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The Good Bride takes place in a quaint fishing village on the Gulf Coast. Tell us about that location and how it plays a role in the story:

The Good Bride centers on Ruth Bancroft, who is about to get married, and her estranged family. What would you like readers to know about Ruth and her family dynamics:

That’s a really good question. I knew I wanted to write a suspense novel where the main character was someone the reader could root for.

Often in this genre, most of the characters turn out to be just awful. I love that while Ruth is struggling under the weight of the expectations of her sisters and her mother and she goes on this crazy terrifying journey, she’s still able to find her voice and strength while retaining the virtues that make her who she is.

I also love the relationship between Ruth and her sisters. I have two sisters and while they are nothing like Ruth’s, it’s that Yin and Yang, push and pull. The camaraderie of sisters  is so special.

The Good Bride is a domestic thriller about a wedding gone bad. You also have a nonfiction funny marriage guide titled Married AF. How did you end up writing about that complex, and sometimes fraught, life event?

I really don’t know, lol!

Married AF was kind of a fluke. My girlfriends and I were sitting around and drinking wine, talking about all the crazy stuff that you see when you’re married that no one warns you about. I just decided I was gonna write about it because no one had . . . it seemed like such a natural idea as a gift for a bridal shower gift. Later, I ended up doing some freelance work for Southern Coastal Wedding Magazine and I think that sparked my interest in weddings further.

I do think it’s really intriguing to write about major life events like graduations, weddings, births etc. It’s these big moments that bring up big emotions and that’s where things get interesting . . .

Before debuting with The Good Bride, you taught English Literature and writing. How did that background impact your fiction? 

I am a voracious reader and I think that is important if you wanna be a good writer. When I was writing The Good Bride, I read a lot inside my genre then would take a break and read something completely different like Sci-fi or a classic. As a teacher, you take apart some of the greatest literature in the world and dissect it with your students. Studying books like The Great Gasby and The Scarlett Letter definitely helped me view my own writing with fresh eyes.

I also really loved helping students get comfortable with the process of writing. For a lot of kids, writing is very stressful. I loved helping them see it as cathartic.

There is no wrong answer with a story and that’s a beautiful thing that I still have to remind myself of sometimes!

What can we find you doing when you aren’t reading and writing twisty domestic thrillers?

I am probably outside. I love exercise and pickleball.  I am also blessed to spend a lot of time boating on the intra-coastal waterway.

Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:

Keep going. Never let rejection deter you. It can be your excuse or you’re fuel.

Writing is subjective and not every story is for every reader. There is always something new to learn, another angle to try. The only real failure is giving up.

Terrific advice!

The Good Bride Author — Jen Marie Wiggins

Jen Marie Wiggins first book, the gifty non-fiction title Married AF: A Funny Guide for the Newlywed or Bride was published with Sourcebooks in 2022.

She has a background in teaching and advertising and public relations.

Her writing has appeared in Southern Coastal Weddings Magazine, Savannah Magazine, Savannah Homes and elsewhere.

The Good Bride draws much of its inspiration from the devastation and rebuilding struggles of Mexico Beach, Florida, a place near and dear to Jen‘s heart.