Black and white photo of a woman with glasses and short hair smiling, with the text 'Hey Margot' in colorful letters at the bottom.

Margot McGovern is an award-winning YA/Horror author with a creative writing PhD from Flinders University.

Her love letter to ‘90s slashers, This Stays Between Us, won the inaugural John Marsden Prize for Writing for Young Adults in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and was a shortlisted book in the CBCA and ABIA Awards. It was also a finalist in the Aurealis Awards, the ITW Thriller Awards and the Australasian Shadows Awards, and her debut novel, Neverland, was shortlisted for the Text Prize and the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature.

Her Gothic Horror novel, Our Dark Unravelling, will be published in Australia and the US in September 2026.

Margot’s Books

  • Book cover for 'Our Dark Unraveling' by Margot McGovern, featuring illustrations of women’s faces and a house surrounded by trees and a pink and purple explosion effect.
  • A dark, textured background with red and green plant-like illustrations and red paint splatters. Overlaid text in white and red says "This stays between us" and "Margot McGovern."
  • Cover of a book titled 'Nerverland' by Margot McGovern featuring a nautical theme with illustrations of mermaids, a lighthouse, a ship, a skull, marine creatures, and various sea-related objects set against a dark blue background with white line art and yellow text.

Margot’s Services

  • Master the mechanics of tension, dread, and suspense with specialised horror writing mentoring from Margot McGovern. Whether you are world-building a dark dark fantasy, pacing a '90s-style slasher, or atmospheric crafting a Gothic horror novel, these one-on-one author mentorship sessions will help you refine your narrative voice, build psychological stakes, and structure an airtight, terrifying manuscript.

  • In this informal virtual catch-up session, you’ll have one hour to ask an Margot anything you want to know.

Not sure if this is the perfect fit? Explore our full range of author mentoring and manuscript assessment services or visit our FAQ page to view pricing structures.

Book with Margot