Orlando Author Mindy Killgrove on Cozy Mysteries, Indie Publishing, KU vs Wide, and Writing Life | Jolene’s Books & Writer’s Talk

Host Jolene MacFadden interviews Orlando, Florida author Mindy Killgrove, who writes cozy mystery series and romance and is finishing the final book in her Buena Ventura Beach Mystery series set in a fictional Florida beach town. Mindy discusses creating a community-focused cozy setting with varied mysteries, her influences (Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and Shakespeare), and her experience with the Orange County Library System through book fairs, local collection requests, and the OCLS Writers Group. The conversation covers indie publishing trends, Mindy’s preference for self-publishing after an earlier small-press experience, and the KU/Kindle Select exclusivity tradeoff; she keeps most of her catalog in Kindle Unlimited due to stronger results, while her first trilogy is available wide. Jolene shares her own wide strategy using Draft2Digital and IngramSpark to reach libraries and ebook services. They compare production tools (IngramSpark print quality, Draft2Digital conversions, and Ingram’s sprayed edges), discuss social media choices (Mindy uses Facebook, Instagram, occasional X, and a YouTube channel with children’s book read-alouds), and newsletter building via BookFunnel. Mindy explains what she likes about writing (growth, reader engagement) and dislikes (marketing/advertising), her organized plotter approach using Microsoft Word, maintaining a series “world bible,” and tips for new writers to start with the story in their head and outline it. They address AI, with Mindy using it for promotional images via Canva while opposing AI-written stories, and they discuss cover design expectations for cozy mysteries and the need to refresh covers over time. Jolene also mentions republishing backlists, copyright registration, and long-term rights planning (including trusts). Mindy closes by sharing that she travels around Florida to attend book festivals and connect with readers and authors. Visit the authors website: https://www.mindykillgrove.com

00:00 Welcome & Show Intro (Jolene’s Books and Writer’s Talk)

00:40 Meet Mindy Killgrove + The Buena Ventura Beach Mysteries

01:43 Favorite Influences & Reading Habits (Austen, Christie, Shakespeare)

02:37 Libraries & Supporting Indie Authors (OCLS and beyond)

04:35 Indie vs Traditional Publishing + Community Support

05:54 Kindle Unlimited Exclusivity vs Going Wide (What Works for Sales)

08:20 Print & Distribution Tools: IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, Smashwords Sales

10:32 Author Platform & Social Media Choices (Website, YouTube, Newsletters)

13:48 What Mindy Loves (and Hates) About the Writing Career

16:24 Process & Organization: Plotter Mindset, Outlines, and Series Bible

18:42 Advice for New Writers + Where AI Fits (and Doesn’t)

21:56 Cover Design Trends, Refreshing Backlists & Copyright/Legacy Planning

25:11 Events, Florida Book Fests & Final Wrap-Up

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