If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to build a prolific indie author career from the ground up, over 50 novels, a children’s series with its own YouTube channel, educational resources for K-12 classrooms, and a ghostwriting practice on the side, look no further than Orlando’s own Mindy Killgrove.
In this episode of Jolene’s Book and Writers Talk, I sat down with Mindy to talk about her journey from classroom teacher and sports reporter to full-time freelance author. She’s the creative force behind the Buenaventura Beach Cozy Mystery Series, the Kate Kellner Trilogy, the Missy Lawrence Trilogy, the Kanedy Productions Series, and the beloved Riley Roundtree Social Story Learning Adventure Series for children. Her first Buenaventura Beach book, Marshmallow Milkshakes and Missing Persons, was the Florida Writers Association’s September 2025 Member Book of the Month. That’s not an accident, that’s the result of years of intentional craft and community building.
The World of Buenaventura Beach
Mindy’s cozy mystery series is set in a fictional Florida beach town, and she has the rare gift of making a community feel lived-in and real. We talked about how she builds varied mysteries within a consistent setting, keeping longtime readers engaged while welcoming new ones. Her literary DNA comes through clearly, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and Shakespeare aren’t just names she drops; they’re woven into her storytelling sensibility.
Indie Publishing: KU, Wide, and Everything In Between
One of the most practical segments of our conversation covers the eternal indie debate: Kindle Unlimited exclusivity versus going wide. Mindy keeps most of her catalog in KU because the numbers work for her, while her first trilogy is available wide. I shared my own strategy — using Draft2Digital and IngramSpark to reach libraries and ebook subscription services — and we compared notes on print quality, distribution reach, and the beautiful (and pricey) option of IngramSpark’s sprayed edges.
Platform, Social Media, and the Newsletter Question
Mindy is active on Facebook, Instagram, and occasionally X, and she runs a YouTube channel featuring children’s book read-alouds under her That’s All She Wrote Productions brand. We talked about newsletter building via BookFunnel and why showing up consistently on the platforms that feel right for you matters more than chasing every trend.
What She Loves — and What She Doesn’t
Mindy is refreshingly candid: she loves the growth that comes from writing and connecting with readers. Marketing and advertising? Not so much. It’s a feeling most indie authors know well, and hearing a seasoned pro name it openly is both validating and useful.
AI, Cover Design, and Long-Term Rights Planning
We didn’t shy away from the big conversations. Mindy uses AI for promotional images via Canva but draws a firm line at AI-written stories. We also covered cover design trends in the cozy mystery space, the importance of refreshing backlist covers over time, and — something I care deeply about — copyright registration and legacy planning, including the use of trusts to protect your work long-term.
For New Writers
Mindy’s advice is simple and solid: start with the story in your head and outline it. She’s a plotter who works in Microsoft Word, maintains a detailed series “world bible,” and brings the same organizational discipline she honed as a classroom teacher to every project.
You can find Mindy at mindykillgrove.com and across social media. Her books are available on Amazon, and her Riley Roundtree YouTube channel is worth bookmarking if you know any young readers.
About the Author
Mindy Killgrove is a prolific freelance author and ghostwriter with over fifty novels, forty-plus short stories, and one play to her credit. Her series include the Kate Kellner Trilogy, the Missy Lawrence Trilogy, the Kanedy Productions Series, and the Buenaventura Beach Cozy Mystery Series. Her children’s Riley Roundtree Social Story Learning Adventure Series is featured on her YouTube channel. A former teacher, Killgrove has created 250-plus K-12 educational resources available on TeachersPayTeachers. She currently edits the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation’s newsletter, Pride & Possibilities. A Heidelberg University and Bowling Green State University alumna, she lives in Orlando, Florida.
Website: https://www.mindykillgrove.com
X: https://x.com/mindykillgrove
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindykillgrove/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mindykillgrove/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Thats-All-She-Wrote-Productions/61554184877504/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindykillgrove
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mindy-Killgrove/author/B00BH1DLAC
Listen to the full episode
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