GETTING MY DUCKS IN A ROW by VM Burns

LUCY BURDETTE: Today I'm happy to bring back a friend from Mystery Lovers Kitchen, VM (Valerie) Burns. If you love comfort food with a southern twist, visit her on alternate Thursdays on our cozy foodie blog. But enough about food--today she's talking about big life changes, and how they made their way into her new book. Welcome Valerie!

VM BURNS: A year ago, I realized it was time. Time to make a change. Time to take a leap of faith. Time to quit the soul sucking day job and write fulltime. It was time I got my ducks in a row.

Ever since I came out of the closet and announced to the world that “I AM A WRITER.” I’ve met hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who all want to write. I never knew there were so many people who shared my dream. Sadly, most people never get beyond the dream stage. Some start writing, but never finish. Others finish a book, but are quelled by the cold realities of traditional publishing. It’s HARD. Even for those of us who are fortunate enough to land an agent and a traditional publishing deal, getting to the stage where you can support yourself as a writer, is almost impossible.

Why is writing fulltime such a challenge? The primary reason is that traditional publishing doesn’t provide a steady, regular income. The day job paid me every two weeks. Most traditional publishers pay royalties twice per year. And royalties are based on sales made six months in arrears. There are also things like taxes, insurance, and intellectual property that I needed to figure out. Thinking about all the things that I needed to do was overwhelming. I read books. I attended seminars. And I talked to people who were doing it. Ultimately, I came up with a plan (and a backup plan) which enabled me to take the leap. Giving up the safety of a regular paycheck along with health insurance felt like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. It was scary. But, it has also been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Getting off the corporate ladder isn’t for everybody. And for anyone who’s stuck in a soul sucking day job, I recommend doing your research before making that leap. Getting your ducks in a row may involve consultations with doctors, lawyers, accountants, financial planners, and therapists. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. And sometimes, you may need to make small baby steps rather than giant leaps. As Samantha Washington says, “Life is too short, not to be happy.”

My journey to corral my ducks was the inspiration for the 11th book in my Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, Murder From A to Z. Whatever your goal is for organizing your ducks, don’t be afraid to put in the research and come up with a plan (or three). After all is said and done, you may ultimately decide NOT to jump out of that airplane, but at least you’ll have neat orderly ducks.

Most people think of making big life changes at the start of a new year like diets, exercise, and financial changes. Do you have ducks that you want to organize in 2026?

 

ABOUT THE BOOK: Nana Jo has volunteered her lawyer granddaughter, Jenna, to teach estate planning to retirees—with Sam providing her bookshop as the venue. But during the seminar, entitled Getting Your Ducks in Order, it quickly becomes clear someone’s up to Fowl Play. When elderly Alva Tarkington, accompanied by her niece, sits down for a consultation, Sam realizes the woman’s frequent blinking is actually Morse Code—S.O.S. The sisters get her alone, and Alva tells them she believes her life is in danger and must change her will . . .

Unfortunately, Alva is found dead the next day—seemingly from natural causes. But Nana Jo and the sisters suspect otherwise. In between penning her latest historical mystery, set in 1939 as England declares war on Germany and Lady Elizabeth Marsh pursues stolen paintings and a traitor, Sam teams up with the senior sleuths of Shady Acres to search for motives—beginning with Alva’s family. They soon learn not everyone is who they say they are, and someone is more than qualified to teach a class on cold-blooded murder . . .

Murder From A to Z releases on January 27th.

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is an Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Award-finalist. Writing as V. M. Burns, she is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, and RJ Franklin Mystery series. As Valerie Burns, she writes the Baker Street Mystery series. She also writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series as Kallie E. Benjamin. In addition to writing, Valerie is an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction MFA Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at vmburns.com.