
Multi-award-winning author Valerie J. Brooks writes femmes-noir psychological thrillers where the women are badass and take center stage.
A lifelong writer and reader, she reads everything from Daphne du Maurier to the latest Scandinavian crime writers. Her English war-bride mom and artistic army officer dad raised her with two siblings in ultra-conservative New Hampshire during the 1950-60s. Growing up in puritanical New England, she was drawn to the gothic, to secrets, mystery, and the dark side of human nature. As her English mum once said, “You’re a good girl who wants to be bad.” Now she has the perfect conduit for her “bad girl” side—writing noir.
Valerie found her noir voice for fiction after studying film noir in college. She received an Elizabeth George Foundation grant and was the recipient of five writing residencies. She teaches classes and workshops in writing noir and creating plot twists, plus reviews mystery, suspense, and thriller novels, podcasts, and streaming shows on her blog and for “Mystery and Suspense Magazine.”
She’s a member of Sisters in Crime (Columbia River Chapter), Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Oregon Writers Colony (past board member), Willamette Writers (co-founder WW Speakers Series), and the Professional Women’s Network of Oregon (board member).
Valerie lives in the McKenzie River Valley in Oregon with her husband, Dan, and their Havanese, Stevie Nicks.
SIDEKICKS
Valerie joined New York Times’s bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf and her pooch, Lolo, for a fun interview about Valerie’s sidekick-in-writing pooch, Stevie Nicks.
Learn more about Valerie

INTERVIEW
With Johnnie Mazzocco on Writing: Obstacles and Success

PODCAST
EugCast Episode 5 with host JoJo Jensen: Noir, writing, and publishing

LIVE EVENT
Lane Community Writers Series: Reading and Addressing Noir

INTERVIEW
Designer Ana Grigoriu-Voici discusses noir, the trilogy, and writing
REVIEW
Reviewer Wendy Kendall recommends Tainted Times 2
plan a visit with valerie
Let’s plan a visit at your writing luncheon, your book club, or weekend retreat.
I have classes on writing noir, and I run professional workshops. Or create your own event that I can attend. I’m available via FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom.
Get in touch directly through the contact page!