Dear Readers,
As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself doing something I rarely do this time of year — slowing down. But not because I planned it.
A small medical accident intervened in my life just as the holidays were ramping up in early November. It all began with my new adventure in June to take up ice skating.
Yes, you read that right — skating. This year I laced up a pair of ice skates for the first time since childhood and started taking ice skating lessons. What began as fulfilling a life long dream, quickly became my new obsession — and my weekly “artist’s date.” Out there on the rink, with music echoing and ice gliding under my feet, my mind finally turns off. It’s meditative. It’s freeing. It’s physically challenging. And it’s sooo fun! And in a strange way, it’s made me a better writer. When I stop thinking about words, they come back clearer and stronger.
Of course, the universe has a sense of humor. At the beginning of November, during a practice session I tripped over my toe pick on the ice and landed on my kneecap, fracturing my patella in two nice little pieces — a painful reminder that even our most joyful pursuits can leave a mark. I’d went in for surgery and spent my holiday recouping- thank goodness for the holiday wind down. Gratefully, my brace came off just after Christmas and I’m on my feet again… but slowly. I have had the greatest medical care and PT and I will be back on the ice in 2026!!
Despite my “forced slow down”, I wouldn’t trade the experience. Laying on the couch with my right leg in a brace, and my laptop and a cozy blanket in my lap left me no excuses or procrastination from writing and reflecting on my amazing 2025.
Every story — even the painful ones — has something to teach us. And I can’t help but smile knowing my 2025 story literally ends with a cliffhanger.
It’s funny — sometimes the things that have “nothing to do with writing” end up shaping our writing the most.
2025 was a year of expansion. Much of what I worked on stayed behind the curtain — drafts, edits, and the business of storytelling. Most days felt like “making the sausage,” as the saying goes. Not glamorous, but deeply satisfying. Each morning I set small goals, and week by week I watched those invisible inches become real progress. When discouragement crept in, I’d look back six months and remind myself how far I’d come. That quiet perseverance has become my greatest teacher: stay in your lane, push through the resistance, and never give up.
I’m going to apply that to my new found ice skating hobby as I work to get on the ice again and join the synchro ice dance team! Yup… you’re never too old to chase your dreams!
The happiest of new years to you! This year, pull back from making resolutions— chase a dream!
A Glimpse Ahead: New Stories, Familiar Faces
So, what’s next?
Dr. Emily Hartford isn’t hanging up her lab coat yet. In 2026, she returns in the sixth installment of The Coroner’s Daughter series — Walking on White.
As the title suggests, this mystery unfolds in the dead of winter, just before Christmas and right after What Darkness Does. Emily and Detective Aditson find themselves racing to solve the case of a teenage cello prodigy found dead in the snow after a high school dance. It’s a return to the classic whodunnit — a story that explores how holding onto secrets leads to tragedy.
Beyond Emily’s world, several standalone projects are waiting in the wings — stories that explore new crimes, new settings, and new corners of the human heart. Some are already in the editing phase, others are being shopped, and a few are just waiting for the right moment to be born. You’ll hear more about those soon — if you’re subscribed to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram, you’ll be the first to know.
Behind the Scenes: What’s Inspiring Me
Every book I write begins with curiosity — usually about people, and sometimes about pain. Lately I’ve been diving into research around PTSD, especially within law enforcement and first responders. I’ve become fascinated with how healing modalities like EMDR and EFT (Emotional Freedom Tapping) help them reclaim peace and clarity. It’s changed how I approach my characters — not just what happens to them, but how they metabolize trauma.
And because I’m me, I can’t resist another new rabbit hole: spy techniques. Not pure forensics, but close enough for someone who loves the world of investigation. I’ll be exploring that field as I start work on a brand-new standalone spy thriller — a genre twist I’ve wanted to tackle for years.
Sharing the Craft: Teaching & Connecting
2026 is going to be an “explosive” year — that’s my word for it. (I don’t choose these words; they seem to choose me!) After a year of expansion, it’s time for things to burst into view.
That includes the launch of my Master Course: Writing the Killer Crime Story, a culmination of everything I’ve been teaching since 2012. This is the course I’ve dreamed of creating — a deep dive into building authentic, gripping crime fiction, drawn from both my forensics background and my storytelling life.
I’ll also be on the road again, connecting with readers and writers across the country:
- Creepy Book Club Retreat – Scottsdale (Feb)
- Tucson Book Festival & Third Coast Book Festival (March)
- Los Angeles Book Festival (April)
- Thrillerfest (May)
- Bouchercon (October)
- Poisoned Pen Bookstore events and more TBD!
Meeting you in person — the readers, the writers, the lifelong mystery lovers — is always the best part of this work.
A Word for the New Year
I’ll be honest — I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Eve. The hype, the resolutions, the pressure to reinvent ourselves overnight… it all feels a little hollow. Most of us wake up on January 1st feeling exactly the same as we did the day before. And that’s okay.
Instead of resolutions, I’m leaning into rhythms. Gratitude. Grace. Quiet faith in what’s ahead.
So if you, like me, feel the tug to tune out the noise this week — go ahead. Ignore the countdown. Step outside. Touch grass (or snow). Give thanks for as many things as you can name. Then keep moving forward, one day, one page, one brave step at a time.
Thank you, dear readers, for walking beside me through another year of mystery, faith, and discovery. You are the reason these stories come to life — not just on the page, but in the conversations, the book clubs, the shared wonder that keeps us searching for truth and light.
Here’s to a new year filled with curiosity, courage, healing — and, yes, maybe a little explosion.
With love (and one knee in recovery!),
Jennifer Graeser Dornbush
P.S. New year, new social! 🎉
I’m officially joining the world of TikTok! BookTok has become such a fun and creative space for mystery and thriller fans, and in 2026 I’ve decided it’s time to jump in. If you’re on TikTok, come follow along for behind-the-scenes glimpses, writing insights, and a few crime-story surprises. See you there!
