Happy October! (Book Deal News, Cover Reveal, Award Nomination, Romantic Suspense Writing Course & More)

 

Happy October, friends! There's been a lot happening over the past couple of months, and I've got some exciting things on the way. I am currently celebrating the cover reveal for BACKCOUNTRY COVER-UP, a new 3-book deal, an award nomination, a suspense writing course that I recently taught, plus more. Keep reading for deets!

Here it is, the official cover of BACKCOUNTRY COVER-UP! Once again, Harlequin has done a fantastic job recreating a scene from my novel and transforming it into a compelling visual. This moment in the novel is a pivotal one. My characters are on the verge of finally solving their case and capturing a killer. Here's the book's blurb:

Can they find justice...
Before one of them dies?

When her body is found on a hiking trail, deputy sheriff Todd Jacobson believes his sister was murdered. Her best friend, private investigator Elle Scott, agrees to help Todd prove it. When she infiltrates an unusual, elite social club, Elle becomes embroiled in a scheme of high-stakes payouts and deadly consequences…and Todd realizes he’s Elle’s only hope against becoming a corpse under the tree this Christmas.

BACKCOUNTRY COVER-UP hits shelves on November 1st exclusively through Harlequin, and all other retailers on November 29th, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target and Walmart. 

To say I was absolutely thrilled when I found out I'd been nominated for the Breakout Author award by Sharon Blount's Building Relationships Around Books (BRAB) organization would be an understatement! I am extremely honored and in amazing company. 

BRAB is a wonderful book club that celebrates romance authors and the readers who love the genre. Without groups such as this, us writers wouldn't have the reach that we do within the book community. I am grateful for Sharon and her supporters/members, and wish all of the nominees in every category the best of luck! 

I recently partnered with Racquel Henry's Writers Atelier to teach a course on writing riveting romantic suspense. Here's the description:

Writing romance is heartwarming. Writing suspense is exhilarating. Merging these two genres makes for a compelling page-turner that’s impossible to put down. Join Denise N. Wheatley as she shares tips on how to write high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense. You will learn:

 How to seamlessly intertwine the two genres

 How to create strong, action-oriented protagonists

 Ways to pen fast-paced plots, twists, turns, and red herrings

 How to create sinister suspects

 Ideas on balancing a blossoming love story and crime/criminal investigation

If you're interested in the course, it is available for purchase. CLICK HERE for deets!

While Christmas decorations are already being hung by some, let's not forget that Halloween is this month! 👻 In case you missed it, I published a cozy "spooky" novella with eXtasy Books, HALLOWEEN WARS. This is one of my favorite stories that I'd love to see on the small (or big!) screen. Here's the scoop:

Halloween is the most popular holiday of the year in small-town Hallowsville. While most are looking forward to the festivities, costumes, and treats, frenemies Joy and Ava are focused solely on winning the annual spookiest yard décor competition.

Joy has won the contest five years in a row, so she’s convinced her Zombieland graveyard theme will undoubtedly earn her first place yet again. Then word spreads that Ava—determined to ditch her never-ending second place status—has a spectacular plan up her sleeve that’s bound to secure the big trophy. This news throws Joy into a tizzy, and she creates a new outrageously gory concept that’s bound to turn heads and stomachs.

Tensions amongst the competing neighbors intensify when Kevin, a handsome divorcé, moves to town and joins the competition’s panel of judges. The stress to impress runs high between Joy and Ava as they do whatever it takes to win both the contest and Kevin’s heart.

CLICK HERE for more info and to purchase your copy!

This exciting news was released by Publishers Marketplace last month--I've signed another 3-book deal with Harlequin Intrigue! 🎉 The first novel under contract, MURDER AT VINCENT VINEYARD, will be released next year. I'll be sharing more and spilling a little tea on book one, which is the third novel in my West Coast Crime Story series, later this month. Stay tuned!

In addition to BACKCOUNTRY COVER-UP, I've got another project being released by Harlequin this holiday season. It's a short story, titled, A DEADLY CHRISTMAS INVITATION, and will be a part of the 13-day Christmas Takeover. This mini romance is free to readers through Harlequin.com. I will keep you posted on when that's set to go live. 🎄

I hope you enjoy the cool, fresh beginnings of fall, and I'll see you next month for the release of BACKCOUNTRY COVER-UP! XO