality Check

Let’s talk social media—because wow. When I started this journey, I genuinely thought content creation was mostly “post a video and move on.” Past Me was adorable.

Here’s where things stand right now:

• Facebook: 390 followers

• Instagram: 188 followers

• Threads: 23 followers

• TikTok: 38 followers

• YouTube: 28 subscribers

That gives us a total of 667 amazing humans across platforms—and I’m incredibly grateful for every single one.

What I didn’t fully understand at first is how much work goes into social media when you’re not just scrolling, but creating. Sometimes a 2-minute video takes hours to film, edit, caption, format, and post. Then comes learning the difference between reels vs. posts vs. stories vs. carousels—and how each platform wants them slightly (or wildly) different.

It turns out that being a “regular” social media user does not prepare you for being a content creator. At all.

Determined—Even on the Hard Days

Even when it feels overwhelming, I’m determined to turn this into a real business. I think often of Mary Kay Ash, who said:

“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you.”

That mindset matters—especially on days when the algorithm humbles you.

Big Brand News 🎉

One exciting update: I’ve become an Amazon Brand Creator, which is a huge step forward for me. This opens new doors for brand partnerships, content opportunities, and long-term growth—and it’s something I’ve worked toward intentionally.

Looking Ahead: Goals for the New Year

As I look toward the new year, here’s what I’m focused on:

• Continuing to grow all social media channels

• Learning how to monetize those platforms sustainably

• Creating more passive income streams

• Expanding into brand work and UGC content (UGC, or user-generated content, is when creators produce authentic photos or videos for brands to use in their marketing—without necessarily posting it themselves)

• Opening my Print-on-Demand (POD) store

• And, of course, continuing my journey as an author—both fiction and nonfiction

Final Thoughts

This season of life feels full—creatively, emotionally, and professionally. Some days I’m energized. Some days I’m exhausted. Most days I’m learning as I go.

If you’re here reading this, thank you for being part of the process. Whether you came for the grief work, the writing journey, the humor, or the chaos—there’s more coming.

And yes… someone will die in the next book. But in a totally fictional way. Promise.