We chat with author Jumata Emill about I Don’t Wish You Well, which follows a teen investigative podcaster decides to dig into the truth behind a grisly murder spree that rocked his hometown five years ago, but soon discovers that this cold case is still hiding deadly secrets—in this chilling thriller perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. PLUS you can read an excerpt at the end of the interview!
Hi, Jumata! Welcome back! It’s been two years since we last spoke for the release of Wander In The Dark. How have you been and what have you been up to?
I’ve been great. Busy writing, as you can see!
Your latest novel, I Don’t Wish You Well, is out January 20th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
An immersively tense, heartfelt mystery.
What can readers expect?
Lots of small-town secrets, a zany sleuthing duo, complicated family dynamics, and a young journalist/podcaster who won’t stop until he gets to the truth.
Where did the inspiration for I Don’t Wish You Well come from?
True (and funny) story. I got the idea for this book while I was working out and listening to Kelly Clarkson’s Never Again. In the song, she sang this line, “I would never wish bad things/but I don’t wish you well,” and I paused and thought, “Oh! That would make a great title for a book!” After I sat with the idea for a few days, I decided to pull out my notebook and figure out what the story of that awesomely titled book would be.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I absolutely loved bringing Izzy to life! He’s such a fun character. One of those people who don’t mind being right up in your face with his thoughts and emotions. I knew he would be a great counterpart to our protagonist, Pryce, who’s smart and a great journalist, but struggles with accepting himself. Izzy lives out and proud, and yet, understands and empathizes with Pryce’s turmoil since he grew up in the same town. Their scenes together really grounded the novel for me.
With Pryce being a podcaster, are there any podcasts you enjoy listening to?
I’m obsessed with Crime Junkie–surprise, surprise. 🙂 I also recently listened to and enjoyed My Friend Daisy, which I was floored to learn was produced by Paris Hilton. I’ll also listen to pop culture-related ones from time to time.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This book really took a lot of work and rewrites to come together. I really struggled in the beginning trying to make all these moving parts fit, and honestly, some of them just didn’t in my earlier drafts. I really had to take the story a part and do a massive rewrite three drafts in. I’m so glad my editors challenged me to push harder because this story is soooooooooo much better for it! This was a book where I really had to learn how to kill my darlings and let go of what I thought the story should be in order for it to become what the characters really needed.
What’s next for you?
More writing! Ha! But it’s true. I’m in the cave hard at work on a few things I can’t wait to share in the near future.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I rarely get to read for pleasure anymore so I’m not the most up to date on what’s coming out. I will say, there’s a book titled There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood by Rasheed Newson that I stumbled across recently while clicking around online that really piqued my interest. New author to me. It’s a historical mystery about the murder of a queer Black movie star. Something you don’t read about every day.
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