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The Grundy County Herald’s own Beth Riner, who writes human interest articles for the weekly publication, finds herself in the news as a soon-to-be-published author in 2025.

Her first book, a cozy mystery called “Odd Job Annie,” is now up for preorder in both paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon with a Feb. 11 release date.

The book features 62-year-old retiree Annie Cooper, who moves to the quirky mountain town of Monteagle, where she creates a side hustle—Odd Job Annie—to offset her insurance costs. When her first and favorite client, a feisty octogenarian, is brutally attacked and left for dead, it’s up to Annie to figure out who did it.

Riner admits that the lead character might sound familiar.

“Annie’s a lot like me,” said Riner, who retired here nearly two years ago and lives in a tiny home off Summerfield Road in Monteagle. “Instead of taking odd jobs, I started writing for the local newspapers as a way to get out into the community and make new friends.”

Riner previously lived in Murfreesboro, where she taught English for 23 years. More than half of those years were at Riverdale High School. She didn’t set out to become a teacher.

“I was a journalism major at Tennessee Tech,” she said. “My first job right out of college was as a reporter for the Manchester Times. I loved being a reporter, but it didn’t pay anything in those days.”

Like many young reporters disillusioned by economic reality, she shifted into public relations writing before taking time off to raise a family and later earn her teacher certification.

“Teaching takes all of your energy and time,” she said. “I loved teaching and working with kids, but I don’t think people outside the profession realize all the work that goes into it.”

Juggling the demands of career and family left her with little time for herself.

It wasn’t until she retired and moved to Monteagle that she began to rediscover not only herself but also her first love: writing.

“This mountain seems to draw some of the most talented and creative people I’ve ever met,” she said. “I’d interview artists and actors and writers and community activists and walk away inspired by their passion.”

Her newspapers articles are exceptional features that focus on Grundy County residents and their experiences, concerns or achievements in an emotional way. Those about authors Michelle Scissom and Joe Nunley made her realize she needed to start writing fiction again, too.

“I’ve always thought I had books in me,” she said. Right before COVID hit, a publisher read a young adult fantasy she’d written and asked her to tweak it and resubmit. “I never followed through. Life got crazy, and I never made the time to do it.”

Here, on the mountain, she finally had time and started playing around with the idea of a cozy mystery set in Monteagle. She’d write a chapter here and there and had fun including some of her favorite hometown places in the story.

When she saw a publisher’s Facebook post promising feedback on the first 10 pages of a novel, she thought ‘Why the heck not?’ and sent hers in.

“I felt like it was a good idea and figured the feedback would be useful,” she said. “Living here has changed me. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and done all sorts of things I’ve never done before. It’s liberating and a whole lot of fun.”

The publisher got back to her quickly and asked for the whole manuscript. There was one huge problem; however, the book was barely halfway done.

“I freaked out a little,” she said. “I knew enough about publishing to know that this wasn’t an opportunity to squander, but I literally only had 13 chapters done.”

Frantic, she reached out to Scissom to ask what to do.

“She gave me the best advice ever,” Riner said. “She told me to ask for a week to polish it and to get to writing. So that’s what I did. I wrote the second half of the book in a week and sent it in.”

It would be weeks this time before she heard back from the publisher.

“I finally got the most encouraging rejection letter,” Riner recalled. “The editor liked the book and loved the main character, but she wasn’t happy with my ending. I’d deprived the reader of the final climactic scene. She was exactly right—I knew it as soon as I read her comment. The really cool thing was that she was willing to look at it again if I tweaked it. And I knew I could do that.”

She spent several weeks in July rehashing the ending. She’d write, rewrite, edit, and polish until she realized it was time to let it go and send the manuscript back. The waiting game began again.

In early September, she got a book contract offer.

“Truly one of the happiest and most surreal moments of my life,” she said. “Who could imagine becoming a first-time published author at the age of 64? I still have to pinch myself that I have a book coming out. It’s quite a process. I rather naively thought you get a book deal and wait for the book to come out. It’s not like that at all. There are lots of moving pieces.”

She’s learned industry terms like line edits and galley proofs and had to take a deep dive into marketing. With all the changes in the publishing industry in recent years, much of the marketing, even with a traditional publishing contract like she has, falls squarely on the author.

“It’s a little overwhelming, but all kinds of wonderful,” she said. “The support I’ve gotten in this book journey from my friends, many of whom are former students, has been humbling.”

One former student suggested she and Riner get matching tattoos to celebrate the book’s debut.

“I’ve never gotten a tattoo in my life,” Riner said. “I’ve now made a ‘tat pact’ with 14 friends to get a tattoo of a pie slice if the book hits the top 10 in any Amazon category. I think I’ll be safe; The highest I’ve seen it go so far was 49 on a new release list for cozy culinary mystery. You never know, though. I might just get a tattoo for the heck of it. I’m a changed woman on this mountain.”

For more information about her upcoming book release, follow her at Beth Riner Author on Facebook or visit www.bethriner.com.