We chat with author Suzanne Junered about Goodnight Monsters, which is a psychological horror novel that follows a woman obsessed with death who must decide if she’s fit to bring new life into this world—especially after someone she’s fantasized about killing turns up dead.
Hi, Suzanne! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I am someone ultra curious about why people think, feel, and act the way they do, though I am not trained in psychology. I am an over-sharer of myself in hopes to normalize all types of behaviors and experiences for the people I connect with, and I am as curious as all four cats in my home. Career-wise, I became a professional Dietitian-Nutritionist who became a professional parent who became a professional creative. While the former two still stand, I am overjoyed to be spending a great chunk of my time in mid-life writing novels, creating conversations for my podcast, and songwriting.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I began writing in my early thirties during a point in my life where I felt like I had something to say, but I didn’t know where to say it. Would I start a blog? Speak at community events or political rallies? Nope, I would write fiction! Weird choice. But it tuned out I can say all the subtle things I want to say—about what fascinates me, questions that haunt me, about social constructs and my observations of others—through story.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Hardy Boys series, Edward Stratemeyer
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: You, Caroline Kepnes
Your debut novel, Goodnight Monsters, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Obsessive, intimate descent into mania.
What can readers expect?
Expect some normalcy in the life of a woman who fears becoming a new mother and who doesn’t quite fit into society around her. Expect some outrageous fantasies. Expect some subtle social commentary. Expect to lose track of reality alongside the character. Expect to ask yourself, what would I have done?
Where did the inspiration for Goodnight Monsters come from?
I first wanted to write a novel about a woman whose thoughts and impulses were unspeakable and how she navigated the push and pull between thought and action. I wrote the bulk of the first draft during my dreary postpartum days and used a lot of my own heavy and confusing emotions to write this character’s story. While our plots were different, our emotional experience was similar, and it seemed to—not heal, but—soften me. I’m grateful that I could create a rabid character but keep myself sane.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I love all of my characters and the personalities they brought into the story, but Lia’s friend, Celia stands out as being fun to write. I took this unlikable woman and let her act out like any egocentric, better-than-thou friend would, but what I knew behind the scenes was that I was writing a very insecure woman. Her exterior didn’t match the interior. As a side character, though, we didn’t get to explore her interior like we do our narrator, Lia.
Writing Celia made me think of my real life interactions with women who seem self-absorbed or even downright mean. I often wonder what’s behind the façade. Now, that doesn’t mean I have to be their friend, but it does mean I can often have a heart for them and wonder what kind of pain is behind their desire to inflict pain on others.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Well yes, the aforementioned postpartum slop, my own anxieties over motherhood, sleeplessness, rage over loss of autonomy, uncertainty, confusion. . . And then losing my identity past anything besides mother. I had to scrape and claw myself away from my children to prioritize my writing in those early days. And by early days I mean almost ten years! Motherhood for me has been a pendulum between one hundred percent attention to my children and the backswing to nurturing pieces of myself. I’ve done a lot of inner work to rid myself of the guilt that comes with serving my own needs, and it now feels really good to model that to my children rather than feel like I’m taking something away from them.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
My publishing road was filled with persistence over something I believed in. Writing Goodnight Monsters took a few years to shape into what I wanted it to be. Then I began pursuing publishing, which involved not one, but two literary agents, numerous rejections, rewrites, and finally finding a home with She Writes Press. The road was long—and I don’t particularly like road trips—but ultimately the timing of this debut both in my personal life and national chatter surrounding postpartum depression and psychosis couldn’t have fit better. It was worth the wait.
What’s next for you?
I’m launching a podcast, No Secrets No Shame, which brings the inspiration behind my fiction writing into real like conversations. My next novel, House of Mannequins, releases September 28, 2027. House of Mannequins touches on free will, found family, and psychic powers.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I was late to reading Mona Awad’s Bunny, and lucky for me, she recently released a sequel, We Love You, Bunny. Bunny is a bizarre story with so much to infer about society, and I devoured it. Looking forward to the sequel.
I just learned about a new release, The Sisters of Crimson House, featuring psychics, family, and southern gothic vibes, which sounds right up my alley.
