When Katherine MacLean first dreamed of writing, she was a child with a boundless imagination. But after years in science—where “flowery words” were discouraged—her creative side went dormant.

Everything shifted when Katherine suffered the loss of her sister. She’d been studying psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and its effects on mental health and creativity. Surrounded by people transforming their lives, she asked herself: When will I take the leap?

That leap became Midnight Water: A Psychedelic Memoir, a vulnerable exploration of grief, family, and her own self-experimentation with psychedelics.

Facing Fear and Finding Support

Publishing such a personal—and legally sensitive—story wasn’t easy. Katherine feared criticism, misinterpretation, and even legal repercussions. She sought guidance from a women-led law firm to separate “perceived fears from real risks,” and their counsel helped her move forward with confidence.

She also built a support network: a women-owned publisher, a woman-run bookstore for her launch, and a circle of cheerleaders who made her feel safe. “By the time the book came out, I had already put supports in place to feel really safe,” she recalls.

Writing on Her Own Timeline

Katherine started journaling in 2013 after her sister’s death but didn’t begin full drafting until 2020. “If I’d signed a contract early, I would have felt pinned in,” she says. “I wanted the writing itself to make me better, not miserable.”

The extra years allowed her to process grief, give birth to two children, and create a life that nourished her as she wrote.

Publishing on Her Terms

Initially published by Green Writers Press, Katherine later reclaimed her print rights so she could personally sign and ship every physical copy. “Meeting readers one-on-one has added so much value,” she says. E-books and audiobooks remain on Amazon and Audible for wide access, but print copies come straight from her Vermont post office—each one a personal connection.

Advice for Writers

Katherine urges writers to ask themselves whether sharing publicly will truly serve their well-being. “Make sure the story is healing you, not harming you,” she advises. And when opportunity arises, seize it: “Jump at those openings—a week away, a friend’s barn, a residency. Dive in without needing to know the outcome.”

Her journey proves that a book’s success isn’t measured in sales but in the courage to create—and in the better life that creation can bring.