Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .
What drew you to the genre you write?
I’ve always gravitated toward mystery since I read my first Nancy Drew book. The exhilaration of collecting the clues and trying to solve things before the characters in the book do was too much fun! As a writer, I picked cozy mystery at the beginning of my writing career because I loved knowing my books were clean/safe for readers of any age to pick up, yet they could still get that thrill of figuring out the crimes as they read. Later, I added steampunk mystery to my list of genres that I write because I could add in numerous inventions and creative accoutrements for my characters in a historical setting that is (for me) much a refreshing change of pace to imagine and spend time in than the contemporary cell-phone carrying setting.
What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Oh wow! Off the top of my head, I’ll give you three characters and three quirks though there are probably more or better ones.
1. Gladys from Ooey Gooey Bakery and Adventures of Gladys series carved faces into two of her palm trees and talks to them when she is lonely.
2. Maggie from the Longhorn Trucking Mysteries drives big 18-wheelers but cannot pass up an outlet mall or a thrift store and sometimes brings home new animals from her adventures.
3. Anna-Marie from the steampunk series is inspired by Mary Poppins, so she has a knack for inventing brand new steam-powered and clockwork run umbrellas in each book that do all manner of different things from repelling to fishing net umbrellas.
Tell us how you got into writing?
First, I was obsessed with books as a child and a teen. All I wanted to do was read. No sports for me, just books. Even in my early years, that love of stories grew from only reading them to making them up. I would use cardboard and paper to make books as a kid, I entered writing and poetry contests as a teen, and eventually, I gave up trying to pretend I was satisfied working 40+ hours a week in an office when my passion was giving voice to the scenes and characters forever popping into my head.
What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
My first job as a teenager was putting sticky tabs in reference books and typing up the index page numbers. It was odd, a job in someone’s barn, they paid well and three other people worked there. For the life of me, I can’t remember how I even found out about it to get hired LOL. After that, I graduated high school at the age of 16 the summer before what could have been my senior year (by doing heavy loads of dual credit college courses), and was hired by a local metal building company to perform filing and data entry jobs as I continued pursuing my Bachelor degree. I worked at that company for years, laid off once during economic downturn, hired back on, and eventually asked my husband if I could go home and give writing a try because I was tired and angry all of the time at work. God bless that man, he said yes and after that I have written and taken care of our children. I now homeschool our 4-year-old daughter (who is on a first-grade level already) and part-time teach fitness yoga at my husband’s gym while continuing to write.
How many books do you have published?
When I counted at the beginning of 2025, I have published over 30 books, several of them being cozy mystery series and one steampunk series. I have written two Hallmark style gift books for moms, and created a wedding planning journal with Plan A, Plan B, Plan C sections for young women or teens who enjoy imagining that fantastic day.
Where do you write?
90% of my writing I do at home, sitting on my bed with snacks beside me and my laptop in my lap. I have a desk in my room to and use it on occasion but it is small and sometimes it feels too confined. I write on my portable keyboard on some of our road trips, or while my daughter has swim lessons.
What is your ideal time to write?
In a perfect world, I would love to get up and write in the mornings while it is quiet. However, our little one wakes up between 5:30 and 6 AM so that isn’t actually a quiet time and I must say I do not sleep well enough to wake up any earlier than that so for the last three years I have written primarily during her nap time. She is now outgrowing naps so y’all send help and prayers as we navigate new routines.
What is your favorite deadline snack?
Peanut butter, oat, and butterscotch chip protein (mixed and eat), or brownie batter though I’ve tried to cut down on that. At a certain age, it starts to stick around longer.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Fairy tale retellings, fantasy, inspirations historical fiction (Julie Klassen being one of my favorites).
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
Probably that for the last few years I’ve been creating my own book covers because I have a very small budget.
What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
Water is usually what I drink in the evening but I like to have blood orange energy drinks/sparkling water when I write.
Who is an author you admire?
Julie Klassen for her beautifully written Christian fiction and her ability to travel to research her books which she then shares her travels with readers. Tonya Kappes for her unbelievable number of books written and amazing success in cozy mysteries that I would love to grow to have even a portion of that success as I continue writing and finding readers.
Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Don’t stop writing because it is even harder to come back to it when you lose momentum and confidence in yourself. Save money to hire an editor even though it is a difficult expense; the right editor will love and improve your writing.
What are you reading now?
A Proper Governess by Kasey Stockton and Legacy of Roses.
What is next for you?
I have plans to continue my cozy mystery series this year though I’m stuck deciding which one at the moment, a shared world project for Adventures of Gladys, a fairy tale retelling anthology with two or three other authors, and I want to increase my writing in the steampunk mystery genre because my Mary Poppins inspired steampunk book is by far my most popular and has found numerous fans so I would like to bring them more fun, steampunk tales of excitement and ingenuity.
Where can we find you?
On Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon. Subscribe HERE to my newsletter.
Now to have some fun . . .
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Lunch
Fruits or vegetables
Fruits
Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor
Chocolate. Always.
Sweet or salty snacks
Sweet
Ice cream or cake
Ice cream, especially a milkshake!
Cooking or baking
Love to do both
Dining in or dining out
We do more dining in but I enjoy going out and being served sometimes
City life or country living
Country
Beach or mountain
Beach most often but enjoy hiking on vacations to mountains/waterfalls too
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Fall if we had more than 2 weeks of it in Texas
Extrovert or introvert
Introvert who is capable of extroverting but prefers books
Early bird or night owl
Reading night owl, getting things done morning
And even more fun . . .
What’s your favorite movie?
Pride & Prejudice, Tombstone, Beauty and the Beast
You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Water, Books, Knife – unless my husband counts and then I’ll trade the knife for him 😉
My bio:
Katherine Brown is a Texas girl, wife, mom, weaver of words, Christian, and book lover! Katherine spent much of her childhood transported into the pages of books and loves that her job is to provide an adventure for other readers now. She enjoys reading with her youngest, picking apart TV shows with her oldest, and pretending to follow along with hockey to spend time with her husband. Katherine writes character-driven cozy mysteries and steampunk mysteries that are full of fun, wit, often some sass, and the occasional pet which she has trouble keeping up with on the pages.