Burner Cover Reveal

I’m so excited to share this advance preview of the cover design for my upcoming second novel, Burner, with you—my site subscribers. Designed by Julie Metz and the team at SparkPress, the cover perfectly communicates so much of what the novel is about—a twisty contemporary thriller, set in San Francisco, that delivers an edge-of-your seat, chaotic ride from start to finish.

With the cracked phone dropped on the pavement, the design captures the opening of the novel when a massive protest in downtown San Francisco spirals out of control. It also conveys the many meanings of the title. “Burner” refers most obviously to a burner phone—cheap, disposable, and, most of all, anonymous. But “Burner” also refers to the username Burner_911, the anonymous leader of a massive populist movement and antagonistic force throughout the story. And “Burner” is also a mindset—an ego-centric, scorched-earth mentality of wanting to burn everything down, born from the toxic blend of vanity, greed, and disenfranchisement that is so pervasive in many online communities.

The cover for my next novel, Burner. Coming April 16, 2024 (SparkPress).

Inspired by the explosive events of our polarized political climate, Burner is an all-too plausible contemporary thriller that examines the social and personal consequences of the lost sense of identity, trust, and truth itself that characterizes our technology-obsessed culture.

Shane Stoller has just been arrested for domestic terrorism, accused of being the mastermind behind the online profile Burner_911, the anonymous leader of a massive populist movement. Chloe Corbin has just been abducted by Burner_911’s followers in a lawless uprising on the streets of San Francisco, targeted as the socialite daughter of a tech billionaire. What nobody knows is that Shane and Chloe are secretly in love despite coming from opposite worlds. Plagued with regret but unable to communicate with his followers from prison, Shane tries desperately to find a way to save Chloe from the forces he has unleashed. From her own captivity, Chloe becomes more sympathetic to Burner_911’s cause, and transitions from victim to conspirator in an effort to free herself and exonerate Shane.

Part tragic love story, part mind-bending psychological thriller, Burner dives headfirst into the modern zeitgeist of politically motivated disinformation, toxic internet subcultures, and our continuing need for belonging, purpose, and love in an age of distorted online personas.