First let's get to know a little bit about what makes you, you..
Where are you from?
A small town outside of Chicago. I now live in Southern California, but I
always think of myself as a kid from the Midwest.
Is your name a pen name? If so what inspired you to pick that name?
No, James Morris is all me.
3 facts about yourself?
I like to hike. And while I love living in the city, living with too many people in too small a space is not ideal for bringing out the best in people. So I have a yearning for a plot of land with a garden and some chickens where all I hear are birds or coyotes.
What are some of your favorite things in general? (Food, shows, movies, anything you want to share with us)
I love paddle-boarding, exploring and taking road trips through California, and hanging out with my wife. I like all kinds of music, but Peter Gabriel will always be a favorite. And who doesn’t love Game of Thrones?
Now let's talk about you as an author...
When did you start writing and what was the first thing you ever wrote?
I began writing in grade school. I think my first story was about a superhero named Cockroach Man. I was never great at sports, but I knew I could tell a good yarn. And people thought the story was funny.
What inspired you to start writing?
I’m not sure if it’s inspiration or more a compulsion. It’s definitely not a safe path to follow; as a career, writing has some peaks, but a lot of valleys. But I love it, so I keep doing it!
What is your writing process? Do you make a timeline first? Or just write what comes to your mind? Do you do a lot of research?
I get an idea first; more of a “what if.” And if that idea continues to stick around, then I start exploring it more. And that’s where most of my work goes. To me, it’s like pulling taffy; I pull at the idea, making sure that I’m writing something that works, and hopefully something that is as unique as I can make it. That includes a rough outline – not detailed enough to ruin the journey of writing and discovering surprises along the way, but enough to know where I’m going. Research is part of that too. I find though that if I’m researching too much, it means I’m procrastinating, and something about the idea isn’t working. Writing a book is such a long endeavor that I need to know that I can keep going back to the story and still be excited by it. So while I may have several ideas to work on, many fall to the wayside because they don’t have the “legs.”
What are some of your favorite authors/favorite reads?
There are too many to count! And sometimes an author you love in one phase of your life doesn’t have the same impact later. I will say that Ray Bradbury was always a favorite; to me, he made words magic.
What do you have planned for the future? Any other book or series ideas?
I’m wrapping up an adult thriller. Beyond that I’m noodling with a few others. I probably shoot myself in the foot by not having a clear “brand.” I pretty much write the stories that engage me at the time.
I just read Screams You Hear and from the moment it starts it completely drags you in, I absolutely loved it.
Thanks so much! You never know how a reader will react to any book, but it’s always better to read good reactions rather than not!
Where did you get the idea for Screams You Hear?
I’m not sure where ideas come from. As for Screams, I’d never seen the “reason” why the events happen on the island before, and I thought that was interesting. When I write, there is of course, always a plot that carries the story, but what keeps me going is more of a theme that I’m exploring, and in this, it was the chasm between parents and kids.
I can't think of anything more terrifying than what happens on this island. What would be the most terrifying thing you can think of happening?
On a day-to-day basis, I can easily come up with scenarios – an earthquake in SoCal, for example, and being separated from my family, but I try to keep those thoughts to a minimum!
What has been your favorite book to write so far?
I can’t really name one. They are all my favorites at the time that I’m writing them – they have to be, otherwise I wouldn’t have the stamina and interest to keep going. I realize that even if I have a favorite over time, readers may have their own opinions. I agree very much with John Greene’s assertion that a book – and whatever reactions it creates -- belong to a reader, not the author.
Do you have any favorite characters?
Akin to the previous question, they kind of all are like my children. I like them for different reasons.
Do you think Screams You Hear would make a good movie?
I come from a screenwriting background, so I try to infuse my books with a sense of movement and visualization. I’m biased, but yes, I do think it would make a good movie!
James Morris is a television writer who now works in digital media. He is the author of the young
adult thriller What Lies Within, the dystopian love story Melophobia, the young adult suspense Feel
Me Fall, and the young adult horror Screams You Hear. When not writing, you can find him scoping out the latest sushi spot, watching House Hunters Renovation, or trying new recipes in the kitchen.
He lives with his wife and dog in Los Angeles.
Websitehttps://twitter.com/JMorrisWriter
https://www.facebook.com/jamesmorriswriter/
https://www.amazon.com/James-Morris/e/B00XRTJ138/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1499311931&sr=8-1
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