I write American Gothic fiction for readers who enjoy stories that feel real, thoughtful, and just a little uncanny around the edges. I am most at home in books where place matters, communities are complicated, and characters stay with you long after you have turned the last page.

I have been a working novelist for more than twelve years, and my favorite compliment is when a reader tells me that a character has followed them into their week. That is the kind of reading experience I want to offer. My novels are fully human-written, shaped slowly and carefully, with an eye on both atmosphere and emotional truth.

I hold a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, and I have taught literature, which means I have spent a lot of time thinking about how stories work and why some of them lodge so firmly in our minds. Over the years, my work has received awards, found a loyal group of readers, and opened doors to conversations in classrooms, on panels, and at events. I speak regularly at colleges, universities, and conventions, and I enjoy talking with readers and publishing professionals about genre, craft, and the long tradition of Gothic storytelling in the United States.

Hymn for the Forsaken grows out of many of my long-standing interests as both a reader and a writer. The book sits at the meeting point of American Gothic, literary fiction, and contemporary questions about community, power, and belonging. It is built for readers who like a strong sense of place, layered relationships, and stories that ask you to think as well as feel.