From Spark to Success: The Story Behind Chameleon Assassin
People often ask me where I get the ideas for my stories. For me, ideas aren’t the problem—it’s finding ones that are both workable and sellable. The journey behind Chameleon Assassin was no different. It started with a character, grew into a world, and eventually became the book that connected me with an audience in ways I’d never experienced before.

The Character That Started It All
Libby Nelson was the spark for Chameleon Assassin. At first, she was just a concept: a cat burglar with an uncanny ability to blend into her surroundings. This idea intrigued me because of its potential for suspense and action. What if she could walk through a crowd, unseen and unnoticed, while pulling off incredible heists? But as I developed her character further, I realized she was more than a thief—she was also an assassin. That evolution felt natural, given the brutal world she inhabited.
Writing Libby as an anti-hero was both challenging and rewarding. She’s deeply flawed—she steals, she kills—but she also has a strong moral code. For instance, she uses her ill-gotten gains to support an orphanage for mutant children. A screenwriter friend of mine called this her “pet-the-dog” moment: that act of kindness that makes readers root for her despite her darker tendencies.
I knew from the start that Libby had to fit her world. An assassin in a contemporary, non-magical setting might be too jarring. She’d be constantly running from the authorities, and let’s face it, who would want to date someone who kills people for a living? But in a post-apocalyptic world where the rule of law has broken down, her role feels justified—even necessary.

Crafting Libby Nelson's World
The world of Chameleon Assassin is as much a character as Libby herself. It’s a future shaped by rising oceans, ecological collapse, and nuclear wars. I drew inspiration from real-world observations. Living in Annapolis, I’ve seen places that were walkable when I first moved there now were frequently submerged. Maps projecting future sea-level rise provided a chilling backdrop for the book’s setting.
But the environmental collapse is only part of the story. In this world, governments have fallen, and corporations have taken their place, ruling with unchecked power. It’s a brutal system where resources—money, food, space, and even people—are commodities to be fought over. Assassinations are a natural extension of this cutthroat environment. I imagined what it would be like to live in a world where life is cheap, and corporate espionage often ends in murder.
The idea of mutants came naturally as I thought about the long-term effects of nuclear war and ecological devastation. Radiation causes genetic mutations, and I envisioned a future where these changes created new, often marginalized groups of people. Vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural beings in Libby’s world aren’t mystical—they’re the results of genetic experiments, failed attempts by scientists to create super-soldiers. It’s a grim twist on familiar fantasy tropes.

The Writing Journey of Chameleon Assassin
Before Chameleon Assassin, I had already written several books, including The Telepathic Clans Saga, I’ll Sing for my Dinner, and Trust. I even experimented with a space opera, a high fantasy novel, and a different urban fantasy novel, but those projects didn’t come together the way I hoped, and I had to shelve them. However, they weren’t wasted efforts. Every story I worked on taught me something about writing and storytelling. And I never gave up on revisiting those concepts later. For example, parts of a shelved urban fantasy project became the basis for the short story “Elf’s Tears” that I occasionally share with fans.
When it came to Chameleon Assassin, everything seemed to click. Libby’s story emerged during a period when I was part of a writing critique group. The feedback I received from this group helped me refine her character and world. I started writing the book in earnest, and by the time it was ready to launch, I had begun building a small but loyal audience.
My first newsletter went out to just three subscribers on November 5, 2016. By November 30, I had 18 subscribers. The book was published on December 12, 2016, and what happened next exceeded all my expectations.

Celebrating the Milestones: Success and Beyond
Chameleon Assassin was the first book where I experienced real success. Within months of its release, it was nominated for the eFestival of Words award and later won in the urban fantasy category. This recognition was an incredible boost, not just for my confidence but for my readership. Fans connected with Libby in ways I hadn’t anticipated. They appreciated her flaws, her resilience, and her ability to navigate a broken world with strength and compassion.
Seeing the book gain traction was deeply gratifying. I realized that writing could be more than a hobby—it could be a sustainable career. It wasn’t just about the money (though that was a nice bonus); it was about readers and knowing that my stories resonated with them. Over the next year and a half, I wrote four more books in the series, each building on the foundation laid by Chameleon Assassin.
Looking back, I’m grateful for the lessons I learned along the way. Writing is rarely a straight path, and success often comes after many setbacks. But Libby’s story—and the world she inhabits—reminds me that persistence pays off.

Closing the Chapter: Libby’s Journey and Yours
The journey of Chameleon Assassin was one of discovery, persistence, and growth. From Libby’s creation as a cat burglar with a chameleon-like ability to her evolution as a compelling anti-hero, every step of the process taught me something new.
To my readers: Thank you for joining me on this journey. Whether you’ve been with me since the beginning or are discovering Libby for the first time, your support means everything. If you haven’t already, I invite you to dive into Chameleon Assassin and explore the series that launched my writing career. I included audio samples on each book's page, right after its short description.
And if you’d like to stay connected, join my newsletter for updates, exclusive content, and behind-the-scenes stories. Libby’s journey might have started as an idea, but it became something much greater thanks to you.