It's Official: I'm a Published Author!

The story behind The Backup Offer, The Shadow Listings, and a dream that refused to go away.

By MKM Jones | October 20, 2026

Well, I did it.

After years of thinking about it, talking about it, dreaming about it, and occasionally wondering whether I would ever actually do it, I can finally say something that feels both surreal and incredibly exciting:

I'm officially a published author!

My debut psychological thriller, The Backup Offer, is now available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback editions. It's the first novel in my new series, The Shadow Listings, and the beginning of an entirely new chapter in my life.

And yes, there may have been a little champagne involved. Or at least plans for champagne. Some milestones deserve a proper celebration!

From Real Estate to Real Suspense

For most of my professional life, I've been immersed in the world of residential real estate. I've represented hundreds of buyers and sellers, negotiated more than $275 million in property sales, and walked through more houses than I could possibly count.

And if there's one thing I've learned, it's this:

Every house has a story. And not all of those stories make it into the listing description.

Behind the beautifully staged living rooms, sweeping views, and perfectly manicured landscaping, there are people. And wherever there are people, there are secrets, ambitions, rivalries, disappointments, and sometimes a little deception.

Fortunately, most real estate transactions don't involve anything particularly sinister.

But what if they did?

That question became the inspiration for The Shadow Listings, a psychological suspense series that explores the darker possibilities lurking behind seemingly perfect homes.

The Backup Offer: When Coming in Second Becomes Dangerous

Every real estate agent knows the emotional roller coaster of a multiple-offer situation.

A buyer falls in love with a house. They imagine their furniture in the living room, picture family gatherings around the dining table, and begin mentally moving in before the ink is even dry.

Then comes the devastating news.

Someone else's offer was accepted.

But sometimes there's a silver lining: the backup offer.

In real estate, being the backup buyer means you might get another chance if the first transaction falls apart.

But what if the first buyers didn't simply change their minds?

What if they disappeared?

That's the premise behind The Backup Offer.

When a couple loses a bidding war for a coveted home, they're disappointed but hopeful when their agent encourages them to submit a backup offer.

Two days later, the winning buyers vanish.

Suddenly, the house is theirs for the taking.

But when another family disappears, what initially seemed like an extraordinary stroke of luck begins to look like something far more disturbing.

Someone wants this house sold.

And someone may be willing to do anything to make sure the right buyers get it.

Why MKM Jones?

Some of you know me as Marsha McMahon-Jones. Others know me through my years in real estate.

But when I decided to begin this writing adventure, I wanted to create an author identity that could grow alongside the stories I hope to tell.

MKM Jones felt like the perfect fit.

It's still me, of course. Just with a slightly more mysterious literary alter ego.

And perhaps a few more secrets.

The Dream Behind the Book

Here's the part that means the most to me.

I've wanted to write a book for a very long time.

Not just casually. Not as a passing thought or something to do someday when life slowed down.

It was one of those dreams that quietly stayed with me through different chapters of my life, different careers, different homes, and countless other adventures.

But as anyone with a busy career and a full life knows, there's always something else demanding your attention.

The dream gets pushed to tomorrow. Then next year. Then someday.

And someday has a funny way of never arriving unless you decide to make it happen.

At some point, I realized that I could keep talking about writing a novel, or I could actually write one.

So I did.

Was it easy? Absolutely not.

Was it exciting, frustrating, exhilarating, and occasionally overwhelming? Every bit of it.

And when the time finally came to publish, I told my husband and my mother that it felt a little like ripping off a Band-Aid.

At some point, you simply have to take a deep breath, hit the button, and put your work into the world.

Which is exactly what I did.

This Is Only the Beginning

The Backup Offer is the first installment in The Shadow Listings, but there are more stories waiting behind those front doors.

The next novel, The Last Showing, will take readers into the world of luxury desert real estate, where a spectacular estate, a decades-old secret, and a mysterious disappearance threaten to expose far more than anyone bargained for.

And I have plenty of other stories waiting to be told.

Apparently, once you open the door to writing fiction, the characters don't always wait politely for their turn.

A Heartfelt Thank You

To my family, friends, colleagues, and everyone who has encouraged me along the way: thank you.

Writing may be a solitary pursuit, but finding the courage to share that writing with the world is made infinitely easier by the people who believe in you.

I hope The Backup Offer entertains you, surprises you, keeps you turning pages, and perhaps makes you look at the next beautiful home you visit just a little differently.

And if you enjoy it, I would be absolutely thrilled if you shared it with a friend or left an honest review.

For now, I'm going to enjoy this moment.

Because after all these years, that dream I kept putting on the shelf is finally sitting on a bookshelf.

And that feels pretty extraordinary.

With gratitude and a little suspense,

MKM Jones

Author of The Backup Offer

The Shadow Listings — Sometimes the most important part of a listing is what isn't disclosed.

Ready to step inside?

The Backup Offer is available in Kindle and paperback editions on Amazon.