Trust Your Gut
Today I’m virtually sitting down with Jennifer Brody, author of Namaste and Slay – the book that somehow turns a high end yoga retreat in the snowy Berkshires into a locked room bloodbath with an emotional body count to match. We’ll talk about how she weaponised wellness culture, why Noah’s betrayal still feels like a personal attack, and the particular brutality of an ending that leaves you staring at the wall. Jennifer was kind enough to discuss the choices that made this one hurt so good. Let’s get started.
Inspiration and Concept
Namaste and Slay blends the tranquility of a wellness retreat with the tension of a thriller. What inspired you to set a dark, twisty narrative in such a serene, exclusive setting?
Namaste and Slay started as a story I wasn’t supposed to be writing. I’d been awarded a winter writing residency at the Banff Centre in February a few years ago. I had a vision in the middle of a yoga class while we were in Corpse Pose (Shavasana)… let’s say, it wasn’t a very serene vision… and the story was born. The combination came from the setting in the Canadian Rockies and the yoga class. The original short story was actually called, Namaste Bitches. My editor who I did The Continuum trilogy with and my Sacrifice series loved the story and wanted to expand it into a “duet” series of two novels, but we had to change the title for marketing reasons. I love the new title even more!
Morgan’s emotional journey is so raw and authentic. Was her heartbreak and search for healing inspired by personal experience?
YES! Very much so, for better or worse. But I think almost every woman I know has some dating horror stories. Without getting into too many sordid details, I’m divorced. And I’ve done my time on a slew of dating apps, too. I wanted to write a character who was in that messy place where she hast to break up with the guy because he did something unforgivable, and her head knows that logically, but her heart is still in love with him, and she secretly wishes she could overlook the indiscretion and take him back. It’s a super real, but super raw and emotional place—and highly relatable, I think.
The Berkshires retreat almost feels like a character itself—isolated, mysterious, cold. How did you approach building this atmospheric setting, and did you draw on any real locations for inspiration?
Yes, the Banff Center in Canada, but also all the wellness retreats and fads I’ve experienced, combined with a hefty dose of reality TV. I’m known for my worldbuilding, especially in my sci-fi series, so it was fun to put it to work in a contemporary setting. In horror, the setting often becomes a character itself, and the isolation is really important.
Crafting the Thriller
You keep readers guessing with mounting dread, disturbing omens, and vanishing guests. How do you balance suspense and revelation to maintain tension throughout the story?
Yeah, one of the hardest parts is getting characters off the gird, but it occurred to me in a certain point that people pay good money nowadays to be forced to disconnect, so I thought that would be a fun plot device to work into the story. You also have to gaslight the character of the same level and keep putting them into situations that do you have rational explanations, and often where nobody else believes them, but they still suspect in there got that some thing as wrong. It’s actually a really good allegory for being in a toxic relationship, where you’re constantly rationalizing and explaining away bad behavior that your besties and others point out.
The last 80 pages were pure, high-octane madness! Did you always know how the story would culminate, or did the ending surprise you as you wrote it?
That is my typical style! I actually do a lot of work in the early chapter setting up the dominoes, so sometimes my books have a slightly slower build then some other writers, but if you stick with me and get to the point where I start tipping the dominoes… It’s a total page-turning, adrenaline ride! This book in particular I put the pedal to the metal… And the second book is coming… Karma is a Beast is an even more unhinged, rollercoaster ride. Buckle up! As for the ending (and it does cliffhang, be warned!) I usually have a good concept of the ending, but there was a twist or two that caught me off guard and surprised me in the drafting of the story.
Flashbacks and a layered storyline added so much depth. How did you approach structuring the narrative to weave the past and present together so seamlessly?
When my editor and I were talking about how to break the story from short fiction into not just one novel but two, I had the idea that it would be interesting to go back in time and see both perspectives about how they met and fell in love. And that sort of forensic analysis of the relationship would reinforce everything happening in the “present” of the story. And add a lot of complexity because it really is about Morgan and Noah. I also thought it would be an interesting explanation of how a “smart, accomplished woman” could end up in a toxic relationship by warning you about how toxic he is (hello, he cheated on Morgan) and then making the reader fall in love with Noah anyway. That said, I’m not gonna lie that the story is like a house of cards and was really complex to outline and plot out. I did do an extensive outline. And the second book was almost more of a challenge. It picks up RIGHT where Namaste and Slay drops off… literally!
Characters and Relationships
Morgan’s survival skills and hidden past play a huge role in the story. How did you develop her backstory, and what was most important to you about her growth?
When it was just a short story, I took some meetings about developing this for film and television, and when I was thinking about that, I had the idea that it would be more interesting if Morgan had survival skills and a morally Grey backstory, rather than just being a damsel in distress. I like the idea of her almost being more of a “Rival” to Noah and not just an innocent victim. That thing has challenge some readers, but I think the story is far more interesting for it.
Morgan’s best friends are ‘overly supportive’ but also deeply flawed and relatable. Can you share a bit about how you built these friendships and what they represent in Morgan’s journey?
In my experience, female friendship is super complicated, especially in groups. I also watch a lot of reality TV like the Real Housewives. I’m fascinated by besties, microaggressions, frenemies, imposter syndrome… I think it’s easier to write just good supportive friends, but I wanted to have a more realistic approach to what I believe female friendship often looks like, even when well intentioned. We can discuss how a lot of it is a product and patriarchy and toxic culture, but complicated characters are also a lot more interesting to write, and therefore also to read.
I wanted more of Noah’s point of view! I’m sure it was a conscious choice to keep his perspective limited. Might we see more of him in Karma is a Beast?
I had a feeling that was going to happen with the book! And also especially the audiobook because Anthony Palmini is just so fabulous. I can’t believe we got him! I mean, he’s Rhysand from ACOTAR and he narrates Quicksilver. It was important that Noah be dark and seductive, but I think too much of him would have overwhelmed the moral center of the book. There’s a lot of dark romance that crosses boundaries, but for me, I keep a strong moral center even when delving into the darkness. I think because of some of the themes of this book in particular, it was important that we leave Noah in the past. Of course, not a spoiler, but he will show up more in Karma is a Beast. And you will get more of his perspective—and learn more about his family and backstory as well. That’s my long-winded way of saying… more Noah is coming in Book 2!
Themes and Writing Style
There’s an undercurrent of dark humor that makes the tension even sharper. Was this intentional, and how do you strike that balance between humor and suspense?
Yes, it was very intentional! It’s actually prevalent in the short story as well. It’s a pretty unique combination of elements because it has this romcom aspect, but then also this dark satire, but then we have thriller and dark romance. It’s been interesting to watch other writers like Brynne Weaver really catch on who absolutely write dark romance romcom. It’s also my personal sense of humor, which my comedian buddy Jay Davis once called—“You’re funny. But dark. Funny and dark!”—when he was trying to encourage me to do stand-up comedy in Los Angeles.
The book explores themes of trust, betrayal, and self-discovery. What message or feeling do you hope readers take away from Morgan’s story?
Ultimately, validation for surviving toxic relationships, even when you’re in the messy stage. We all make mistakes and choose the wrong partners, but trust your gut even when it’s hard.
Looking Forward
The cliffhanger ending has me desperate for the next book! Can you tease anything about what’s next for Morgan and the world of Namaste and Slay?
Karma is a Beast is done! And it’s a beast of a book, to say the least. I’m really proud of how it came out, and I think it has a lot of good twists and surprises. It picks up right where the first book leaves off in the aftermath of the break up in the “before” timeline—and then right after the cliffhanger in the “after” timeline. Where the first book simmers a bit in the first chunk, the second book is high-octane dark survival thriller from page one.
If you could host your own ‘Namaste Center’ retreat for readers, what would it look like—minus the sinister force, of course?
I think it would be fun to go back to the Banff Centre and host it there! It could be a combination writing workshop and wellness retreat. Or out here in Joshua Tree where I’m living right now. There’s a lot of great spots, including the Retreat Center.
Finally, what’s the most surprising reaction you’ve gotten from a reader so far?
Well, the book invokes strong reactions—and readers identify with different aspects. I’m just thrilled it’s gotten as positive of a response so far (considering how unhinged it is). I’m so curious to see what everyone thinks of Karma is a Beast!
Quick Fire
Three words to describe Namaste and Slay?
Sexy. Unhinged. Rollercoaster.
Your favorite thriller trope (besides wellness retreats gone wrong)?
Unreliable (or morally gray) narrator. Like Morgan ;-)
What’s on your nightstand right now?
The Intruder by Frieda McFadden. Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier (I loved Jar of Hearts). Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber. And finishing Play Nice by Rachel Harrison!
Thank you, Jennifer! Our readers can’t wait to see what you’ll slay next.
You ROCK! Thanks so much!! Can’t wait to see what you think of book 2. Karma is coming…
The End
Jennifer Brody, thank you for taking the time to let me pick your brain about the deliciously vicious choices you made in Namaste and Slay. I’m still not over the ending, I’m still mad at Noah on Morgan’s behalf, and I’m already counting the days until Karma is a Beast rips my heart out all over again.
I love that Morgan is a “rival,” and can’t wait to see what she and Noah do next, downright giddy about it. Between Anthony Palmini's voice and your ability to write Morgan with such conflicted longing to take Noah back, my demented self is hoping for a reconciliation. Even after that cliffhanger, but after she kicks lots of butt…of course.
To everyone reading this: if you’ve ever trusted the wrong person, stayed too long, or just love your dark romance and thrillers served with a side of emotional damage, grab this book immediately. You’ll finish it at 3 am, stare at the ceiling after scenes you’ll never unsee, and immediately start watching for book two news. You’ve been warned.
Jennifer, you wonderful menace; thank you for the trauma. Can’t wait for Karma is a Beast.
Until then, trust your gut and watch the tree line.
“Namaste, bitches!”
Buy and Connect
Order your copy of Namaste and Slay from our indie bookshop!
Follow Jennifer Brody on Instagram @jenniferbrodywriter
Author Website: https://www.jenniferbrody.com/
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