Ask the Author: Jessica P. Morgan
Answered Questions (7)
Jessica P. Morgan
Blood flows into her left eye from the gash on her forehead before her cellphone slips from her hand. A flash of light from her dwindling campfire shimmers across the head of the ax on his tool belt as he grabs her ankles and drags her further into the brush.
Jessica P. Morgan
I find that I have problems when I sit in front of the computer screen too long. If I am close to social media, I shutdown or get distracted. I reward myself with new pens, notebooks, or trips to the used bookstore. I find that a change of scenery or type of writing help the most. I gather my notes, print my work, or grab a stack of blank paper and then I go to a different location to write longhand. I find that I can go to the patio, the mall food court, or a tourist location and I am free of the weight the keyboard seems to press upon me. I can connect with my thoughts and feelings (regardless of what comes out) and pages start filling with works again. Make it feel like a reward or an escape from your everyday existence.
Jessica P. Morgan
I enjoy the continuous way new projects encourage me to explore and reach out to people in different fields for information and guidance. I come up with storylines that seem plausible to me and then I set out on a scavenger hunt to track down the clues. I solve a set of mysteries before I finish my research. I try to ground my fiction in plausibility built from situations that have or could arise. I have been in contact with knowledgeable people who have taken time out of their busy schedules to help me find the answers I need to create my stories. I am humbled by their kindness.
Jessica P. Morgan
Use the resources available to you. Libraries, used bookstores, workshops, and college classes can help you on your way. Travel and explore as often as you can, and always be stubborn in the presence of self-doubt. If you love what you are doing, don't let anyone rob you of that joy.
Jessica P. Morgan
I am currently working on my next mystery novel "In the Hands of Innocents."
Jessica P. Morgan
Writing has always been an important part of my life. I started with short stories and poetry in elementary school. In high school, I ventured into song writing. I started writing my first novel in high school (I made it 65 pages and could go no farther) I entered it in a short story contest and won an editor's choice award. I relied heavily on journal writing during my divorce and started writing my novel (Take Me Home) from that point. I talked myself in and out of finishing it for 9 years.
After returning to college for a second degree, I realized that I missed the massive amounts of writing more than anything in my student career (but not the subject matter). I then decided I needed to make time to write. I read every day. I keep notes on current projects, idea notebooks, and I set aside time to write, but never force myself to do so.
It is more like an itch or a nervous twitch that sends me into action. I pace the hallway between my office and bedroom, like an animal kept too long in a cage. Then I sit for hours and let my fingers run unchecked along the keys. I believe in varying my artistic output. I paint, craft, make jewelry, and write throughout the year. I see it as a release instead of a requirement.
After returning to college for a second degree, I realized that I missed the massive amounts of writing more than anything in my student career (but not the subject matter). I then decided I needed to make time to write. I read every day. I keep notes on current projects, idea notebooks, and I set aside time to write, but never force myself to do so.
It is more like an itch or a nervous twitch that sends me into action. I pace the hallway between my office and bedroom, like an animal kept too long in a cage. Then I sit for hours and let my fingers run unchecked along the keys. I believe in varying my artistic output. I paint, craft, make jewelry, and write throughout the year. I see it as a release instead of a requirement.
Jessica P. Morgan
The most recent book came from a short story I wrote for a mystery contest in Arizona. In an age when cellphones and video record some of the worst moments in human existence, I wanted a setting that could still be removed from the modern world, and a revelation that would permanently change how you view the character.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more