“It seemed like retirement was like the end of the road, but after moving here, it dawned on me one day that it’s not the end of the road, it’s like an on-ramp,” said Kathie Bennett.
That’s how Monarch Landing resident Kathie Bennett viewed her life as she fully embraced the freedom retirement gave her to write and publish her first novel, “The Next Great Discovery: A Heartland to Hometown Mystery – Book 1.”
Kathie Bennett starts writing at Monarch Landing
Writing had been a passion for Bennett since fourth grade. It followed her throughout her life, from writing for high school magazines to writing press releases and brochures for the Chicago District Golf Association, and even running her own publishing company for Civil War Books.
But she didn’t start writing her book until she moved into the Naperville senior living community in 2023.
“I can control my time better and like I said earlier, if I wake up at five and decide I need to start writing and don’t even bother getting dressed until 1 o’clock, it doesn’t matter,” said Bennett.
From autobiography to “The Next Great Discovery”
Before writing “The Next Great Discovery,” she first attempted an autobiography. She used her life experiences including living in multiple states, owning an art glass studio, and even residing on a boat in California.
“So I started on an autobiography, and I got one chapter in and I thought, nobody’s going to want to read this. Nobody’s going to care,” said Bennett.
Instead, she scrapped the autobiography and used her experiences as source material for her novel.
“I could sort of do the autobiography that way. I could share some experiences but in a fictional way so it would be entertaining and people might be interested in it,” said Bennett.
After four months of typing, she published “The Next Great Discovery” in April 2024.
About “The Next Great Discovery”
It follows small-town reporter Leni Spencer, who leaves the Missouri heartland with detective Doug Joseph to investigate the deaths of her cousin and another victim in New Orleans.
“She sort of has a crush on the local detective who keeps telling her to keep out of the way and so she’s got to try to work against him,” said Bennett.
Tied into the mix is an archeological dig that may not be what it seems, a missing Native American weapon, and some characters complicating the investigation.
Presenting the book to Monarch Landing residents
Bennett held a presentation, book sale, and signing of her first work for the Monarch Landing residents. She donated over $300 in proceeds from the event to Monarch Landing’s Benevolent Care Fund.
“It was a wonderful day and I got some great feedback. Lots of sales and afterward, having people stop me in the hall to tell me how much they enjoyed reading the book,” said Bennett.
Her book is available in print and eBook format at Amazon, AuthorHouse, and Barnes and Noble. More information can be found on Kathie Bennett’s website.
Book two coming soon
While many see retirement as the end of the road, Bennett saw it as the start of a new chapter: the birth of the Heartland to Hometown Mystery series…with a sequel currently underway.
“You’re out of the traffic, you’ve got the clear road ahead of you, and you can take it wherever you want to go,” said Bennett.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
