Melissa Sovak, mathematics professor at PennWest University, is planning the release of the first installment of a new murder mystery series.

The Shadow Lake Ranch Murder series will start off with “Her Last Best Friend,” which will be published on Jan. 20, 2026, and can be purchased as an eBook or in print on Amazon.

Sovak writes under the pen name, Nellie H. Steele, so readers do not confuse her non-fiction statistics texts with her mysteries and romances.

The name Nellie H. Steele was not a random choice; it bears significance to Sovak, and coming up with it was a distinct process.

“My original pen name wasn’t actually Nellie H. Steele, but that one was already taken, and not by a mystery writer,” Sovak said. “I went back to the drawing board and chose ‘Steele’ because it was my maternal grandmother’s maiden name. Her sister’s name was Helene, the H in my pen name, and her nickname was Nell, which I turned into ‘Nellie.’”

Quickly approaching the 100-book mark, Sovak balances her busy teaching schedule with her writing schedule very strategically.

“I have dedicated hours for writing, and I treat those just like my teaching commitments. Sometimes I need to shuffle things around, but I’m used to maintaining a tight, productive schedule.”

“Her Last Best Friend” features a pair of friends that go away to a healing ranch for the summer, but all turns foul when one betrays the other, then ends up dead.

Sovak drew inspiration for this book when working on a mindset exercise with free-writing prompts.

The specific prompt that Sovak was exploring was, “What would you do if someone you trusted betrayed you in such a raw and obvious way?”

“The idea stuck with me, and I couldn’t shake it,” Sovak said. “I sat down and started writing ‘Her Last Best Friend’ and never looked back. That spark turned into a planned 13-book series full of betrayals, murders, and shocking twists.”

For other books, Sovak finds inspiration from “anywhere and everywhere.”

“A line from a song, a scene from a TV show, the color of the sky after a storm, anything can trigger an idea,” Sovak said. “Often, what starts as a single line or image grows into an entire series.”

“Her Last Best Friend” features shifting timelines as well as different points of view ranging from protagonist, antagonist, and main characters. Readers will be transported from the protagonist’s present-day view to flashbacks of her summer from hell with the antagonist’s best friend.

While she has used multiple perspectives in her writing previously, it isn’t in quite the same way as with “Her Last Best Friend.” Before writing from a male’s point of view, Sovak thought it might be difficult, but found it to be quite the opposite.

“Some characters, regardless of gender, are harder to read or fully understand at first,” Sovak said. “Usually, I just need a chapter or two to get their rhythm and voice down. Once I do, it flows naturally.”

Being an indie author presents many challenges, and Sovak said it is “far more complex than most people realize.” Two big challenges Sovak faces in the industry are being taken seriously as an author and managing all the moving parts of publishing.

“Traditional publishers have entire teams for editing, marketing, and design,” Sovak said. “As indies, we build those teams ourselves and oversee every stage, from the first spark of an idea to the book’s launch and growth.”

Even with these challenges, Sovak acknowledges some of the positives that come along with being an indie author.

“The flip side is creative freedom,” Sovak said. “We have full control and not just over what to write; if a blurb isn’t performing, we can change it. If a cover needs tweaking, we can redesign it. We decide how to advertise and who to reach. It’s a lot of work, but also incredibly empowering.”

According to Sovak, the indie author world is full of opportunity, and it has never been easier to share your stories as well as build a readership while treating writing as both a passion and a business.

“My advice to anyone interested is: learn the craft, be consistent, and don’t let fear hold you back.”