SASKATOON — Constance MacKenzie summoned all her courage. Finally, she transferred her decades-old story idea into a paper, overcoming her inner doubts to finish the first of what she plans to be a series of murder mystery novels with the prairies of Saskatchewan as the setting. Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, with farming as her family’s background, the thought of being a writer never crossed her mind.
“I always thought I was too dumb to write,” MacKenzie told SaskToday with a chuckle. Reading books like Heidi as a child, I thought, ‘Wow, how could anyone write something like this?’ It felt out of reach.”
Growing up, she doubted her intelligence and imagined authorship was a realm reserved for intelligent people. Yet, in 2024, after a decade of struggle and self-doubt, MacKenzie is celebrating the publication of Deadly Disclosure, a gripping crime thriller earning her recognition in the province’s literary community.
MacKenzie has no formal writing background, but the idea remained in her mind. As she continued to teach, the story slowly took shape. However, self-doubt and her inner critic kept holding her back.
“I was my own worst enemy. I kept telling myself it would never sell, that I wasn’t good enough. But after publishing research papers for my master’s degree, I started feeling more confident. I realized that maybe I wasn’t as ‘dumb’ as I thought. Maybe I could do this,” said MacKenzie.
Her debut novel is a tale of murder, mystery, and the complexities of human nature. Even though it took her 10 years to write, she has no regrets about her roller-coaster journey before becoming a published author filled with unexpected turns and plenty of perseverance.
The story for Deadly Disclosure struck MacKenzie a decade ago when she was still teaching grade five students in Grenfell, Sask. Her story idea helped transform her from being a teacher to a full-time writer.
“I was teaching and farming at the time, and one day, I had this idea—a character who would connect the dots between serial killers and hitmen that the police couldn’t see,” said MacKenzie, who came up with the protagonist, Cathy, a sharp-witted and obsessive investigator.
The path from the manuscript to the bookstore shelf was not smooth, and it was frightening to MacKenzie that she asked her friend, Debbie Brewster, to read it first.
"It was frightening when asking others to read 'your baby.' What if my readers think it's not good enough?' I told Debbie to lie and tell me it was great! Thank goodness Debbie didn't have to lie," said MacKenzie with a laugh.
“My next step was getting the courage to submit it to publishers. Stephen King’s novel Carrie was rejected multiple times before becoming a bestseller. If Stephen King can be rejected, then I can be rejected."
She sent it to four publishers and patiently waited for their decision. Her perseverance paid off as she got offers from London-based Austin Macauley and Pegasus Elliott Mackenzie publishing companies eager to publish it. She chose the latter.
“They had Mackenzie in the name. It felt like fate,” MacKenzie said with a smile.
She thought securing a publisher was the final phase, and her novel would get published. However, she learned it was just part of a gruelling set of steps, as the draft needed to be edited, rewritten and proofread over and over before finally getting published.
“I thought the book was finished. But no, we had to revise, tweak, and refine it. They told me to fix certain vague parts where I was repeating myself or not being clear enough. It was challenging, but I was ready to make those changes. I knew it was necessary to make the book the best it could be,” said MacKenzie, who has no regrets about the process as it improved her writing skills and the story.
The 10-year journey of Deadly Disclosure was approved, and the final version was sent to the press, giving MacKenzie a sense of relief and joy.
“It’s done now. And it feels amazing,” said MacKenzie, who revealed she will be turning Deadly Disclosure into a series with the next chapter of Cathy’s investigative journey now in the works as she sees the character as having a staying power whose story can continue as long as she has ideas.
“The second book is already underway. Cathy’s got another killer to track down, this time a retired professor who turns to murder in his later years. It’s a bit of a twist. It’s like the book takes you over. I never planned for it to be a series, but Cathy kept pushing me. She has more to do. More killers to catch,” said MacKenzie.
“I’m not going to let another ten years go by. Now that I know what it takes, I’m ready to write faster and more confidently. It’s funny. I never thought I’d be a published author. But sometimes, you must push through the doubt and leap. If I can do it, anyone can,” said MacKenzie, a full-time grade five teacher in Greenfell who took a break to take over their farm near Lanigan.
“My dad had a heart attack, and I went home to help. I’d never farmed before, but my dad taught me everything from the house, and soon enough, I was out there in the field. I always had many stories to tell. I guess teaching kids gave me a great foundation for writing. They have vivid imaginations, and I wanted to capture that creativity in my books,” said MacKenzie, who added Cathy’s story started to shape while she was doing farm work.
After retiring in 2014, Mackenzie finally had the time to focus on writing her novel and volunteering in the community. She also went hiking, played golf, and spent time with her grandchildren during her free time.
