A Mystery in the Making

Pacific Coast Secrets

Basalt sea stacks rising from a misty Pacific at golden hour

The road trip may be over, but Follow the Marigold is just getting to the best part. Now I’m taking all those miles, photographs, conversations, coffee stops, coastal towns, unexpected discoveries, and little details I gathered along the way and weaving them into the chapters of Shoreline Secrets. As I write, I’ll take you behind the scenes and show you how real places become fictional scenes, how characters change, where clues are hidden, and which moments from the trip actually make it onto the page. You’ll get glimpses of chapters in progress, research notes, photographs, music, and maybe even a few secrets I probably shouldn’t tell you yet. So keep Following the Marigold because we’re not simply waiting for a book to be released anymore. We’re going to watch Shoreline Secrets become a book together.

The Story Shape of the Trip

Astoriadeparture
Newportarrival
Gold Beachwonder
Crescent Citymystery
Jacksonvillehistory & revelation
Seattlereturn & reflection

About the Author

Who's Writing

I write atmospheric mysteries set where the land keeps its secrets. This summer I'm taking the long coastal road south, letting the cliffs, harbors, and old Gold Rush towns shape a new thriller — and sharing the journey with the readers who make the work worthwhile.

From the Road

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From the Camera

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Support the Marigold

Writing a mystery and driving down the coast to research run on the same thing, and it is not only coffee. If Nora’s world has earned a spot in your week, you can help keep the wheels turning. Thank you for riding along. 🌼 Melissa

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Share a thought, a memory of the coast, or a word of encouragement for the book taking shape on this trip.

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