At 48 years old, I finally wrote my first novel.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned already, it’s this: you are never too old to begin something new.
My name is Minette, and I’m originally from Northern California, though I currently live in Texas with my two children. For most of my life, writing was something that lived quietly inside me. It was always there somewhere, waiting patiently beneath the surface, even during the years when I didn’t quite know how to begin.
Ironically, I wasn’t always a huge reader when I was younger. That love came later. But storytelling? That was different. I’ve always been drawn to stories. To emotion. To worlds that pull you out of reality for a little while and make you feel like you’ve stepped somewhere else entirely.
There’s a line from The Wedding Planner that always stayed with me: “Those who can’t do, teach.” In my case, I think writing became the thing I turned to because there were so many things I felt deeply but couldn’t always explain out loud. Stories gave me a place to explore emotion, relationships, fear, love, heartbreak, hope, and imagination all at once.
Then one day, I finally stopped overthinking and started writing.
That writing eventually became Salt & Sand, my very first novel.
What started as an idea slowly became something alive. Sierra. Aelion. The world around them. Their struggles, their connection, their story. Somewhere during the process, these characters stopped feeling fictional to me. I fell in love with them, with their world, and with the experience of creating something that once existed only in my imagination.
The kinds of stories I love are all over the place in the best possible way. I adore romance, fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, horror, drama, even the timeless elegance of Jane Austen. Every book offers something different. A new world. A new emotion. A new perspective. That’s the magic of storytelling to me. You aren’t just reading words on a page. You become part of the story. You see the scenes unfolding in your mind like memories from another life.
And honestly? That feeling never gets old.
This website is a space for all of it.
Here, you’ll find updates on current and upcoming books, behind-the-scenes glimpses into my writing process, character spotlights, future projects, and the many different stories still living inside my head waiting to be written. While fantasy romance will always have a special place in my heart, I don’t plan to stay in just one lane. I want to explore drama, suspense, emotional storytelling, and maybe even a few darker corners along the way.
At the center of it all, though, will always be one thing: connection.
Stories that make you feel something.
So whether you found your way here because of Salt & Sand or you simply love getting lost in fictional worlds the way I do, welcome.
I’m glad you’re here.
