J.K. Winn’s unique professional background inspires Out of the Shadow, winner of the 2026 Global Book Awards.
SAN DIEGO, CA – After years spent working as a psychotherapist, teaching college students, working with the Indian Health Service, conducting evaluations for the New Mexico courts, and working on a hospital dialysis unit, J.K. Winn decided to reinvent herself in mid-life and pursue something she had always loved: telling stories.
That decision has led to an eight-novel career—and now to the Overall Winner of the 2026 Global Book Awards for her psychological thriller Out of the Shadow.
For Winn, writing psychological suspense is a natural extension of her professional life. Her years as a psychotherapist gave her an intimate understanding of human behavior, trauma, relationships, and the often-hidden motivations that shape people’s actions. Those experiences now inform her fiction, where psychological complexity is at the heart of her storytelling.
A Career Change in Mid-Life
Winn did not take the conventional path to becoming a novelist.
After establishing a career in psychotherapy and working in a variety of professional settings, she made the decision to pursue her passion for writing. What began as a mid-life reinvention has developed into a prolific literary career spanning novels, theater, and poetry.
“While writing has been a second career for me,” says Winn, “it’s filled my life with more joy than I could have ever anticipated. I had always dreamed of being able to create worlds with words, and relish the chance of doing it now when I no longer have to work long hours and raise a child. What could be more fulfilling than sharing my life experiences and… sometimes… hard-earned lessons with others.”
She is now the author of eight published novels. Her work also includes a novel published by Boroughs Press, a play produced by the Actor’s Alliance Festival in San Diego, poetry anthologized in For the Love of Writing by the San Diego Writer’s Workshop, and her play Gotcha!, which was selected for a reading at the Village Arts Theater in Carlsbad, California.
Winn has also achieved Gold Medal recognition for both River of Desire and Out of the Shadow.
Turning Psychological Insight Into Suspense
In Out of the Shadow, Winn combines her understanding of psychology with a fast-moving mystery in which the protagonist must confront both an external threat and the uncertainty of her own memories.
The novel follows Becca Rosen, a survivor of rape and the murder of her husband, who is desperately trying to rebuild her life. When she becomes the target of a relentless stalker, however, she realizes that simply moving on may not be possible.
With the police unable to identify the person following her, Becca turns to a psychologist and begins hypnotherapy, hoping that memories buried in her past may provide the answer—and reveal the stalker’s identity before he strikes again.
The result is a psychological thriller built around trauma, memory, fear, and the search for truth, with twists designed to keep readers questioning what—and whom—they can trust.
The novel is particularly suited to readers who enjoy gripping psychological suspense, complex female characters, and mysteries filled with secrets, twists, and unexpected revelations.
Readers Respond to Winn’s Storytelling
Out of the Shadow has attracted hundreds of reader reviews on Amazon, with readers praising its suspense, pacing, plotting, and psychological depth.
Among the five-star reviews are:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “One of the Best Psychological, Mystery Novels I Have Ever Read!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A spine-tingling, action-packed, suspense-filled novel.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Exceptional…. Meticulously plotted, beautifully paced.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I couldn’t put it down, a great read.”
The recognition from the Global Book Awards adds another milestone to Winn’s growing list of literary achievements.
A Continuing Story
Out of the Shadow is the first novel in The Shadow Series, followed by Night of the Shadow. Both books are currently available.
A continuing character connects the two novels: Sarah Abrams, the psychologist who serves as therapist to the principal characters in each story. Her presence provides a psychological thread linking the novels while allowing each book to tell its own suspenseful story.
For Winn, the journey from psychotherapy to fiction has opened the door to stories that explore what happens beneath the surface of people’s lives.
“I’m proud of the recognition Out of the Shadow has received,” says Winn. “But I’m even more excited about the stories I still have to tell.”
ABOUT J.K. WINN
J.K. Winn is an award-winning author of eight published novels whose professional background as a psychotherapist informs her interest in human behavior and psychological complexity.
Her creative work extends beyond novels to theater and poetry. Her published work includes a novel with Boroughs Press, a play produced by the Actor’s Alliance Festival in San Diego, poetry anthologized in For the Love of Writing by the San Diego Writer’s Workshop, and Gotcha!, a play selected for a reading at the Village Arts Theater in Carlsbad, California.
Winn divides her time between San Diego County, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
BOOK DETAILS
Title: Out of the Shadow
Author: J.K. Winn
Series: The Shadow Series, Book One
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Psychological Suspense
Award: Overall Winner – Global Book Awards 2026
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MEDIA CONTACT
For interviews, media inquiries, review copies, or additional information:
Email: support@globalbookawards.com
Website: www.globalbookawards.com
