Broken Bayou Summary
Dr. Willa Watters is a prominent child psychologist at the height of her career. But when a viral video of a disastrous television interview puts her reputation on the line, Willa retreats to Broken Bayou, the town where she spent most of her childhood summers. There she visits her aunts’ old house and discovers some of her troubled mother’s belongings still languishing in the attic—dusty mementos harboring secrets of her harrowing past. Willa’s hopes for a respite are quickly crushed, not only by what she finds in that attic but also by what’s been found in the bayou.
With waters dropping due to drought, mysterious barrels containing human remains have surfaced, alongside something else from Willa’s past, something she never thought she’d see again. Divers, police, and media flood the area, including a news reporter gunning for Willa and Travis Arceneaux—a local deputy and old flame.
Willa’s fate seems eerily tied to the murders. And with no one to trust, she must use her wits to stay above water and make it out alive.
Interview
Donna Meredith: Writing any book is a big undertaking that takes many months if not years. How long did you work on this book?
Jennifer Moorhead: It took many years, but mostly because I wrote this book and put it away. It was a NaNo WriMo book (National Novel Writing Month) in November of 2015. I wrote the first draft in a month and tucked it away for later because I was working on another book idea. When that book didn’t sell, in 2019 I went back to Broken Bayou and dusted it off and went to work editing it. Last count I think I had ten drafts. I signed with an agent in 2022. I signed my book deal in 2023. My debut is 2024. Traditional publishing is a marathon, not a sprint.
DM: What motivated or inspired you to write about this story?
Jennifer Moorhead
JM: It started with a newspaper article about a missing schoolteacher in south Louisiana who the police believed drove her car into a bayou. Divers were brought in to search the bayou and they did ultimately find her, but they also found something else buried in that murky water. That’s what piqued my interest. So I took the idea of a missing schoolteacher and used it as a catalyst to uncover the real story of Broken Bayou.
DM: Did any particular character really speak to you?
JM: Willa did. She is the first character who came to me several years ago. I actually “met” her when I wrote a flash fiction piece (100 or less) for an agent who held contests. Willa was seventeen in that story, and I loved her resilience and her loyalty to family despite her trauma.
DM: What research was required for the writing of this story?
JM: So much fun research. I interviewed an assistant DA in Louisiana about crime in south Louisiana as well as a forensic pathologist about gruesome things like how a body decomposes in water! I toured the North Louisiana Crime Lab where I witnessed DNA being tested and watched how ballistics are gathered on bullets. I also spent hours interviewing a clinical psychologist who specializes in treating children with autism.
DM: What details were most challenging to get right about the setting?
JM: Actually the setting came most naturally to me. I’m familiar with the area I wrote about and I’m familiar with small towns. I did draw a map of Broken Bayou after one of the early drafts, so I’d make sure I understood exactly where my characters were driving or standing or sleeping. I named the streets, included all of the businesses, Shadow Bluff, the levee, the bayou, etc. I wanted to make sure every detail was seared into my brain before I wrote the next draft.
Donna Meredith
DM: Tell us a little about your writing process.
JM: I can really write anywhere. Most days I’m either in my office or at a coffee shop with my writer friends. Sometimes I just sit in my kitchen and write there. I shoot for a specific word count every day, usually around 1000 words a day. I don’t outline first. I try to keep that first draft wild and loose (and yes really bad!) and once I’m about 30k words in I’ll stop and analyze a little and if absolutely necessary, I’ll outline then but only a little bit. I like being surprised by my characters. I do, however, write in a three-act structure. That helps me know when a plot point needs to happen. I write on my laptop and in Scrivener. Scrivener is a lifesaver. My chaos could not stay organized without it.
DM: Tell us a little about your background and what got you started as a writer.
JM: My love for writing started with my love for reading. I was the kid who loved the summer reading list. I wrote short stories and poems in college then started writing novels in my late 20’s after taking a creative writing class. I went on to write three novels, all of which fall into the practice of making a perfect pile. I also think it helped I grew up in a home with storytellers. Stories were always a part of my world.
DM: What writers or works have influenced your writing?
JM: I love all kinds of writers and my influences span genres. In classics, I love Larry McMurtry and Flannery O’Connor. Today, I love writers like Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn, Lucy Foley, and Tana French.
DM: What are you working on next?
JM: I’m working on a companion book to Broken Bayou. One of the characters wouldn’t leave me alone so now I’m telling that story.
DM: What question do you wish interviewers would ask you?
JM: What do you think about failure in relation to success? My answer: Failure is absolutely necessary in order to succeed. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.
DM: Clearly, you tried hard enough and your successful book sales show it. Thanks for taking the time to talk to SLR.
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