I’m Courtney, a twenty-three-year-old self-published author from an incredibly small town of only around 200 people. I first found my love for writing when I was much younger, only about five or six. Of course, back then, I was writing stories about talking unicorns and their mice friends rather than murder mysteries and paranormal novels.
Although I wrote my first novel-length story when I was ten, I finished my first novel-length mystery sometime between eleven and twelve. It was around that time that I started reading John Saul, Thomas Harris, and James Patterson. They all greatly influenced what genre I would begin to take the biggest liking to.
Back then, I wrote stories for myself without the plan to ever let anyone else read them (minus the few short ones I turned in for homework grades in middle school). It wasn’t until high school that, thanks to a combination of my History teacher and my English teacher, I learned about NaNoWriMo, which quickly resulted in my discovery of self-publishing.
My English teacher introduced me to a published author who sat down and talked with me about writing, editing, and publishing. She was beyond kind to me; she even had me read her a passage from one of the books I was working on at the time! Meeting a woman in the field like that kept me writing, even on the days where school work ran high.
Nowadays, I’m able to spend my free time researching for my books. Sometimes, that research is as simple as how to fire a bolt-action rifle, and other times, that research is as in-depth as the angle of blood spatter when the victim is X feet tall and the killer is Y feet tall. I have to admit that research keeps me on my toes, and I’m constantly learning about subjects that I never thought I’d have the chance to learn about. It’s one of the many joys I get from writing.
To sum myself up in the easiest way: I’m a nocturnal being with a deep passion for writing, an unnatural obsession with research, and an extreme iced coffee addiction.
Feel free to visit my YouTube channel for vlogs during the NaNoWriMo months (April, July, November) and other general book-related videos. You can check out my self-published books here.
Happy reading!
Have a burning question for me? Ask here and I’ll get back to you with a response as soon as I can!
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Want to see a few of the ideas that go into my stories? Follow me on Pinterest! It’s where my characters get most of their ideas for supper.
Courtney Elsberry 