Oh friends, I missed you this month. 💛
I swear I had a whole month of cozy content planned, newsletters, videos, behind-the-scenes writing updates, the works. I even had a color-coded content calendar (which is now side-eyeing me from my desk). But then October happened… and she was a lot.
Between multiple surgeries (mine and other family members’), travel, mom life, and trying to keep up with writing deadlines, life basically looked at my plans and said, “That’s adorable.”
🩺 Let’s Start with the Scalpel
This month brought multiple surgeries for me and a few other family members. Picture me with my laptop, coffee, and a hospital waiting room playlist that alternated between “productive girl” and “existential dread.” There were stitches, bandages, and way too many insurance calls, but everyone’s on the mend now, just in time for me to remember what sleep feels like (allegedly).
✈️ Then Came Ashland, Oregon — a.k.a. Cozy Mystery Heaven
Because I like to make life interesting, I hopped on a plane in the middle of all that chaos to attend the Ashland Mystery Festival, and it was magical.
Think small-town charm meets Sherlock vibes with a dash of “I swear this could be the start of a Hallmark movie.”
You can check out my full vlog of the trip here:
🎥 Ashland Mystery Festival 2025 Vlog
I got to host a panel with three amazing bookish friends:
✨ Spencer from Intentionally Bookish
🌴 TJ from Beachbum Bookworm
📚 Amy from Amy Marie Reads
We talked about cozy mysteries, bookish communities, and why fictional murder is way more fun than real-life stress. The energy in the room was warm, funny, and delightfully nerdy, basically, my happy place.
If you’re curious about the festival itself, here’s what Ashland had cooking this year:
🔗 Ashland Mystery Festival Events
👩👦 Mom Life: The True Mystery
Meanwhile, back home, I was playing detective with socks that vanish into the void, snacks that apparently “disappeared themselves,” and a toddler who insists he can fly if he just jumps hard enough. Between drop-offs, bedtime negotiations, and trying to write during nap windows, I’ve basically leveled up to Chaos Management Expert.
✍️ Writing (Somehow Still Happened)
Between caffeine and sheer willpower, I managed to make progress on a few writing projects the kind where the characters talk to you at 2 AM, and you just hope they don’t also demand royalties. I’ve been juggling drafts, edits, and ideas that make me equal parts giddy and terrified. But honestly? Even in the middle of the madness, this creative stuff keeps me grounded.
🧶 Cozy Craft Corner: Crochet Edition
Because when life gets wild, my therapy is yarn.
This month, I finally made something just for me — a pair of ridiculously cute slippers that make me feel like a woodland cottagecore grandma in the best possible way. And then, because I couldn’t stop, I made a crocheted book cover.
Yes, you heard that right — my book is literally wrapped in coziness now.
🕯 Wrapping It All Up
So yeah, October was a lot.
But it was also full of connection, creativity, and cozy community, the exact mix that makes me grateful for this little corner of the internet where I get to share the highs, lows, and hilariously messy in-betweens with you.
Here’s to November bringing a bit more peace… or at least fewer doctor’s appointments.
(And maybe a nap. A girl can dream.)
💌
Until next time,
Courtny
(Your resident mystery-writing, mom-life-managing, caffeine-fueled chaos curator)