Known as the “Queen of Twists,” best-selling author Jeneva Rose is stepping into pure horror for the first time with her new release, Sometimes I Scare Myself ($21), out today. Rose built her name on twisty, addictive thrillers like The Perfect Marriage and The Perfect Divorce, with work translated into 28 languages and optioned for film and TV. This time, she’s channeling that same instinct for the unexpected into three interconnected horror stories—a séance gone wrong, a house with a deadly history and a cursed roadside stop—proving she’s just as chilling outside the thriller genre.
Ahead, Jeneva Rose talks postpartum self-care, her pivot to horror and the beauty spots keeping her sane in her new Wisconsin home.
Congrats on release day. Writing horror seems like such a different undertaking for you, and that probably comes with its own stress. When you were working on this, how did you step away and make time for self-care?
“I wrote these while I was postpartum, and that really changed my feelings about what beauty is and how to take care of myself. Going into motherhood, I was afraid of losing myself, so I’ve always wanted to prioritize that. Getting ready for the day feels like a ritual now, because it might be the only thing I do that day that’s entirely for myself. Taking 20 or 30 minutes to do something that makes you feel like yourself again; I think that’s important.”
I love that answer. You have a lot of followers watching you online. Does that ever feel like work, or does it just come naturally?
“Sometimes, it does feel like work…there’s this pressure to keep up appearances and make sure I look presentable, especially being in the public eye. I’ll go out and get recognized and think, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t do my hair’ or ‘I’m not wearing makeup.’ But it’s also made me embrace who I am. Sometimes you’ll get me with a full face of makeup, and other times you’ll get me with just tinted sunscreen on, or recovering from a beauty treatment.
It’s made me a little self-conscious, but at the end of the day, this is who I am, and you’re going to get different versions of me. I had a very public pregnancy; I toured a 10-city route over two weeks while seven months pregnant. Being in front of people when I wasn’t feeling my best actually made me more comfortable with all of it. People have seen me at my heaviest; I went on Good Morning America eight weeks postpartum, not feeling great about myself. They’ve seen so many versions of me—before motherhood, pregnant, postpartum. I’m just trying to get comfortable in my own skin, and that’s all I can do if I’m putting myself out there.”
I love that, too. Since this is your first pure horror project, was there a specific moment that pushed you to write it? An official pivot?
“It felt like a very natural pivot from thrillers. I’ve loved horror since I was young, and horror and thriller are closely linked genres. But with thrillers, everything has to be realistic—the twist has to make sense and stay grounded in reality. Horror let me take off those guardrails and bring in a supernatural element to explore a different kind of fear.
I was also dealing with postpartum anxiety while writing these stories, and it gave me somewhere to put all those anxious thoughts. Instead of carrying them around all day—worrying about everything that could go wrong every minute, like a staircase suddenly feeling dangerous, or being near water feeling scary because I have this tiny person to protect—I could hand them off to different characters on the page.
Now that the book’s out, do you have a moment in your day where you clear your head—time with the kids, a walk, a bath, something just for you?
“I love going for walks—it helps my mental health, and it helps me work through stories when I’m stuck. I also love beauty treatments that make me feel more like myself, not like a different person. I love microneedling. I just had my third session last week, so I’ve been shedding like a snake for the past seven days. I love a massage here and there, and getting my hair done. Anything that gets my brain thinking about something else.”
You live in Wisconsin. Is there a local spot near you that you love for beauty treatments or shopping?
“I just moved to this area in November, so I’m still exploring, but I like Luna Med Spa. I also love Glow—that’s where I’ve been going for my microneedling. Both spots do really great facials and other services.”
Amazing. Your dogs are part of your bio and intro. Do they still play a big role in your writing life, sitting with you while you type?
“With the baby now, their role is a little different. It’s less about them sitting with me and more about keeping the peace, making sure the dog stays calm while she’s trying to walk. It’s constantly watching the dog and the baby, the dog and the baby.”
