Sometimes a character begins as a passing mention.
Then she refuses to leave.
That’s what happened with Kylie “KC” Cassidy.
When I first started thinking about writing a Christmas mystery, I imagined a small town near Orlando. I wanted the story to have that holiday atmosphere, but with suspense, danger, and a case that would feel connected to the larger world I had already created.
As the story began taking shape, I remembered a brief reference I had written in Hidden Secrets. A local detective had appeared there, almost in passing. At the time, she wasn’t meant to carry her own series. She was simply part of the story.
But when I went back and checked, there was no conflict. She wasn’t too old. She wasn’t already locked into another role. She could become someone much more important.
That was when KC stepped forward.
Her first starring role came in Christmas Murders, a novella that let me explore her background, her instincts, and her determination to find the truth. From there, the possibilities kept growing.
Of course, I also wanted the story to connect back to the Mirror Estate series. That connection eventually landed with Nathan Tanner, who had already become part of that world. Bringing Tanner into KC’s orbit gave the story a natural bridge between series while still allowing KC to stand on her own.
KC’s personal history also grew piece by piece. Her father, a police officer, died in the line of duty. Her mother couldn’t cope. KC was raised by her Aunt Mae, a detail inspired by a brief family setup I remembered from a television show and then reshaped into something that fit KC’s world.
That’s one of the joys of writing.
Stories grow from tiny sparks: a passing line, a half-remembered idea, a character who suddenly feels real.
KC began as a local detective in someone else’s story.
Now she has her own series.
Fatal Invitation introduced readers to the KC & Orlando Prime world, and her story continues in Lethal Design, coming August 4.