What inspired you to start writing, and when? I was inspired to write at a very young age,
four or five. I grew up on fairy tales, tall tales, and fables. All of those
were full of fantastical beings. I couldn’t get enough of those stories. They
instilled in me a love of creating worlds and situations within me that has yet
to wane. I think the seeds of wanting to write fantasy fiction were planted at
that time, but the moment that I knew I just had to be a writer was in the fourth grade. We had to create nine
to ten page “books,” bound by yarn and construction paper, and read them to the
other fourth grade class. I loved the feeling of reading to other people, and
having other people peruse my work. From that moment on, I was bitten by the
bug.
What is your preferred genre? Paranormal, Fantasy, New Adult…..anything that
brings about the need to suspend my disbelief.
How many books have you written? If more
than one, are any a series…or trilogy? The 11th Percent is Book 1 of what will eventually be a seven book series.
Tell us a little about your book: The 11th Percent is a paranormal story that takes place in North Carolina. It
follows the adventures of everyman Jonah Rowe, who is a bored, unfulfilled, and
listless accountant who has literary aspirations. He simply wants his life to
mean something. He is about to get his wish in a very rude fashion; he
discovers that he is at the epicenter of an ongoing ethereal conflict.
I would like to say that The Eleventh Percent is a new kind
of ghost story. I don’t employ the usage of some of the old tried and true
formulas that we’ve seen in ghost stories in the past….all a part of putting my
own original edge on a story that’s dear to my heart. I truly think people will
love it!
Do you have plans for a new book? I sure do! I’m currently at work on Book 2 of The
11th Percent Series, entitled Item & Time.
Is there an Author that you would really like
to meet? Undoubtedly! Beverly
Cleary, Lynn Reid Banks, Tamora Pierce, Sharon Shinn, JK Rowling, Meg Cabot,
James Patterson, Elizabeth Wyke, Nat Russo, Alan J. Garner, Matthew Arkin….and
of course, Patti Roberts!
Was there an Author that inspired your writing?
Oh sure! Even though I do not recall the author’s
names, the fairy tales of my youth shaped my imagination. Beyond that, let’s
see……Beverly Clearly was a huge inspiration for expounding family dynamics.
Tamora Pierce was all about flouting limits and antiquated notions. Stephen
King has always been an inspiration to write what you want, regardless of
other’s opinions.
Do you plot or write by the seat of your pants?
I don’t really care for outlines; they always
seem to chafe me. What I like to do is use bullet points. I make a bullet point
for each thing I want to see, each thing I want to remember. The main idea of
the bullet is then turned into a full chapter. And sometimes, the chapter will
go into a completely different direction, and I just go along for the ride. So,
I suppose I would say largely by the seat of my pants.
Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? For the longest time, I was heavily into
paperbacks and hardcover. I adore the smell of a new book and the turning of
pages. But then, I came across indie authors some years back and was unable to
access their stories unless I had access to ebooks. That got me into that
avenue. Nowadays, I love all three.
Where do you prefer to buy your books? Don’t have a preference, to be honest. I will
go with whoever will have them!
Are you a self- published (Indie) Author? I will be on Halloween 2014!!
What books would you like to read again? The Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn
(particularly Dark Moon Defender, which is Book 3), anything by Rick Riordan,
The Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce, and the Pendragon series by
DJ Machale.
Is there a particular movie that you preferred
over the book version? Most
movies don’t do the books justice, my opinion.
What book are you currently reading and in what
format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)? I am currently reading Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn in a
hardcover format.
Who designed the cover of your book? The superbly talented Patti Roberts!
Do you find yourself intrigued by the cover of
a book enough to buy it? Oh,
most definitely!
Do you have any advice for other writers
starting out? Always
remember why you love writing. Know it, have it in your heart, and keep it
close. It will help you when people try to discourage you by remarking on how
“tough” the business is. It will reassure when you come across people that
aren’t fond of your work (and you won’t please everyone. It’s simply not going
to happen). Never, never lose the excitement that you have for creating. And
lastly, just write. Write all the time. Write, and keep writing, until your
story is finished. And when you have written all you possibly can, write some
more.
Do you write under a pen name? Yes. TH Morris. The “TH” are the initials of my
first and last name, Terrick Heckstall. The Morris piece of it is to honor my
late grandmother, whose passing, in several ways, served as the catalyst for
The 11th Percent series.
Do you ever write in your PJ’s? PJ’s, athletic shorts…..you name it!
What are your pet peeves? Unfounded
accusations, bullying, stupid people, and individuals who make decisions based
on partial information.
You are trapped on a tropical island - who
would you like to be stranded with? My wife!
Pick one - Wine, Chocolate or shoes? Chocolate!
Cats or dogs? Cats! And you will be seeing them in The 11th
Percent Series!
Tell us about someone or something that just
made your day – I’m a
substitute teacher by day. Last semester, I was doing lunch duty with the first
grade children, and paid a compliment to a boy who had just shown me a crayon
depiction of WWE wrestler Daniel Bryan. He made it for me because he knew I was
a fan. He was so happy when I praised the drawing that he said “You know what,
Mr. H? I want you to work here for real, not be a sub.” Made my day AND my
week.
What is your favorite food and beverage? Favorite food is my wife baked spaghetti with
turkey burger in it. Favorite beverage is any mixture of tea and lemonade.
How many hours per day do you try to devote to
research and writing? 5-6
What are 3 things you never leave home without
(apart from keys, money and phone)? Glasses, hematite necklace, and wedding ring.
Sleep in or get up early? I’m a morning person, so I’ll say get up early.
I try to wake up every day like I did it on purpose.
Laptop or desktop for writing? Laptop!
Your favorite gadget? My game console, the PS3!
Where and when do you prefer to do your
writing? As soon as I get up
out of bed and have worked out, and right before bed at night. In the daytime,
I actually like writing in the car! At night, I write on the floor next to the
bed.
One of your favorite quotes – “We are all sculptors chipping away at the
marble until we’ve reached the masterpiece.” Eddie Murphy
List 3 of your favorite movies? Kung Fu Panda, Hot Fuzz, Casino Royale
What is a movie or TV show that you watched
just recently and really enjoyed? House of Cards
Is your book in Print, ebook or both? When it is released, it will be both.
Where can your readers stalk you? On
Twitter (@terrick_j),
facebook
(facebook.com/authorthmorris - https://www.facebook.com/authorthmorris, and my website www.thmorris.weebly.com
Please support indie authors and share this blog post on facebook and twitter. Patti Roberts
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