I write crime stories about strong women. My first novel, MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT, about a grandma, single mom, and teenage girl who come together to solve a murder mystery, is out now. Writing is my joy. In college, I was an electrical engineering student by day and a slam poet by night. After a brief stint at NASA, I started designing interactive exhibits and eventually became a museum director. I wrote two books of nonfiction about participatory, relevant cultural institutions. I thought of nonprofits as my "real" job and writing on the side. Then, my mom got sick. I quit my job to help care for her, and I found myself turning to fiction--crime stories especially--as a way to escape during a hard time. My mom and I both always loved mysteries, and I decided to try to write one myself, with a detective/hero based on her. Now, my mom is doing better, and I'm gratefully spending my days writing, reading, and dreaming up new stories. I live off-the-grid in the Santa Cruz mountains with my family. You can find out more about me at https://ninaksimon.com/ I write a very occasional newsletter at https://ninaksimon.substack.com/
