NAME: Briana Morgan
CREATIVE FIELD: Author
WEBSITE: brianamorganbooks.com
AUTHOR LINKS:
Instagram: @brianamorganbooks
AUTHOR BIO:
Briana Morgan writes gripping, psychological dark fiction. Her most recent work, The Reyes Incident, has sold more than 16,000 copies to date. Other books include Mouth Full of Ashes, The Tricker-Treater and Other Stories, Unboxed: A Play, and more. Briana is a proud member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and has a BA in English from Georgia College. When not writing, you can find her reading, traveling, playing video games, or spending time with her husband and cat.
INTERVIEW
What got you into horror to begin with – what’s your core Horror memory?
Watching Are You Afraid of the Dark? on TV as a child.
Do you have a favourite horror subgenre (or more than one) and if so, what is it? What/Who are your favourite books/films/podcasts/artists/creatives working in that subgenre?
Found footage! LOVE all books and movies that have anything to do with found footage.
Some of my favorite films in the subgenre include NOROI: THE CURSE, AS ABOVE SO BELOW, GONJIAM HAUNTED ASYLUM, THE BAY, and LAKE MUNGO.
Recently, I have been obsessed with FAKE DOCUMENTARY Q on YouTube as well.
What is the horror project of your heart – perhaps something you’ve already got out there, something you’re working on now, or something you’d like to do?
The horror project of my heart is to write IP! I haven’t gotten to yet, but I would love to write something for the Chucky franchise or even a video game IP like BioShock.
Which 5 horror books can you not stop thinking about, or have influenced you most in some way? (If not books, you can pick 5 films, 5 pieces of art, 5 songs… or mix & match!)
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix,
The September House by Carissa Orlando,
There is No Antimemetics Division by qntm,
The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt,
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due.
If you had to describe the tones and themes of your own work in terms of movies, books, songs, or art, what would you choose and why?
Dark and moody, psychological, emotional—think The Last Dinner Party‘s albums Prelude to Ecstasy and From the Pyre.
Introduce us to something you’ve created, and pitch it to the audience!
This year, I’m releasing my debut psychological thriller, HOW TO ESCAPE A TIGER CULT. Here’s the description:
Sarah is out of options. Living in her car with no money and no future, she jumps at the chance to work at a wildlife park, a sprawling facility housing tigers and other exotic animals. It’s not glamorous, but it’s a paycheck. And Vega, the park’s magnetic owner, makes her feel like she belongs.
At first, Sarah tells herself she’s lucky to be there. But the job isn’t just cleaning cages and feeding tigers. She’s expected to perform in elaborate shows, smiling for an audience while the animals obey on command.
Behind the scenes, the rules are stricter. The compound isn’t just a sanctuary—it’s home to the Order of Perpetual Youth, a cult that believes blood is the key to eternity. Obedience isn’t optional. And those who try to leave don’t get far.
Sarah wants to believe she’s special to Vega, but she isn’t the only one drawn into her orbit. There are other women—devoted, secretive, watching her too closely. She doesn’t know if she can trust them, or if they’d turn on her the moment she steps out of line.
With the rituals growing darker and the walls closing in, she has to find a way out. Because if she doesn’t escape soon, she’ll end up like the others—either a loyal disciple or something much worse.