K. Sterling reached out to me after I was looking for content the site. The cover of her book, The Perfect Cover, grabbed by attention because it’s a cute illustrated cover (it’s no longer a secret that I am a fan of illustrated covers) but once I skimmed her blog, I really hoped that she would write a guest post for us that touched on mental health. I think the more we talk openly about mental health issues (in whatever way works for us individually) the easier it becomes for the next person to talk about it.

I was in a brave, optimistic place this summer. I survived a gall bladder attack and a subsequent surgery and realized I could work in the pool while drinking White Claws and Trulys. There was also an open call from Avon for unagented manuscripts so I decided to shoot my shot, since this was K.’s summer. “What are my strengths, self?” I asked and my response was “Antiheroes and underdogs?” I knew I wanted a secret agent of some sort and to pair him with someone who wouldn’t be impressed, or interested, really. I decided a very tired suburban father would be fun but the more I learned about Grant, the more I realized that his story would be a tough one and that he was the real hero of the book. 

How does a man end up a single father? There aren’t a lot of good reasons, are there? I decided this was a good time to introduce a character who was beautiful and heroic in a very different way. Grant is a lot like me, and I suspect a lot of my readers, in that he suffers from depression and anxiety. He isn’t depressed or anxious because his husband died or because his neighbors are spies. He’s always struggled with depression and has terrible anxiety, like the hundreds of millions of people around the world who struggle with mental illness in their daily lives. As a result, I told on myself a whole lot, in writing Grant. I even gave him a big goofy dog for a best friend, named Edgar. 

But, I promise, this isn’t a sad book. Grant’s story is a sad one but our dashing agent sees the hero in him and it becomes Royce’s mission to make the shy but secretly kinky widower laugh again. Royce doesn’t see Grant as broken because of his mental illness or pressure him to keep his chin up and put on a brave face. He’s proud when Grant triumphs but most importantly, Royce does what he can to make the world a little softer and quieter when the heaviness takes its toll. Royce doesn’t lose sight of how much he’s asking of Grant but never doubts that he has the bravery or strength. The beauty in their love story, for me, is that someone with mental illness can have a happily ever after. Royce decides making Grant laugh when he’s feeling up to it and loving him when he can’t is a far more important mission than spying on the Lee’s. There is still the matter of the Chinese spies living next door and Grant’s daughter, Audrey, and his sister-in-law have matchmaking schemes aplenty. 

I lost my best friend just as I was finishing The Perfect Cover. My Milo passed away and it was hard to edit a book about a depressed man with a big goofy dog, being a severely depressed woman without her dog. Then, Avon passed on The Perfect Cover and while I was disappointed, I still believed it was important to share what I think is a sexy, fun and very honest book with my readers who might be in need of a hero just like me. And, possibly, them too.

After being the CIA’s elegant and effective loose cannon for almost fifteen years, Agent
Royce Bradshaw finds himself in Hopkins Creek, a sylvan sanctuary on the outskirts of the
Beltway. The dashing spy is disillusioned with the current administration’s disdain for its
intelligence agencies and struggling with his conscience when a mission that should have been a
walk in the park takes a dangerous and mysterious turn.

Grant Weatherly is a different kind of hero. He believes he’s broken after the devastating loss of his husband but the widower’s tentative, hungry touches test Royce’s sanity and control. Our rakish agent thinks he’s found the perfect cover but it soon becomes obvious that the spies next door might be the least interesting residents of the quiet town.

Nothing in Hopkins Creek is what it seems. Neighbors are spies, hairdressers are eccentric oracles, soccer dads are sirens and something sinister is afoot. Royce becomes enchanted with the simple pleasures of the suburban life and Grant learns that you can be heartbroken, have depression and anxiety but still be capable of brave and exciting things.