Highly commended - By Their Rules – Phycological Suspense by J. Morgyn White
J. Morgyn White
J. Morgyn White lives in the rolling hills of Northern California wine country with her husband, son, and two Bengal cats who think they run the place. She writes dark, romantic, otherworldly fiction as well as historical suspense stories where power, obsession, and fate collide.
An award-winning author and founder of SCRYE Magazine, White is also a former editor of Fork & Bottle, where she wrote about artisan cheese and biodynamic wine—interests that occasionally find their way into her fiction. Alongside being shortlisted for the Cheshire Novel prize, her work has been recognized by the Futurescapes Emerging Writer Award, the Olive Woolley Burt Awards, and the Killer Nashville Claymore Awards. Inspired by the glamour of mid-century film, the intrigue of true crime, and the echoes of old world magic, she writes about desire and danger in every era she visits.
What made you enter the Cheshire Novel Prize?
I had a new draft of By Their Rules and loved the idea of receiving feedback on it.
What did it feel like when you were LL and then SL?
Shock, surprise, and delight, in that waterfall of reveal. It was early in the morning for me, so when I checked my phone, I was stunned into silence. Finally, I found a voice to tell my husband. On shortlist day my first book was also published. I woke up to a shower of excitement and glowed all day.
What was the reaction from those around you/family and friends?
My husband and son were thrilled, but it was my best writing friends that really got it. They were breaking out the champagne. That’s when it really sunk in.
How did you come up with the idea for your book?
I’d long been fascinated by Truman Capote’s unfinished work Answered Prayers where he notoriously infers that the socialite Ann Woodward murdered her husband. When I revisited the historical material I discovered the Woodward family lived in a Gold Coast house and that inspired the setting. My story starts by inventing the life of a fictional Ann who might have lived in that world of social intrigue and tension, but made different, murderous decisions.
What’s it about?
It’s a genre-blending suspense (because that seems to be a favorite thing of mine), about a 1950s model living the American Dream as a wealthy socialite, who arranges the murder of her abusive husband but when she uncovers his sketchy dealings with the mob she must act before someone she loves falls victim of the real killer—who is not the one she hired. It’s the age-old story of love, money, and power.
What’s your writing routine?
My life has changed a lot since I began writing so I don’t have a set routine. I tend to edit better in the morning and draft better at night. Fine work versus messy creative work. The dark seems to set the stage for me. That and music. There must always be music.
What’s next for you?
In historical, I’m drafting an 1839 suspense-romance which follows a young woman from Savannah, Georgia who faces intrigue and society challenges during an incredibly fascinating time in New York City’s evolution. It deals with the advent of photography which is a passion of mine. My other large historical project explores my family’s connection to the founding of a major publishing house. In October, I published an urban fantasy romance and I am also working on the second standalone novel in that series.
What are your favourite books and why?
This question is my nemesis. I read voraciously and widely. I adore books, love a good story, and appreciate a solid imagination, and a great storyteller.
Any tips for writers intending on entering the competition?
Don’t hesitate. If you have a manuscript ready to go, send it. Writers get better by taking chances, letting go of their work, and allowing others to read it. Feedback is a precious thing, but it is also a dangerous element. Writers need to evolve their writing along with their interpretation of feedback. Neither is an easy or quick process. Better to start as early as you are able.