BURNING THE RAVEN TREE
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
In a northern Michigan town shadowed by an ancient oak hung with shoes, locals whisper that Colwyn Cueny is a child killer and forest witch cursed by the past. But when disgraced Chicago attorney Marcus Lenarsic comes to board with her, he discovers a broken survivor—not a monster—buried beneath a decade of fear and rumor. To survive the reckoning coming, Marcus must untangle truth from the dangerous old myths before the past claims another victim.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Northern Michigan is a natural place for lonely, wide open spaces hiding old secrets…plus that’s where I first saw one of the creepy shoe trees that the story centers on.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Absolutely. Colwyn befriended a raven…and I have a bizarre fascination with the wolf bird.
What are three words that describe your hero?
loyal, gentle, smart
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I’m a total research nut, so I learned a ton of things about the mental health institutions in the mid-20th century (they were super broken), as well as how badly their dismantling was handled. But I also had fun researching Polish and Ukrainian myths, ravens, and the science of tree communication. Did you know that trees use pheromones to talk to one another?
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I go a little bit, but then I overhaul the manuscript after I’m done.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
It’s totally cliché, but I love chocolate in pretty much any form.
Describe your writing space/office!
Ha ha! I have a huge table in my unfinished basement. It’s a total disaster. But I have 3 HUGE bookshelves that make up for the lack of décor.
Who is an author you admire?
I love Ariel Lawhon’s work. I’ve been reading her for years (well before THE FROZEN RIVER). Not only does she write incredible and unique books, but she has an amazing work ethic and is just a genuine person.
Is there a book that changed your life?
There are a ton of books that changed how I think about the world. I think that’s the amazing thing about story. When we listen to someone’s story, we step into their shoes and experience the world in a way we couldn’t otherwise. I think it’s hard to read a well-told story and not change.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I’m a hybrid published author—so I’ve been published by traditional publishers, and I also have indie books too. For me, I decided to publish BURNING THE RAVEN TREE on my own because I had an early reader BEG me to publish it. She had friends she’d already told about the book. So I knew there was a hard-core audience of folks who like creepy, deep books about hard topics, but also stayed clean. But I knew they hadn’t found their book in places normal publishers go. So I actually turned down a traditional publisher and decided to bring the Raven Tree straight to readers.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
All of them! I’m a hugely eclectic reader, and I’m led entirely by my mood. So I read fantasy, suspense, historical, contemporary, romance, mystery, everything…depending on what I feel like or my book club is reading at the moment.
What’s your favorite movie?
I’ve been watching Inception on repeat with my son over the last few weeks. It’s fascinating, and we see something different every time we watch it. But I also love the old Disney movies…probably has something to do with my childhood. But I could watch Robin Hood or Bedknobs and Broomsticks any time.
What is your favorite season?
Probably fall…even though that means 6 months of winter is coming.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
A small gathering of friends and family. My birthday is in January, otherwise I’d love to take a boat ride on Lake Michigan.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I love Leif Enger’s I Cheerfully Refuse. It’s a super quirky dystopian type of book that takes place mostly on a boat in Lake Superior. But it’s mostly about humanity and finding ourselves.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Thai. Hands down. I make it at home all the time.
What do you do when you have free time?
Is there such a thing as free time?! Seriously though, I love to be outside—walking, gardening, swimming, etc.
What can readers expect from you next?
I have another myth-infused historical suspense coming in a few months. It takes place in Detroit in the 1960s, and it twines together the Greek myth of Persephone with a story about the mob influence (and Jimmy Hoffa).
Threads of the Lost Myth
A 1960s Gothic Historical Thriller in the Tradition of Rebecca
A survivor accused of a decade‑old grisly murder.
A disgraced lawyer with everything to prove.
And long before anyone whispered "witch," the Raven Tree was already watching.
In the forests of northern Michigan, an ancient oak stands heavy with grief, its twisted limbs hung with shoes like gravestones. For generations the townspeople have shied away from the Raven Tree—and the witch who still walks beneath its branches.
Colwyn Cueny survived the unthinkable as a child. She learned to live with the rumors—to endure being the woman some call child murderer, madwoman, or witch. But when the past refuses to stay buried, surviving may no longer be enough.
When embattled Chicago attorney Marcus Lenarsic arrives, he has one last chance to reclaim his career. Still Marcus refuses to believe his landlady is the monster the town has already condemned. But defending Colwyn means risking more than his reputation. It means battling the secrets buried beneath a decade of fear where every neighbor has already decided Colwyn's guilt.
The deeper Marcus digs, the more he realizes evil isn't hidden in the woods. It's buried under the stories people choose to believe. In a world shifting under the weight of 1960s justice reform, Marcus must untangle truth from legend before the woman he's come to love becomes the next ghost in the trees.
Blending folklore, psychological suspense, and historical mystery, Burning the Raven Tree is perfect for fans of Kate Morton, William Kent Krueger, and the haunting atmosphere of the classic film Rebecca.
Thriller Historical | Suspense Gothic [ Ember and Vine Press, On Sale: September 15, 2026, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9798999731340 / ]
Janyre Tromp is an award-winning, best-selling historical suspense novelist who writes fiery myth-laced tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty...even when it isn't pretty. Her books include Darkness Calls the Tiger and Shadows in the Mind's Eye. But she's also a mom, award-winning editor, and wrangler of all things-including her fantastic teens and crazy fur babies.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2026