Author Gency Brown’s down-to-earth take on life influences her stories and the characters she creates for her contemporary women’s fiction. In her newest release, Light in the Dark Forest (The Wild Rose Press, November 2025), a newspaper reporter seeking clarity for her life finds her “path to the future is illuminated by friends.” Look for Gency on her website at GencyBrown.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, and her Amazon author store. Read more about Gency’s work in her 2024 interview for SouthWest Writers.
What is at the heart of the story you tell in Light in the Dark Forest?
A woman’s search for answers about her life/future while on a sabbatical to finish her second novel. The reader gets to experience her adventure and the people she meets at a mountain retreat.
Who are your main characters, and why will readers connect to them?
Ava Hardy is a down-to-earth newspaper reporter and novelist who yearns for more in life. Marvin Cameron, a man she meets at her mountain retreat, who deals with PTSD. Gerald Rainwater, Ava’s new love interest. The characters are all different but share the love of their mountain and each other.
Why did you use Oklahoma as the setting for the story?
I am from Oklahoma and wanted to share the beauty of the southeastern mountains, the people and their culture.
Tell us how the book came together.
This novel took the better part of two years including the creation, research, and publication. My research was extensive into the ravages of PTSD and the Choctaw Nation of her friend Gerald. I used sensitivity readers to ensure accuracy and respect for some difficult topics.
Why did you title the book Light in the Dark Forest?
The darkness is the uncertainty of Ava’s life and of some around her. She becomes the light for those she meets. I struggle with titles and this one was no different. Finally my editor suggested this one and I thought it fit the bill nicely.
What was the greatest challenge of putting this project together?
I call it a novel within a novel. While reading what I wrote about Ava, the reader is occasionally given a scene or chapter of the novel Ava is writing. By the end, they seem to merge.
What did you learn in writing/publishing the book that you can apply to future projects?
The handling of numerous stories in one was a good exercise to expand my writing skills.
What does a typical writing session look like for you?
I work better in the early morning with soft music playing in the background. I sometimes go out of the house to a park, café, or library to work using paper and pencil instead of my laptop. The change in atmosphere seems to open creativity that may have become stifled.
What writing projects are you working on now?
I have a story percolating, again set in Oklahoma, which will feature a main character involved in the Red Dirt Music genre which was started there in the 1970s.
Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Whenever I do book signings and events, and someone asks questions about how to start or improve their writing, I always suggest SouthWest Writers.
KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has volunteered as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.
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