Jess Wright
Author Interview - Jess Wright
Author of Dance in a Madhouse
Philadelphia, 1905
A month ago Owen Townsend was a medical intern and primed for success. Now he is locked in an asylum where the public is invited to gawk at the patients as they dance. His fall was sudden: typhoid fever, delirium, an act of violence. Is Owen sane—a victim of a toxin that has cleared his system? Or is he as psychotic as his doctor claims?
Owen soon learns that there are people who want him incarcerated forever or dead. There are fires. Attacks that defy logic. Terror instead of treatment. To survive, he must navigate the labyrinth of the madhouse and convince Brumbaugh, a shrewd police inspector, to join his cause. Celeste, an enigmatic young opera singer who transfixes him after he saves her from suicide, might have the clues he needs. But Owen needs to decipher riddles from her tortured past to find a way toward freedom.
Set at the dawn of modern psychiatric treatment, Dance in a Madhouse, is a thrilling testament to courage and resilience. Can Owen and Celeste’s determination overcome the odds against them? Are redemption and healing possible? The dances will tell.
Author Interview - Jess Wright
Author I draw inspiration from:
Daniel Mason - Northwoods
Author Interview - Jess Wright | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
In my well-worn leather chair or on the beach
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Jules Maigret in any of the wonderful French detective novels written by Georges Simenon
Author Interview - Jess Wright | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
There was no single moment. I wrote scientific articles and then textbooks and self-help books as part of my work as a professor of psychiatry. Then a glimmer began to form in my mind about writing the kinds of novels that I enjoy.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I'm a hardback or paperback fan. I even read the New York Times in print edition. I like the feel of the book in my hands.
The last book I read:
Whistler by Ann Patchett. It is a heartfelt book that digs deep into human relationships in a simple, yet profound way.
Author Interview - Jess Wright | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I use a laptop so I can write most anywhere I am. I have quiet and very comfortable office in my home where I can concentrate on writing. But I also write in airplanes, hotels, and the house my family rents at the beach. I'm a stickler for routine and find that I'm more productive if I have a defined schedule for writing.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
The same character that I chose to be stuck with in an elevator. Inspector Maigret is amiable, wise, and food-loving fellow who enjoys his cases and his delicious French repasts. I'm sure we would have many tales to share with one another.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I'm very content with my dual work as a psychiatrist and author. If I weren't either of these, I might like to try my hand at being a chef.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
Now. I have mostly jettisoned suits and ties--my usual dress before the workplace became more casual.
Place I’d most like to travel:
England to visit gardens again. I'm an avid gardener with a large garden of perennials and shrubs. I've been to England many times, but it remains on the top of my list.
My signature drink:
A well-aged cabernet savignon
Favorite artist:
Claude Monet
Number one on my bucket list:
Have a novel on the New York Times best-seller list
Find more from the author:
Website: jesswrightmd.com
Facebook: @jesswrightauthor
Instagram: jesswrightmd
X: @Jesswrightmd
About Jess Wright:
Jess Wright
Jess Wright is an internationally recognized psychiatrist whose debut novel, A Stream to Follow, is an award-winning account of a battlefield surgeon’s recovery from the psychological trauma of warfare. His second novel, Dance in a Madhouse, to be published in September, 2026 is a historical thriller that takes readers to the dawn of modern psychiatry.
A professor of psychiatry at the University of Louisville and leading expert in cognitive-behavior therapy, he is the first author of a trilogy of critically acclaimed medical books that help readers learn the key methods of this effective treatment. His research on therapy for depression has received multiple grant awards from the National Institutes of Health, and his self-help books have assisted many thousands in their paths toward wellness. He has lectured widely in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States.
Jess is an avid gardener, choral singer, and fly-fisherman who lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
