She writes fantasy and horror for adult, young adult, and middle-grade readers. She is best known for her supernatural suspense series, THE CHOSEN and WORLD OF THE CHOSEN, and is a past winner of the International Vampire Film & Arts Festival Silver Stake Award.
Roh dreams up her dark tales while driving and hiking 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.
Based in Central California, Roh shares her home with her very patient husband and an extremely demanding cat who helps her write by periodically walking on the keyboard.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. In 2016, I took the trip of a lifetime to Romania to research my next novel, Seeker: Book III of The Chosen. My tour guides were a lovely Romanian couple and none other than Dacre Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, author of Dracula.
We traveled the route recounted in parts of the Dracula story through the Romanian countryside and explored the history of Vlad the Impaler, said to be the inspiration for Stoker’s iconic villain. The highlight of our trip was a hike in the mystical Carpathian Mountains.
Hearing Dacre read from his ancestor’s renowned book while dining in the Hotel Transylvania in the Carpathians is something I’ll never forget!
Q.2 What inspired you to write The Chosen series?
A. I woke up from a dream with a lonely vampire woman in my head lamenting her solitary existence. I started exploring her life story by writing it, wondering who she was and how she’d ended up in her situation. Five months and 120,000 words later, the first draft was complete. I published it two years later as the novel Watcher: Book I of The Chosen.
Q.3 Are we going to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes, and yes! Monster: A Prequel of The Chosen is scheduled for release in late April 2023. I’ve already begun work on Seeker: Book III of The Chosen, which I hope to publish next year.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. Ensuring that I portray their emotional struggles realistically.
Q.5 Do you plan out your books before you start writing, or do you just write and see where it takes you?
A. I’m basically a pantser, otherwise known as a discovery writer. I typically know the beginning and the ending and maybe a couple of key events, but everything else is left to the characters to tell. I just follow them through the story, and many times, it’s their reactions to situations that dictate where the story goes next and how it gets there. Kind of like in real life!
Q.6 How long, on average, does it takes you to write a book?
A. It depends on the book and on the other demands in my life. As I mentioned earlier, I completed the first draft of Watcher in five months. Monster took several years due to the high demands from my day job at the time. However, I’m now retired, and I expect to write and release new books on a much more frequent basis.
Q.7 What’s your writing schedule while working?
A. My weekday mornings are reserved for writing. I don’t accept phone calls or check email or social media until the afternoon unless I’m really immersed in the story, and then I might just keep writing until I go to bed!
Q.8 Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
A. Volunteer in elementary school classrooms or at the zoo. Become a Master Gardener and teach people how to grow vegetables. Travel the country in an RV, on a motorcycle, or on a horse. Visit Scotland and Ireland. The list goes on and on!
Q.9 Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. I just write the story the characters want me to tell. Each one has its own journey, and I feel it’s my job to share it in the best way I can. I’m always surprised when readers enjoy those stories enough to ask for more.
Q.10 Is it vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing? Tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. Exposure is vital for every author. The most difficult challenge for writers like myself, whose works are a blend of several genres, is figuring out the best marketing strategy to find the readers who enjoy our books.
My own campaigns have recently been limited to advertising on Amazon while I concentrated on finishing Monster. With that done, I’m shifting my focus now to direct reader engagement through blogs like yours, podcasts, and social media platforms.
Based in Central California, Roh shares her home with her very patient husband and an extremely demanding cat who helps her write by periodically walking on the keyboard.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. In 2016, I took the trip of a lifetime to Romania to research my next novel, Seeker: Book III of The Chosen. My tour guides were a lovely Romanian couple and none other than Dacre Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Bram Stoker, author of Dracula.
We traveled the route recounted in parts of the Dracula story through the Romanian countryside and explored the history of Vlad the Impaler, said to be the inspiration for Stoker’s iconic villain. The highlight of our trip was a hike in the mystical Carpathian Mountains.
Hearing Dacre read from his ancestor’s renowned book while dining in the Hotel Transylvania in the Carpathians is something I’ll never forget!
Q.2 What inspired you to write The Chosen series?
A. I woke up from a dream with a lonely vampire woman in my head lamenting her solitary existence. I started exploring her life story by writing it, wondering who she was and how she’d ended up in her situation. Five months and 120,000 words later, the first draft was complete. I published it two years later as the novel Watcher: Book I of The Chosen.
Q.3 Are we going to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes, and yes! Monster: A Prequel of The Chosen is scheduled for release in late April 2023. I’ve already begun work on Seeker: Book III of The Chosen, which I hope to publish next year.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. Ensuring that I portray their emotional struggles realistically.
Q.5 Do you plan out your books before you start writing, or do you just write and see where it takes you?
A. I’m basically a pantser, otherwise known as a discovery writer. I typically know the beginning and the ending and maybe a couple of key events, but everything else is left to the characters to tell. I just follow them through the story, and many times, it’s their reactions to situations that dictate where the story goes next and how it gets there. Kind of like in real life!
Q.6 How long, on average, does it takes you to write a book?
A. It depends on the book and on the other demands in my life. As I mentioned earlier, I completed the first draft of Watcher in five months. Monster took several years due to the high demands from my day job at the time. However, I’m now retired, and I expect to write and release new books on a much more frequent basis.
Q.7 What’s your writing schedule while working?
A. My weekday mornings are reserved for writing. I don’t accept phone calls or check email or social media until the afternoon unless I’m really immersed in the story, and then I might just keep writing until I go to bed!
Q.8 Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
A. Volunteer in elementary school classrooms or at the zoo. Become a Master Gardener and teach people how to grow vegetables. Travel the country in an RV, on a motorcycle, or on a horse. Visit Scotland and Ireland. The list goes on and on!
Q.9 Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. I just write the story the characters want me to tell. Each one has its own journey, and I feel it’s my job to share it in the best way I can. I’m always surprised when readers enjoy those stories enough to ask for more.
Q.10 Is it vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing? Tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. Exposure is vital for every author. The most difficult challenge for writers like myself, whose works are a blend of several genres, is figuring out the best marketing strategy to find the readers who enjoy our books.
My own campaigns have recently been limited to advertising on Amazon while I concentrated on finishing Monster. With that done, I’m shifting my focus now to direct reader engagement through blogs like yours, podcasts, and social media platforms.
I love to do interviews and readings and am planning on exploring video-based opportunities through YouTube and TikTok.
Q.11 If you could be a member of any fantasy race, which would you choose and why?
A. Since I’m currently re-reading the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, I think being Fae would be pretty cool. But I’m also very fond of shapeshifters (my next series is about shifters!), so I may opt for that first.
Q.12 If you could invite one character to dinner from your books, who would it be and why?
A. Well, inviting any of the characters from my books to dinner would be pretty dangerous, as I would likely end up being the dinner! Certainly not Sunny-she’s too antisocial, and I’d feel awkward with her sitting there just watching me eat. I doubt Colin would have the patience for me, and Taz just plain scares me to death! So I’d have to say Nicolas because he’s the most intriguing, and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t attack me.
Q.13 What three things can a reader expect from your books?
A. 1. To step into a world not their own.
2. Character-driven stories with a supernatural edge.
3. An emotional and, hopefully, satisfying journey.
Q.14 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. I’d have to say Sandy, from Runner, is most dear to me. Her sweet innocence and spirit of adventure are uplifting, and she’s instrumental in helping Sunny find her way to self-acceptance.
Q.15 Who designed your book cover? How do you select them?
A. My cover design team is from Deranged Doctor Design. I provide them with character and setting descriptions, and they work their magic. I love every one of the covers they’ve designed for me!
Q.16 How do you select the name of your characters?
A. The names came along with the main characters. I didn’t really have to think much about their names. I do struggle sometimes with minor character names, and will change one several times as the story progresses, just because the initial name no longer fits.
Q.17 Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?
A. I do read them. If a reviewer really enjoys the book and leaves a thoughtful, well-written review, sometimes I reach out and thank them, depending upon where their review appears (blog vs. Amazon). But if my book disappoints a reader in some way, I just do my best not to feel too demoralized by it.
Q.18 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. I’ve published four books so far in The Chosen series and am getting ready to release the fifth. Like with children, they’re all my favorites, for different reasons. In Watcher, we as readers, along with Sunny, get our first glimpse of The Chosen society.
Q.11 If you could be a member of any fantasy race, which would you choose and why?
A. Since I’m currently re-reading the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, I think being Fae would be pretty cool. But I’m also very fond of shapeshifters (my next series is about shifters!), so I may opt for that first.
Q.12 If you could invite one character to dinner from your books, who would it be and why?
A. Well, inviting any of the characters from my books to dinner would be pretty dangerous, as I would likely end up being the dinner! Certainly not Sunny-she’s too antisocial, and I’d feel awkward with her sitting there just watching me eat. I doubt Colin would have the patience for me, and Taz just plain scares me to death! So I’d have to say Nicolas because he’s the most intriguing, and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t attack me.
Q.13 What three things can a reader expect from your books?
A. 1. To step into a world not their own.
2. Character-driven stories with a supernatural edge.
3. An emotional and, hopefully, satisfying journey.
Q.14 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. I’d have to say Sandy, from Runner, is most dear to me. Her sweet innocence and spirit of adventure are uplifting, and she’s instrumental in helping Sunny find her way to self-acceptance.
Q.15 Who designed your book cover? How do you select them?
A. My cover design team is from Deranged Doctor Design. I provide them with character and setting descriptions, and they work their magic. I love every one of the covers they’ve designed for me!
Q.16 How do you select the name of your characters?
A. The names came along with the main characters. I didn’t really have to think much about their names. I do struggle sometimes with minor character names, and will change one several times as the story progresses, just because the initial name no longer fits.
Q.17 Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?
A. I do read them. If a reviewer really enjoys the book and leaves a thoughtful, well-written review, sometimes I reach out and thank them, depending upon where their review appears (blog vs. Amazon). But if my book disappoints a reader in some way, I just do my best not to feel too demoralized by it.
Q.18 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. I’ve published four books so far in The Chosen series and am getting ready to release the fifth. Like with children, they’re all my favorites, for different reasons. In Watcher, we as readers, along with Sunny, get our first glimpse of The Chosen society.
In Runner, we witness Sunny’s growth as she deals with each new challenge within that society. The Games Monsters Play gives us an inside view of The Chosen’s darker side. And in The Last Trace, we step back in time to witness the evolution of a major player in Sunny’s life.
Q.19 Are there any new books or authors in science fiction or fantasy (or both!) are you excited about? What are you reading right now?
A. My latest discovery in fantasy is Annette Marie. She has seven different urban fantasy series, including one centered around Japanese mythology (the Red Winter trilogy), and I love them all. As I mentioned earlier, I’m re-reading Sarah J. Maas’ Crown of Thorn and Roses series and just finished a re-read of her Throne of Glass series.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child and used to make up stories in my head to help me fall asleep. But it wasn’t until I had the dream I mentioned earlier that I started writing those stories down.
Since then, I’ve worked to improve my craft, learned how to format and publish my books, and studied the marketing and business management that goes along with being an author. And up until this past year, did those things while holding a demanding, 40+ hours-per-week job. But now, I’m enjoying the privilege of working as a full-time author. And I love it!
Share your social account links -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RohMorgonWriter/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/roh.morgon/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/rohmorgon
Website - http://www.rohmorgon.com/
Q.19 Are there any new books or authors in science fiction or fantasy (or both!) are you excited about? What are you reading right now?
A. My latest discovery in fantasy is Annette Marie. She has seven different urban fantasy series, including one centered around Japanese mythology (the Red Winter trilogy), and I love them all. As I mentioned earlier, I’m re-reading Sarah J. Maas’ Crown of Thorn and Roses series and just finished a re-read of her Throne of Glass series.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child and used to make up stories in my head to help me fall asleep. But it wasn’t until I had the dream I mentioned earlier that I started writing those stories down.
Since then, I’ve worked to improve my craft, learned how to format and publish my books, and studied the marketing and business management that goes along with being an author. And up until this past year, did those things while holding a demanding, 40+ hours-per-week job. But now, I’m enjoying the privilege of working as a full-time author. And I love it!
Share your social account links -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RohMorgonWriter/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/roh.morgon/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/rohmorgon
Website - http://www.rohmorgon.com/
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