During the day, Jennifer Vido works as the executive director for the Harford County Bar Foundation. At night, she dedicates time to write.

The Harford County author will be releasing a new book Monday titled “Simplicity by the Sea,” capping off a three-book series.

Vido, of Bel Air, has been an author for 10 years and mainly writes mystery and romance books. Her new book takes readers through the main character Delaney Huger’s journey to answer the question: “What if the perfect pairing isn’t found in a bottle, but in each other?”

“I love the puzzle of a good mystery, and I love the emotional journey about romance, so blending intrigue, and hope and human connection, it just felt like a natural extension of the stories I’ve always been drawn to,” Vido said.

Vido said she takes inspiration from her daily life, whether that’s music she’s heard, conversations she’s had or places she’s visited.

“I think as an author, we write what we know,” she said. “Everything that happens during the day really translates into something that maybe I would later put on page.”

She began her writing career as a columnist for FreshFiction.com, where she still writes a weekly column called Jen’s Jewels, detailing interviews with New York Times best selling authors and up-and-coming writers.

“After listening to authors share their stories and their setbacks, their perseverance, their creative process, it sparked something in me and made me realize I had my own stories to tell,” she said.

Vido said she didn’t accept the label of author until after readers validated her stories and recognized her for her books, rather than just her columns.

  • Jennifer Vido, is joined by her canine companion Fripp as...
    Jennifer Vido, is joined by her canine companion Fripp as she promotes the release of her new book, “Simplicity by the Sea,” in her “The Gull Island” series. (Brian Krista/Staff)

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Jennifer Vido, is joined by her canine companion Fripp as she promotes the release of her new book, “Simplicity by the Sea,” in her “The Gull Island” series. (Brian Krista/Staff)

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“You want your book, words and stories to connect with readers,” she said. “When that happens it’s so rewarding.”

In the future, Vido hopes to have one of her books turned into a Hallmark movie as she believes the stories would easily translate to the screen. In the meantime, she’s starting a new series, with the first book, titled “A Nashville Noel,” inspired by her time living in Nashville when she attended Vanderbilt University.

A release date for that book has not been announced yet, as Vido is only halfway done with it. She expects to finish it in March.

The just-completed trilogy, “The Gull Island,” is her “love letter to the Low Country,” the coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia. For roughly 30 years, Vido and her family vacationed in the Low Country, mainly Kiawah and Seabrook Island, respectively. The book series comprises “Serendipity by the Sea,” “Serenity by the Sea” and “Simplicity by the Sea.”

“Things move a little slower down there,” she said. “For me, it feels like second chances are possible again.”

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