About Me

B.L. Unkel, aka Betty Unkel, grew up wanting to be Nancy Drew. Over time—and because there was definitely nothing mysterious in her small, rural hometown—her dream changed from being Nancy Drew and solving mysteries to being Mary Stewart and writing them. A perfect compromise for her active imagination, inherited from her story-telling father, and her love of reading, instilled by her elementary-school-teaching mother.

As her writing talents grew, she searched for a way to make her romantic mysteries even more intriguing. The solution? Wrap them in history—tied to a fabulous treasure whenever possible, of course.

Her love of history—and a need for four seasons—spurred Betty’s move as an adult from the Gulf Coast of Texas to Middle Tennessee. Home of her paternal grandmother’s family for over 200 years, the area was rich with family lore—some of which falls into the “truth is stranger than fiction” column. Not to mention, it was the perfect place to enjoy colorful autumns and a bit of snow while exploring her family’s genealogy and dreaming up future stories.

Tennessee is also where she began candy-making and baking. What started as a few Christmas presents for new coworkers, morphed into a massive production of Christmas candy platters for pretty much everyone she knew. A neighbor and friend nicknamed her “Betty-the-Baker,” and it stuck. Today, she is known more for her pound cakes than her candy platters. You can even find a few famous country music artists munching on them from time to time.

Along with her love of history and baking, Betty also loves to travel. She’s visited all fifty states, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. Thanks to work, she’s also traveled in the Pacific, visiting the U.S. Island Territory of Guam and a couple of islands in both the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Wherever she goes, whether it’s just around the corner to the grocery store or across the ocean to another country, Betty is always on the lookout for noteworthy tidbits. She’s fascinated by forgotten facts of history, crazy family stories, remarkable recipes, and unusual places to visit. Check out her Did You Know? section, where she shares these, sometimes strange but always interesting, nuggets.

Her first book—a sweet contemporary romance flavored with mystery and a dash of history set in England’s Lake District—is now complete. As Betty seeks publication, she’s started her next book. This one’s set in Middle Tennessee—a tad closer to home—with, what else, but another mystery tied to the past.

Professional Associations:

Romance Writers of America (RWA)

Music City Romance Writers (MCRW)

Accomplishments:

Writing Contests Placement Results

3rd Place – Put Your Heart in a Book Writing Contest: Single Title Contemporary

Honorable Mention – Pages from the Heart Contest: Contemporary Long

4th Place – Linda Howard Award of Excellence: Contemporary Romance Single Title

Finalist – The Molly Contest: Single Title

2nd Place – MCRWA Pitch Contest

2nd Place – Fire & Ice Writing Contest: Contemporary

1st Place – Lone Star Writing Competition: Single Title

3rd Place – Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest: Contemporary