Kate Collins: Bestselling Author and Epcon Home Owner
It’s no mystery why Kate Collins is happy. She has just published the 19th book in her bestselling “Flower Shop Mystery Book Series”, three of which were made into movies for the Hallmark Movies and Mystery Channel (starring Brooke Shields).
The mystery is how an elementary school teacher and chronic crafter found her way to becoming an author.
“I never expected to be a writer,” Kate explains. “The only thing I liked writing was checks!”
Kate took time off from teaching to raise her son and daughter, and she looked for something to occupy her mind. She learned to sew, tried her hand at macramé, and explored painting. Then the Indiana native saw an ad in the Chicago Tribune, promoting a correspondence course to learn to write children’s stories. Well, she taught kids, so she should certainly know how to write for them, right?
At the end of the course, she finished a story, which was published in a children’s magazine. Seeing her name in print sparked Kate’s passion. She wrote and published 20 more. Meanwhile, she was reading classics, like “Gone with the Wind”, and discovered she was enthralled with historical fiction.
“I sat down and wrote a novel. It was horrible. I didn’t know what to do with it,” says Kate. She sent it to Harlequin Books, which responded with a polite rejection and a suggestion that she study the publishing guidelines.
Kate saw another ad in the Chicago Tribune, this time for a three-day conference of romance writers. She attended every workshop, committed to learning as much as possible while she was there. Fired up from the newfound knowledge, she returned home and wrote a historical romance novel. She attended another conference and met with an editor—somewhat akin to speed dating where you have seven minutes to make an impression.
She made an impression. The editor requested to see sample chapters. In 1995, Kate’s first novel, “Village Square” was published, and she has been writing and publishing steadily ever since—a total of 26 novels, five of which have been New York Times Best-sellers.
Kate published the first installment of the Flower Shop Mystery Book Series, “Mum’s the Word” in 2004. On May 30, 2017, “Yews with Caution”, the 19th adventure of florist and sleuth Abby Knight hit Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Abby is a 5’2”, curvaceous and witty redhead whose curiosity takes her outside her flower shop, Bloomers, and into deep trouble—not exactly a description of Brooke Shields, but when a producer comes to you to make your books into a movie, Kate explains, you say, “Sure!”
Kate’s husband and muse died suddenly, and she found herself rattling around in their big Indiana home, which she says, “felt like a museum.” Her kids were grown and living about an hour away. They encouraged her to move to a smaller place, like a condo. She looked, but found nothing she could see herself living in.
One February day in 2012, Kate and her daughter spotted an “Open House” sign at an Epcon community. They toured a Promenade model, and Kate caught a glimpse of her future.
“Taller ceilings, open space, lots of light, and the kitchen flowed into the eating area and living room,” she describes the home. “Everything I had seen before was dark and cramped. I looked around this model and knew this was a place I could call ‘home’.”
Kate’s home includes the Epcon signature courtyard, as well as a pond view, a finished basement, and garage. When she moved in, there were about eight homes in the community. Today, there are almost 70.
She enjoys the strong sense of community in her neighborhood, where people look out for one another and get together for social activities. Not everyone knows she is a successful mystery writer—“Kate Collins” is her pen name, and she goes by her married name. She also likes the low-maintenance lifestyle of Epcon Communities, which takes care of her exterior maintenance, a definite plus since she travels quite a bit.
Kate has plans for a new series, but isn’t saying she’s done with Abby Knight. I guess that remains a mystery—for now.
For more information about Kate and her books, visit www.katecollinsbooks.com and follow her on Facebook.
