307: Jan Heidrich-Rice - Author of Secrets of the Blue Moon

Our podcast guest this week is Jan Heidrich-Rice (Secrets of the Blue Moon, indie published, September 2024). We discuss making up a whole small town for your setting, basing characters on people you know, and why writing her first novel often meant asking for help from fellow writers, including WFWA members. And listen at the end for a cute story of Jan's favorite review from an unexpected source.  Jan Heidrich-Rice writes contemporary fiction and creative nonfiction—occasionally haunting, often funny, but always filled with hope and heart. Her Marnie Putnam Mystery Trilogy features cozy-dark Southern mysteries that weave together small-town secrets, emotional healing, and whispers of the supernatural. Book #1 of the trilogy, Secrets of the Blue Moon, was recognized as an Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in Women's Fiction (2026) and as an American Book Fest Finalist for Cross Genre Fiction (2025). Jan's nonfiction combines insight and humor to help readers navigate midlife shifts, creative reinvention, and the beautiful mess that real-life detours bring. Whether she's exploring other-worldly possibilities or real-life crossroads, her work is rooted in hope and human connection. To learn more about Jan, go to https://www.janheidrichrice.com/