We chat with author B.R. Myers about The Third Wife of Faraday House, which is a delicious love letter to Gothic fiction, featuring two brides who must band together to unravel the ghostly secrets at the heart of a crumbling island manor.
Hi, B.R! Welcome back! It’s been a few years since we spoke for Rogue Princess, how have you been?
Great! After working as a nurse for thirty-two years I decided to retire so now I write full-time, which is a dream come true. Two years ago, my first adult novel was published. A Dreadful Splendor was an international bestseller and won the Mary Higgins Clark Award, another dream come true!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always been a bookworm, but I didn’t start writing until about sixteen years ago. At that time Stephenie Meyer’s books were quickly approaching epic popularity—the first movie of the franchise was coming out that year—and my sister (who was also a nurse at the time) thought I could easily write a bestseller that would get me a movie deal and make us both rich enough to retire early. Ha! The joke was on us.
However, her insistence was the seed that jumpstarted me into writing. I found some success on Wattpad and that gave me the confidence to send my manuscript to a local publisher. Butterflies Don’t Lie came out in 2014, and I’ve been creating stories ever since. The Third Wife of Faraday House will be my thirteenth published novel.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Georgie by Robert Bright. It’s about a ghost who tries to haunt a new house, but he ends up finding it too scary. And let me say, as a kid one of the best memories from elementary school was when the Scholastic Book order came in.
- The one that made you want to become an author: When I first read The Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. There is a twist in that book that made me gasp out loud and I remember thinking I would love to be able to manipulate a reader like that one day.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Favourite reads stay with me weeks after I’ve finished them and some scenes are permanently etched into my brain and heart, but the book that comes to mind on a regular basis would be Pride and Prejudice. It is amazing how much brilliant commentary on the societal norms versus human desire is in that novel. No words are ever wasted. I’ve reread it at least eleven times and it never disappoints.
Your latest novel, The Third Wife of Faraday House, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Bewitching, Gothic, Mysterious, Ghostly, Gripping
What can readers expect?
An atmospheric gothic mystery with ghostly vibes intertwined with romantic coziness and strong female friendships. I hope readers are entertained and feel like they’ve had an intriguing and satisfying escape.
Where did the inspiration for The Third Wife of Faraday House come from?
After A Dreadful Splendor I knew I wanted to write another gothic mystery, but with more of a maritime theme and one that was set in Atlantic Canada. I pictured low grey clouds over a crumbling manor on a private peninsula, a gloomy household led by a sea captain obsessed with morbidity, a family curse, the lure of a possible hidden treasure, and at its centre a young heroine who was neither prepared nor interested in solving a ghostly mystery but is forced to investigate when she finds herself needing to survive the inhospitable estate.
I grew up in Chester, Nova Scotia which was the perfect backdrop for the ocean side setting. Strongly influenced by my maritime surroundings, the novel’s theme of devious greed, and the destructive forces of superstition was loosely inspired by the dramatic history of the world-famous Oak Island Mystery.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Unlike the street wise main character in A Dreadful Splendor, who was comfortable in unexplained spiritual situations, I wanted Emeline to be the opposite, someone who had a very sheltered upbringing, but not necessarily spoiled. And not necessarily loved. She views life through a matter-of-fact lens and has her own agenda, but heavily relies on traits she has always believed were her strongest assets—her beauty and charm. However, when she arrives at Faraday House, she realizes neither of those will be of assistance in the face of the deadly mystery she finds herself embroiled in. How does someone with no confidence or experience deal with the strange events that torture the poor souls of Faraday House? Emeline must quickly figure out what she is capable of to avoid being the next dead bride of Captain Graves. It’s a fish out of water trope that worked well in this context. As a writer, it was satisfying to watch her grow into her true self.
Interestingly, I found her name during a walk in a historic cemetery. I took a picture of the gravestone for no reason other than the fact she had died a young woman. I hadn’t planned on using the name Emeline until I had finished writing the novel.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing The Third Wife of Faraday House?
Oh my, yes! This book underwent MAJOR revisions requiring two complete rewrites. The issue was that the ‘ghost story’ aspect was growing so complicated it was taking the oxygen from Emeline’s plot. My editors and I decided it was best to remove the entire ‘ghost story’ and replace it with one that complimented Emeline’s journey instead of competing with it. The result is a novel that I am so proud of, and I continue to be endlessly grateful for my editors’ insight.
What’s next for you?
Thank you for asking! I think maritime gothic is my brand now. I’m extremely excited about my current project. I can’t share too much at this time, but it is another murder mystery partly set on a merchant ship, and partly in an isolated fishing village in Nova Scotia in 1778. There might be cursed treasure, a haunted ship, a romance (or two), a missing woman, murder, and maybe a grumpy love interest with an eyepatch.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Some of my favourite reads this year so far:
- The Isle of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. Her writing is so beautiful and the narration with this novel was particularly magical.
- Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. What a ride! Magical realism with an emotional punch.
- The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy. This mystery/thriller is the best Murder, She Wrote episode plus The Goonies plus The Only One Left.
In my TBR pile:
I’m really looking forward to reading Missing White Woman by Kellye Garret. It’s the follow up to her Edgar Finalist for Best Novel, Like A Sister, a thriller with a healthy dose of wit and satisfyingly jaw dropping twists.
I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones. His last novel, The Only Good Indians was so satisfying with a perfect balance of suspense and horror.
