An interview with James Morris

James Morris
What Lies Within ~ 2015




James,

Thank you for taking your time for me ~


Who are your influences? 
 I was introduced to books at a young age, but the two authors that made the biggest impression on me were Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. Ray was the first author where words came to life. And Stephen King is a master storyteller. Nowadays, I read voraciously in nearly all genres. 

When did you begin writing?  
I wrote lots of bad short stories as young as elementary school. And even more bad stories in high school. After college, I moved out to Los Angeles and worked as a TV writer after toiling in lots of bad jobs. I love teleplays and the use of sound and juxtaposition, but there’s nothing more pure and direct than the relationship between a reader and a writer. 

How do you come up with your stories, characters, character names, POV, etc?  
I’m generally an idea person rather than a character person. I mull over a ‘what if’ scenario. One of the hardest things, at least for me, is finding the right POV. Is it first person or 3rd? I want to make sure I’m telling the story from the best possible angle. 

Do you work from an outline? 
Yes! I would love to be one of those writers who attack the page with nothing else but a character on a mission and finding the story along the way. With my screenwriting background, I focus on the acts and arc of the story. I do outline, but not too detailed – just enough to know that I’m traveling, for example, from Los Angeles to Denver, and then from Denver to Chicago, and from Chicago to New York. I don’t know exactly how I’ll end up in those places, but knowing where I’m going is critical.

Tell me about your favorite scene in your novel(s). 
It’s hard to have a favorite scene, because each scene should move the story forward and serve a purpose. That’s a cop-out answer, but true. The best scenes, I guess, are where the main character is moving from his or her comfort zone and into new territory.

Can you tell us a little about your writing philosophy? 
Don’t write if you can help it! Believe me, this is not a career choice. It’s more a career calling. If there was ever anything else that I was passionate about, I would’ve done it – and gladly. It can be a world of hurt and rejection. Really, the only thing that makes it worthwhile is the act of putting words on a page. You hope the pages find readers, but you never know.

Have you ever tried writing in any other genres? 
Yes. I usually write thrillers, but I’ve written other genres, too. Nothing out there yet, but hopefully. A good story is a good story.

Do you have any interesting writing-related anecdotes to share? 
n/a 

Do you listen to music as you write? 
I do, but I can’t listen to anyone singing lyrics, as my brain tries to figure out what they’re saying; I can only listen to unadorned music – sometimes electronic, other times symphonic or jazz.


On the behalf of my reader's, I thank you Jim for taking your time with us.


Thanks for taking the time to review and check out my book! There are a lot of other distractions and entertainment avenues to explore, so the fact that someone is taking their hard-earned down time to check out “What Lies Within” is really gratifying. I hope to earn the reader’s trust!



  ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒



Connect with James






I am a creative professional with over ten years of experience in digital, business and creative writing, providing cross-media content solutions.  As a former television writer with produced credits including “Smallville” and “Crossing Jordan,” I worked with a team of writers pitching, crafting and following ideas from concept to script to final episode.  This necessitated the ability to deliver within tight deadlines, on budget, while integrating notes from various stakeholders.  I love brainstorming ideas for seemingly intractable problems.

I have since entered the digital world and worked with companies such as NBC.com and the health care industry copywriting, blogging and editing. 

I have also taught screenwriting at UCLA Extension, which focused on the art of short films, where through lectures, assignments and screenings, I guided students towards the completion of a short script. 

I continue to learn about the ever-evolving world of social and content marketing, and my goal is to take my love of storytelling and help corporations tell their own stories, as well as continuing to write my own.

To check out a list of my professional writing credits, check out my IMDb.com page.

✒ ✒ ✒
Reviews for

~  James Morris  ~

 What Lies Within

Melophobia

Feel Me Fall

 ✒

An interview with James Morris

  ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒

 From James Morris:



 Abraham Lincoln Must Die

President Lincoln was a national hero – or so we believe. But the truth is more disturbing. When a visitor from a distant planet arrives during the height of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln enlists him to save the Union. But at what cost?
In Initiation, a young boy on the cusp of puberty realizes he is changing in more ways than one.
And in Crash, a woman finds an unexpected ally at work with deadly consequences.
Abraham Lincoln Must Die & Two Other Tales invites you see the world in totally unexpected and terrifying ways.

  • Amazon ~ Kindle Price  $0.99 USD
 ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒

No comments:

Post a Comment