We chat with author Jacquie Walters about Turn Off the Light, which follows two women living centuries apart and are bound by the same dark secret in this haunting novel.
Hi, Jacquie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a TV writer and author who lives in Los Angeles. I have two kids; my son is three and my daughter is five. My husband is Italian (from Italy), so I spend a good amount of time abroad. I am a reader first and foremost and am, of course, beyond grateful to anyone who picks up my books! Dearest is a psychological thriller about postpartum psychosis, and Turn Off The Light is a new twist on the haunted house story.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I was always a voracious reader—since as long as I could remember. I’d tag along with my mom on errands when I was little, and I would just station myself in the corner of the store with a book. I never went anywhere without a book in my hand. As I got older, English was always my favorite subject. Give me an essay test over multiple choice any day! But still, I didn’t consider myself a “creative” writer. (Although my childhood journals were full of poetry.) I didn’t seriously pursue writing until moving to Los Angeles in my twenties.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones introduced me to horror literature
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Only ONE?! Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Your latest novel, Turn Off the Light, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Twisty, heartfelt, mind-bending, fun, eerie
What can readers expect?
My goal is for you to walk away from this book with an entirely new way of thinking about hauntings. I want you to go, “Huh, I never thought of it that way…” It’s a dual-timeline narrative between the present day and 1630s that takes place on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. A haunted house story that explores themes of grief, generational trauma, female friendship, and the dangers of self-doubt.
Where did the inspiration for Turn Off the Light come from?
This is a long story!! But the short version: we realized my daughter was seeing spirits in her room when she was just under two years old. Since then, my husband and I have been on a truly wild ride. I now regularly channel and am training as a medium after having given multiple readings to friends and acquaintances. My daughter’s encounters and subsequent psychic episodes made me ask a lot of questions about how our universe works, and one potential theory is laid out in Turn Off The Light. The character of Julia is very much modelled after my daughter.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
There’s very little known about Settler life on the Eastern Shore. It was like a scavenger hunt to find information, but I’m a huge nerd and love the research phase. Edith’s storyline was so fun for that reason—I got to really play with the balance between realism and imagination. There’s so much we don’t know, so I had some freedom in that sense, but it was also fascinating to read about what daily life would have looked like at that time.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I wrote three full novels in the process of writing this book. It was pure hell! But I am very happy with where it landed. The first version was a summer camp massacre story—not sure that will ever see the light of day. The second was closer to what the book is now, but it took place all in the present day. And now the third version is a dual timeline narrative with the 1600s. It’s not always easy, but I am harsh when I look at my drafts (or anything I write). Even if the story and characters are solid, I want it to do something special. Something new and original. If it doesn’t, I force myself to look at it again. I might not always accomplish what I set out to do—that’s for the reader to decide—but I at least have to know I gave it my best shot. That I was trying to say something different, to make the reader feel something unique.
What’s next for you?
I needed a bit of a break after writing this one, but I’m ready to dive into my third book. I’ve been thinking about the idea for a while now. I just have to write it. In the meantime, I’m always working on TV and film projects and am about to officially embark on writing Dearest (my first novel) as a movie. Outside of the writing world, I am about to get certified in Reiki healing, and I am taking mediumship and animal telepathy classes. I couldn’t be more thrilled about all of it.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
A friend recently gifted me A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, so I’m excited to dive into that one. Others on my never-ending TBR include: Under Story by Chloe Benjamin, All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman, and It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell, an auto-buy author for me.
For lots of book recs and chances to win free books, plus insights on what I’m currently reading and watching, check out @sendmeabook on Instagram. I highlight authentic book recommendations from your favorite authors.
