Katie Gabbert Downey on Writing Like You’re Opening Your Underwear Drawer

What’s something that once felt like failure but looks different to you now?

I think the querying process is really hard. I was getting all these pushes to go indie, and for a long time I avoided it and made every excuse not to. I have a pretty full life with my full-time job, running a veterinary clinic, and having three boys.

Being an indie author is having a whole other business: managing inventory, marketing, appearances, and staying in that creative mindspace. It takes a lot of grit. There's a huge learning curve with some aspects, and a lot has changed since I started.

I had to learn a lot about social media and put myself out there in a way that was uncomfortable at first, but ultimately it was a good thing for me. I like having creative control and outsourcing when I need help with editing, character art, and book covers. It's been fun creating.

I wish I had been braver sooner, but I see now why things unraveled how they did. There's a huge supportive writing community in Kansas City. There's a reason why I am here now.

Is there a Midwest place that has influenced your writing or creative work?

I grew up in Minnesota, so my first two books are based there. I spent a lot of time outside in the woods or by a lake, so there is a lot of nature in my books. Also, a lot of animals. Having my veterinary background, I think that comes through.

I have a cozy monster romance coming out with puma aliens, which is probably due to all the cats I help at work. Also, a lot of wolves, which I tend to write as shifters. With my wildlife background, that makes sense.

I've tracked wolves with telemetry and worked at The Wildlife Science Center, teaching people about wolf ecology. Writing is a way to merge both of my worlds.

What’s your favorite non-writing way to be creative?

I make pottery, usually hand-built pieces. I also love to paint. My husband and I like to do paint-and-sip nights.

What’s coming next that you’re particularly excited about?

I'm releasing a cozy monster romance, Rifting Hearts and Roars, in April 2027, and Blessed By Dragon Gods, book one of a trilogy, in February 2027.

Hoping to release book two later in Summer. So super excited for that. Working on some fun giveaway items now and also character art.

I'm trying to have more fun with the publishing process and not base my joy on numbers/outcomes. I'll leave that for my day job. I think the point is to create it and let it be what it is. You can't quantify what art does, necessarily.

For example, there are songs out there that have helped and touched my soul in ways that, monetarily, I could never repay that artist. Artists are supposed to create. That's all. Just create.

What do you wish readers understood about the business behind books?

There's so much time and money put into self-publishing. It's a labor of love, and I equate the process to childbirth. It takes a lot. That's why I never trash anyone's art.

It might not speak to me, but that can change too. There are books or songs that hit better at different times of your life. Art is supposed to make you feel something, not necessarily a warm, fuzzy feeling.

What part of yourself tends to show up in your work whether you invite it or not?

There's a lot of me in my books. It's always scary. Sometimes it feels like I am letting people see into my underwear drawer.

But that's okay. It's okay to be vulnerable and share aspects of your life, even if they are not happy moments. The nice thing is your readers may not figure out what elements are drawn from your life and which are not.

As an author, you can pull the curtain as much or as little as you want.