Merced Native Pens Psychological Thriller 

Jess Munday, a Merced native who is pursuing creative writing ambitions in San Francisco, has just released her debut novel, “A Place Between Dreams.” 

The 31-year-old author was surrounded by friends, family members and literature fans during her first book launch party on Jan. 24 at a venue called Curio in San Francisco’s Mission District. 

Munday will be returning to her hometown for two more book launch events. The first will be held on Feb. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center (645 W. Main St.), and will feature a Q & A with Munday. The second is planned for Feb. 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Coffee Bandits (309 W. Main St.). Both events are free and open to the public, and there will be books for sale at a discounted price from what is listed on Amazon. 

“I’m really excited to bring this book back home,” Munday says. “I have built up this moment of publishing my book for so long, and I feel really proud of myself, but it feels like a way to honor and acknowledge that I didn’t create this book, or build this life even, all on my own. There’s so many people who have helped me along the way.” 

A Place Between Dreams, according to the synopsis, is a dark, psychological thriller. 

“After waking with blood on his hands and no memory of what happened to his girlfriend Lucy, Tennessee Walker is haunted by her final words to him — “You’re just like your father” — and escapes into drug-induced lucid dreams where he can relive their perfect memories, but as the line between illusion and reality blurs, he discovers the horrifying truth: he’s the monster he’s been running from.”

Munday says her inspiration for the plot was sparked many years ago after watching the film Inception starring  Leonardo DiCaprio. 

“The ending of the movie is like you don’t know whether or not the main character is dreaming or if he’s awake,” she explains. “And I just remember being really pissed off at the ending, and I was like, ‘What the hell? I need to know.'”

Munday has a background in journalism and communication, but she says the creative writing process for her ended up being a personal challenge as she searched out ways to develop the plot she had in mind, build characters, and conduct research. 

“It took eight years to write this book,” she says. “I started at 23, and now I’m 31. … I think it kind of came in waves. … At first, I knew I wanted to have this concept of a main character that escapes reality via dreams. Then it was like, OK, what kind of character would do that?”

The author credits a lot of trial and error, and time during the pandemic years, for helping drive the novel to completion. She says the Central Valley, and her experience growing up here, also plays an important role in the book, along with the San Francisco setting. 

Munday grew up in the Franklin-Beachwood area between Merced and Atwater. As a teen, she took part in the We’Ced Youth Media program and wrote an investigative piece on homelessness in the area. She also participated in the annual Miss Merced County contest. She graduated from Buhach Colony High School in 2012, and went on to graduate from San Jose State with a communications degree. After a stint in broadcast journalism, Munday settled into the marketing and tech fields in the Bay Area. 

The author says she hopes young, aspiring writers show up to her upcoming book launch events in Merced and ask questions about the writing process and publishing.  

“It took me eight years, and I would hope that I have learned some tips or tricks that I can impart on other people so it doesn’t take them that long.”

During her recent event in San Francisco, Munday told young people in attendance: “I was finding my voice, and in doing so I came to realize that my voice matters. If my voice matters, your voice matters too. If any part of you is waiting for a sign or permission to start, consider this that sign.Your voice matters, and your ideas matter. They deserve space in the world, so write that book. Start that project. Take that class. Start that business! Whatever your dream is, you got this!”

A Place Between Dreams

Publisher: Sutro Ink Press (self-published)

Available for purchase on Amazon.

ISBNs:

• Hardcover: 979-8-9999601-0-8

• Paperback: 979-8-9999601-1-5

• Ebook: 979-8-9999601-2-2

• Audiobook: 979-8-9999601-3-9