Interview: Roh Morgon

Author’s Name:

Roh Morgon

Publishing Credits:

My supernatural suspense series, The Chosen (not related to the TV show), includes Monster, Watcher (Winner of the International Vampire Film & Arts Silver Stake Award), Runner, and the upcoming Seeker. The related World of The Chosen series includes two published novellas so far, The Games Monsters Play and The Last Trace, with several more in the works.

I’ve also published short stories and poems in anthologies (I Dreamed a Crooked Dream, Tales for the Camp Fire, High Stakes, and Blood Games), various periodicals, and the program for the annual Horror Writers Association StokerCon convention.

What genres do you write?

Urban fantasy, supernatural suspense, paranormal romance, horror, and middle grade and young adult fantasy/urban fantasy—basically anything with mythical and magical creatures!

Why should anybody read your books when there are so many others written by famous authors?

My stories appeal to readers who wish to immerse themselves in the lives and emotions of the characters, to feel their joy and their sadness, to experience their triumphs as well as their failures. Though the main characters are not human, they face similar challenges—with supernatural complications. A prevalent theme in many of my stories centers on the plight of the outcast and the characters’ struggles with their inner demons as they seek to determine their place in the world.

The Chosen series follows a woman who’s torn away from her family and plunged into a supernatural world of blood and darkness, then must fight to survive—and to hold onto her humanity—while searching for her missing daughter.

Readers who wish to focus on the characters’ journeys, both inner and outer, rather than the machinations of a complicated plot, might find my stories are just what they’re looking for.

Most authors believe they have original ideas that no one else has used. Can you give us an example of one of your original ideas?

I can’t claim that any of my ideas are original, but I believe that how I present them, with all of my characters’ flaws and quirks, is unique to me and my stories.

My vampires and shapeshifters follow much of the traditional Eastern European mythologies, but with slight variations that combined together could be considered original, or at least seldom presented.

For example, in The Chosen series, Sunny lacks some of the expected vampire traits and has more control over her urges than a typical young vampire. We learn, along with her, why she’s different and the impact this has on her journey to find where she belongs in her strange new world.

Most stories are only the remixing of what has been done before, but it’s their presentation and the author’s voice that makes them unique.

How do you deal with criticism?

If it’s from a beta reader or editor prior to publication, I examine the issue they’ve raised and look at how to address their concern in way that stays true to the characters and the story. If it’s from a reviewer, I may watch for similar criticism to determine whether or not there is a real problem in the story or the way I’m marketing it. And if a review is way off base or just plain mean, I ignore it.

What are you doing that AI has not done?

There are several types of AI—the most basic is the spellcheck used in word processing programs such as Microsoft Word, and that is something people have been using for years. However, generative AI, such as ChatGPT, is something I refuse to use. It saddens me to see authors allowing it to creep into their work, even if they’re just using it to create ads. So what am I doing that AI has not done? Creating my stories—stories that belong to me and that are unique to me and my voice.

What is your typical writing routine?

Lately I’ve been so busy with my writers’ group, the Central Valley Fiction Writers, and co-organizing the Heart of California Book Faire in Madera on August 23, that I’ve had no time to write!

But when I do find time to write, I play music to help immerse myself into the character’s world. Each book has its own playlist, with songs ranging from artists like Nine Inch Nails, Coldplay, and The Black Keys to Celtic music to electronica by groups like Carbon Based Lifeforms, Solar Winds, and Aes Dana. Music helps to set the mood for the scene.

I then re-read the pages or chapter prior to where I left off, which helps me get back into the characters’ heads. It’s their experiences, thoughts, and most importantly, their emotions that drive their decisions and the subsequent story.

If you could have anyone co-write a book with you, who would you choose?

Every once in a while I’ll encounter a book with a tone and writing style that complements mine, and think, “I wonder what would happen if our characters met in a collaborated story?” But that’s something for the future. At this point, I’m content to write on my own.

What events have made you into the person you are today?

That’s a loaded question! I’ve been many different people as I’ve moved through life – single mom college student, soccer mom, horsewoman, renaissance faire actor, soil scientist, and author, to name a few. Currently I’m also a part-time caretaker for my elderly parents.

As for the influential events in my life? World travel, both as a child and an adult, has influenced my outlook and perceptions. Reading (fiction and non-fiction) has done so as well, especially in the realm of science fiction and fantasy. Both the Dune books and Lord of the Rings stories opened up my mind to the endless possibilities of the imagination. That exposure to other worlds probably bears the most responsibility for making me who I am today.

What jobs have you held?

LOL! Lots of them! I’ve worked on a small demolition crew in an old haunted hotel—slinging an axe into 100-year-old lathe and plaster will definitely build some muscles, especially when you’re watching over your shoulder for a resident ghost! I’ve been a dog bather and groomer, a waitress (only lasted 3 days), a bartender in a small town bar, an agricultural inspector, and the most recent, a soil scientist working with farmers to implement conservation practices on their land. I didn’t begin writing as a second career until I was in my early 50s.

What are your areas of expertise?

See above jobs . . . just kidding! Focusing only on my writing career, I’d say knowing the ins and outs of self/indie publishing is one of my strong suits—I published my first book in 2011 after attending a workshop in Oregon. I have a good grasp of genre, which is critical in any marketing plan. My experience with numerous editors has given me a pretty good idea on how to select one that best fits both me and my books. And I love to work with beginning writers to help them find the path that suits them and their work.

Have you ever modeled characters after people you know?

Not consciously, but in retrospect I can sometime identify traits in a character that remind me of someone. I try hard not to psychoanalyze my characters or categorize them in any way—that takes all the fun and spontaneity out of the writing. I prefer to let the characters reveal their natures through their reactions to events in the story.

If I could only read one thing that you’d written, what would you suggest?

I’d say Monster: A Prequel of The Chosen. That would allow you to experience Sunny’s journey as she experiences it herself. However, some people don’t like to start with a prequel, so for them I’d recommend Watcher: Book I of The Chosen, which occurs five years after the events in Monster.

What advice do you have for people who want to become professional authors?

1) This isn’t my advice—I’m just repeating what I’ve been told: Write what you love. Write in the genre you enjoy reading the most. Use the accumulation of your reading experiences to help you craft ideas and present them on the page with a fresh approach, one that is uniquely yours.

2) Know your genre. That means study the definitions of your genre and stay within its boundaries for the most part. Small deviations are okay, but keep in mind who the readers will be and what they expect from books in that genre. Romance, thriller, science fiction, fantasy—all genres contain key elements that readers look for.

To do otherwise will lead to great difficulties in marketing and promotion, as finding your target audience can be a real problem with books that lack a clearly defined genre or are a mash-up of various genres.

3) Join a writers group. There are several types—the most common are critique groups in which you read/critique one another’s work, and writer support groups that focus primarily on education and marketing support.

4) Self-educate. Attend writers’ conferences, read writing blogs, sign up for online webinars, etc. Learn about the business of publishing—traditional, small press, and self-publishing—and understand the pros and cons of each so that you can make an informed decision on how to proceed with your manuscript once it’s complete.

5) Last, have fun with your writing!

Roh Morgon dreams up her dark tales while driving through California’s Sierra Nevada foothills. But it’s her time spent in more remote locales—the soaring peaks of Colorado, the windswept plains of Wyoming, the mysterious Carpathian Mountains of Romania—that provides the settings for her stories and opens the door into hidden worlds filled with seductive, lethal creatures and the secret lives they lead. She shares her home with her very patient husband and the ghosts of three mustang horses, two intense herding dogs, and a crazy cat. Her current, even crazier cat helps her write by periodically walking on the keyboard.

You can find more about Roh on Amazon and on her website, www.rohmorgon.com.