Mon., April 1, 2024. As of recent, the true crime genre has dominated all forms of media, however, the setting is usually in heavily populated northern locations. To make up for the lack of southern settings, this author has taken matters into her own hands.
Jennifer Moorhead I can write about Louisiana very easily because it’s in my blood. I think the Louisiana setting to me is just fascinating. I love everything about it.
Jennifer Moorhead is a Shreveport based true crime writer. Her debut novel, Broken Bayou, releases July 1, 2024, is a thriller based in Louisiana.
Moorhead graduated from LSU with a Liberal Arts degree. After raising two daughters as a stay at home mom, Moorhead returned to school at LSUS with a few Continuing Education classes in creative writing, rediscovering her passion for literature and writing. She found her love for the thriller genre as she wrote.
Jennifer Moorhead I love made-up worlds, I really enjoy sitting down and just letting a character lead me on a story. So I think it’s just being able to create something with words and the idea that one day, someone will read something I created- it just makes me giddy.
Broken Bayou came to life in 2015 as a part of the annual novel writing challenge NaNoWriMo. When Moorhead picked up the story again in 2020, she decided it was time to make it come to life.
Jennifer Moorhead The book is sort of a haunting, kind of atmospheric small town thriller. It’s set in south Louisiana in a little town I made up. And it is about a troubled child psychologist who returns to a small town in Louisiana to protect her secrets and winds up having to protect her life.
Jennifer pulled her inspiration from the story of a school teacher who went missing in New Orleans in 2013. In the search for her, authorities discovered her car in the bayou, alongside several others. Moorhead says this story inspired her to continue writing her short story.
Moorhead says that her experience as a writer has been positive, and she finds empowerment and encouragement throughout her journey. Through the fellowship of other local writers, she has high expectations for the release of her next novel.
Jennifer Moorhead I will say I feel like I’ve got a really strong community here, I’m from here, and I found that the community is really very supportive. People in Shreveport want to cheer you on, they want to see you succeed. And I have really enjoyed that part of the process right now. It's being able to share this really fun and exciting news, and I just feel like I’ve got a team!