There are some authors whose journeys remind us that creativity doesn’t arrive in perfect time blocks or under ideal circumstances, it unfolds in the cracks of real life. Katie Cross is one of those authors.

Before writing more than 100 titles, before building a thriving online store, before creating a full-time author career from her home in the Montana mountains, Katie was a pediatric nurse who wrote her stories on an ancient four-inch Mac screen. She loved reading from the time she was a child, devouring novels, haunting the school library, and winning awards for how many books she tore through each year. Story was always there. She just didn’t yet know what it would become.

From Nursing to Novels

Katie didn’t originally set out to be an author. She earned her BSN, worked in pediatric nursing, traveled the world, and lived the beautifully unpredictable life of a military spouse, constantly reinventing home.

But writing stayed with her.

Katie picked up writing again on a Wattpad-like website. She learned to take feedback. One of her stories won an award. Readers responded. She felt something ignite. That spark eventually became her debut novel, Miss Mabel’s School for Girls.

She edited the book for a year, but instead of pursuing traditional publishing, she made a decision rooted in instinct:

She chose indie publishing because it gave her freedom.

Owning Her Creative Destiny

At the time, indie publishing was still fresh and fast-moving. KDP was new, the “gold rush” had authors making six figures, and everything felt possible.

Katie bought a copy of Publisher’s Weekly, flipped through the querying requirements, and realized instantly:

“I don’t have time for this.”

The idea of full creative control, timeline, cover design, release schedule, business ownership resonated with her deeply. She jumped in, learned everything she could, and never looked back.

Today, Katie runs her author business from her home in Montana, managing her team, raising her children, and building a career that bends beautifully around her life, not against it.

The Power of Tiny Acts

One of the strongest threads in Katie’s story is her belief in the power of small, consistent action. Writing books while raising kids, managing moves, and running a business is no small feat. But she doesn’t credit big dramatic writing sessions.

She credits tiny steps taken repeatedly.

As she says:

“Small things lead up to big things over time.”

Katie never regrets the days she wrote only 500 words or answered just a handful of emails. She sees those small acts as investments one version of Katie makes for a future version of herself.

Advice for Women on the Fence

Katie’s message for women thinking about writing, scared to start, or stuck on the edge of possibility is simple and powerful:

Do one small thing.
Write the 100 words.
Open the notebook.
Send the email.
Take the tiniest step.

Those steps add up. They always do.