Welcome + Book News

Hello! For long-time followers, welcome! And for those who don’t know me, also welcome! My name is Kate and I’m the author of the Colorado Wine Mystery Series and—drumroll please—the forthcoming domestic suspense Sleep While They Sleep. If you’re reading this, thank you. Please know that I appreciate your support and am thrilled you’re here <3

So, in case the above didn’t give it away, some exciting news: I have a new book coming out!!

It’s a thriller titled Sleep While They Sleep, coming Fall 2027 with Crooked Lane!

Sleep While They Sleep is a new-mom twist on Rear Window and pays homage to the age-old wisdom that I definitely didn’t listen to when my daughter was a baby, lol, but plays well with the ominous, sleep-deprived state in which my main character finds herself.

I’ve always loved Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window, where an apartment-bound James Stewart starts spying on his neighbors and gets more than he bargained for. Then there’s the early-aughts reimagining, Disturbia, starring Shia LaBeouf, who, in a fun spin, is under house arrest. These stories, consumed during my formative adolescent years, stuck with me.

When my own daughter, Sophie, was a newborn (9 years ago?!), I found myself, as new parents often do, constantly awake. I would gaze outside her nursery window at all hours, observing my neighborhood through a fresh lens, wondering at the other lights I saw on in the middle of the night. Thus the idea for Sleep While They Sleep was born. And last summer, which I affectionately dubbed my Thriller Girl Summer, I finally put pen to paper.

While cozies will always have a special place in my heart, I love books of all genres and it’s been a fun challenge to try something new. And massive kudos to my agent who hasn’t batted an eye when I’ve come to her with ideas for projects from foodie romcoms to thrillers to cozy fantasies (no really!).

I’m already deep into development edits for my thriller and doing something I’ve never done before—changing whodunit! That’s right, my initial draft had someone entirely different as the culprit. I’m hoping this will lead to as much of a surprise ending for readers as it has for myself!

Sleep While They Sleep will be published under the pseudonym Kate Spooner, in large part because it’s such a different genre. So, how did I pick my new pen name? The answer is twofold. My agent suggested sticking with Kate for when I’m at conferences so I don’t have to worry about answering to a different name. Smart given I’m already answering to “Mom,” “Sophie’s Mom,” and “Hey you.” Then for Spooner, those of you who have known me forever will recognize that as my maiden name, which my parents got very excited about.

More details to come soon. Until then, given I’m new to this whole newsletter schtick, if you have any questions or topics you’re curious to hear more about, please let me know!

Cheers,

Kate