Jamie Lee Sogn joins the Spotlight this week to chat about her thriller, Salthouse Place

Author Name: Jamie Lee Sogn

Book Title: SALTHOUSE PLACE

Book Genre: Thriller

Release Date: Sept 1, 2023

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Welcome, Jamie! How would you describe SALTHOUSE PLACE? 

A search for answers to a decade old mystery takes one woman to a wellness community on the Oregon Coast, but she soon realizes she has stumbled onto a dark and disturbing truth—and now she has to survive a cult that will protect its secrets at any cost.

What sparked the idea for this book?

I wanted to explore the idea of the wellness industry and “self-care” culture as a type of cult, especially those kinds of wellness brands that really center around a celebrity or a cult of personality.

I know that people often say they would never be naïve enough to join a cult, but I think the insidiousness of cult leaders is often the fact that they can get inside your mind and understand what you need more than you do yourself. And then, before you know it, you’re hooked. I think the wellness industry is really similar in this respect- it plays on emotional and societal pressures to lure you in and then provides a kind of exclusivity and community that people really seem to crave.

So, I loved the idea of all of this against a mystery and people with dark secrets.

What about the writing/editing/publishing process has been the most surprising to you so far?

I have been a writer for all my life, even as a child, and I’ve always seen it as a very solitary activity. What has been so surprising to me entering my publishing journey is how collaborative the editing and publishing process is! From critique partners to your agents and editors, and even your marketing team, it’s really amazing to me that all these people are here to help my book become the strongest version of itself. It takes such a team of brilliant people to bring books into this world and I never knew that before I was in it.

Any words of wisdom you give your pre-published writer self (or to a new writer)?

I would tell a new writer to find a community of writers who they can feel comfortable sharing their work with. I was so scared of sharing my writing with others for so long, but I finally hit a point where I knew I had to find critique partners to help me edit my work and grow as a writer. I was fortunate enough to find two partners who I work extremely well with- they were pivotal in challenging me to go further and deeper. And sometimes, you just need writer friends to vent with about things non-writers can’t understand!

What are your interests outside of writing and reading?

I enjoy watching movies and tv- I guess I can’t get enough of stories! I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I love to explore the outdoors when I get a chance, which isn’t very often since I have a young son who always keeps me busy!

Where can readers find you?

You can find me at https://www.jamieleesogn.com on Twitter @jamieleesogn and on Instagram @jamieleesognwrites

Thank you, Jamie! Salthouse Place is out now.

Salthouse Place

From debut author Jamie Sogn comes a twisty thriller about the allure of the past and the danger of the truth as a young woman dives headlong into a cult in a desperate search for answers.

In the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest, three best friends spend a day at the lake…but only two come home.

Ten years later, Delia Albio is tormented by the mystery of what happened to fifteen-year-old Zee on the lake that day. When she receives an email from Cara, the remaining friend in the trio, she can’t resist the pull of the “life-changing” news in the message. Delia, hopeful for answers, travels home to see her old friend.

But Cara is gone by the time she gets there, setting off another mystery. When Delia hears about the women’s empowerment group that Cara joined, she sets out for the group’s retreat property on the Oregon coast to find her. Delia feels this could be her chance to reconnect with Cara and reckon with that fateful day at the lake.

Instead, Delia uncovers a possessive group with a dark agenda. As their leadership closes in, Delia hurtles ever closer to the truth—if only she can survive a cult that will protect its secrets at any cost.

Author bio:

Jamie Lee Sogn is a Filipina American author who grew up in Olympia, Washington, studied Anthropology and Psychology at the University of Washington and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Oregon School of Law. She lives in Seattle with her husband and son. Learn more about her debut novel, Salthouse Place, on her website at www.jamieleesogn.com.