Novelist

Rory McFarlan

Stories about faith, family, and the courage to be seen.

Novels about people raised inside faith and family expectations, and what it costs them to finally tell the truth about their own lives.

Explore the books Meet Rory
Cover of Nephi's Courage: Story of a Bad Mormon Cover of Trials of Patience

The books

Two novels. One long road home.

Each book stands on its own. Both follow someone who was taught to stay quiet, and the slow, stubborn work of finally being whole.

Cover of Trials of Patience

Newest novel

Trials of Patience

Her mind locked the worst of it away. Healing means opening the door.

Patience Kelly grew up loved, in a devout Christian family in small-town Indiana, carrying a secret she didn't know she was keeping. College was supposed to be her fresh start. Instead came a controlling boyfriend, an assault, and a pastor who blamed her for it.

A story about trauma and survival, faith lost and found in unexpected places, and what it means to be truly seen and loved.

  • Paperback
  • Kindle
  • Audiobook
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Cover of Nephi's Courage: Story of a Bad Mormon

Award-winning debut

Nephi's Courage

Story of a Bad Mormon

He loves God. He keeps the commandments. And he's gay.

Nephi Willard has done everything a faithful Latter-day Saint is supposed to do in Utah's Happy Valley. He served a mission. He held his callings. Then he tells his bishop the truth, and the life he built starts to come apart.

When he meets someone who shows him a future he never let himself imagine, Nephi has to decide whether he can keep his faith and still choose love.

  • Pinnacle Award winner
  • IBA finalist
  • Paperback
  • Kindle
  • Audiobook
About the book Buy on Amazon

A worthy tale of faith, friendship, being true to one's self, and the miracle of falling in love.

IndieReader, on Nephi's Courage

What these stories are about

The threads that run through both books

Faith

The questions, the wrestling, and the strange places it turns up again after you thought it was gone.

Identity

Who you are when the life you were handed stops fitting, and the people who love you anyway.

Healing

Messy, slow, and real. Never a straight line, and never something anyone does alone.

About the author

Hi, I'm Rory.

I write about people who were taught to hide parts of themselves, and what happens when they stop.

I was born and raised in Utah and grew up in the Mormon church. Later I spent years in Seattle, hiking every trail I could find. For a long time I carried stories around in my head. Eventually I started writing them down.

My characters wrestle with faith, family, sexuality, and trauma, and they don't always get tidy answers. What they get is a chance to be seen as they really are. I think everyone deserves that.

I'm an independent author, which means there's no publishing house behind these books. Just me, a few brave early readers, and you. Thank you for being here.

Rory

Say hello

I'd love to hear from you

Questions, book club invitations, or a note about what one of these characters meant to you. I read every message.

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