L.J. Provost is the pen name of American author Laura Jo Brunson. She writes mystery fiction drawing on her career in journalism. She is best known for her debut novel, Thistle Nook Secrets (2026).
Brunson built her early career as a journalist. She worked as a reporter and lifestyle editor for a weekly newspaper. The paper was owned by The New York Times. She later worked as a copyeditor for The Florida Times-Union.
Brunson then became managing editor of the Jacksonville Business Journal. She later moved into public relations work. She developed campaigns and messaging for a range of clients. Her work earned her the Silver Anvil Award for reputation management.
Brunson served for ten years as a FEMA Reservist. She worked as a research and writing specialist during deployments. This role required translating complex information into clear communication. The experience later shaped the backdrop of her fiction.
Under her legal name, Brunson co-authored Legendary Locals of Jacksonville. Arcadia Publishing released the local history book. She continues to work as a freelance writer and editor. She serves as book review editor for The Pen Woman magazine.
Brunson also sits on the editing cadre for Pen Women Press. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside. She writes mystery fiction under the pen name L.J. Provost.
In 2026, Provost published Thistle Nook Secrets through Vendela Publishing. The novel launches a new mystery series. It is described as a disaster murder mystery. Murders unfold against the backdrop of her protagonist's FEMA deployments.
The novel draws directly on Brunson's own disaster-response experience. It blends procedural mystery with firsthand emergency management detail. The book was named to the M&M 2026 Long List for cozy and not-so-cozy mysteries.
Brunson built her early career as a journalist. She worked as a reporter and lifestyle editor for a weekly newspaper. The paper was owned by The New York Times. She later worked as a copyeditor for The Florida Times-Union.
Brunson then became managing editor of the Jacksonville Business Journal. She later moved into public relations work. She developed campaigns and messaging for a range of clients. Her work earned her the Silver Anvil Award for reputation management.
Brunson served for ten years as a FEMA Reservist. She worked as a research and writing specialist during deployments. This role required translating complex information into clear communication. The experience later shaped the backdrop of her fiction.
Under her legal name, Brunson co-authored Legendary Locals of Jacksonville. Arcadia Publishing released the local history book. She continues to work as a freelance writer and editor. She serves as book review editor for The Pen Woman magazine.
Brunson also sits on the editing cadre for Pen Women Press. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside. She writes mystery fiction under the pen name L.J. Provost.
In 2026, Provost published Thistle Nook Secrets through Vendela Publishing. The novel launches a new mystery series. It is described as a disaster murder mystery. Murders unfold against the backdrop of her protagonist's FEMA deployments.
The novel draws directly on Brunson's own disaster-response experience. It blends procedural mystery with firsthand emergency management detail. The book was named to the M&M 2026 Long List for cozy and not-so-cozy mysteries.
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