Author Insight: Kevin Morris
Kevin Morris shares the background to his short story, The Castle.
Where did the inspiration for this story come from?
It came to me as I was going through therapy for some childhood trauma. I had a mental block and couldn’t access early thoughts and feelings, often getting close but not quite making the final connection. I came up with this idea as a reason why I couldn’t make a breakthrough, hoping maybe I would trigger something. I felt if I gave my character, the Child, a voice, it would act as a different form of therapy.
How did the story develop once you started writing? Did you have a plan or just let things unfold?
I had a very specific idea of how I wanted this story to unfold and develop, which is counter to my normal writing style. Once I got the bones down, I spent a lot of time filling in the blanks. It took a while, but with some great help from my writing friends, I found the voice I wanted for the Child and his companions.
What made you want to explore this theme from this angle?
As mentioned before, I was trying to sneak into my brain using allegory or metaphor or whatever literary tool I could get my hands on. I felt like I was trying to pick a lock.
What do you hope the reader will take from this story?
I hope it resonates with people that have suffered trauma in some form early in life. It took me a long time to learn how to be kind to myself, and that things happening early in life were beyond my control. I left the story not resolved, but with hope. If you keep working, there’s always hope.
As a writer of multiple genres, is there one you enjoy writing more and if so what attracts you to it?
I claim to be a science fiction writer but tend to write about people in history, contemporary times, some type of paranormal background, and many veins in between. Really, it comes down to characters. I love my characters, so much so they tend to make cameos throughout my writing. Once I find a strong character, the story tends to tell itself.