THIS WEEK WE'RE THRILLED TO FEATURE BESTSELLING WRITING DUO M S MORRIS!M S Morris is the pseudonym for the writing partnership of Margarita and Steve Morris. They both studied at Oxford University, where they first met in 1990. Together they write psychological thrillers and crime novels. They are married and live in Oxfordshire.
Margarita studied Modern Languages at Jesus College, Oxford. She then worked in IT before joining her husband in their internet business. She writes historical fiction at margaritamorris.com.
Steve studied Physics at University College, Oxford. He worked in the nuclear industry before becoming a dot com entrepreneur. He writes sci-fi and thrillers at stevemorrisbooks.com.
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Q&A WITH M S MORRIS
How do you find writing as a couple? What poses the most challenges?We love writing as a couple. We both have books that we’ve written individually, as Margarita Morris and Steve Morris, so we know how hard it can be to write a book on your own. That’s why we appreciate the support that comes from a collaboration. The first step in our joint process is the planning stage. When you’re writing a book together, you really need to have a plan! We have daily meetings where we sit down and plan the whole book from start to finish, writing up a scene-by-scene outline as we go. This usually takes about four weeks. All the suspects, clues, red herrings, twists and reveals are mapped out, as well as the personal stories of the main characters. Then Margarita spends 6–8 weeks writing the first draft, after which Steve takes over and writes the second draft, fleshing things out. It helps that Margarita is good at beginnings and Steve is strong on endings! Once the book is finished, we both go through it at least once more, polishing the prose and making it as good as it can be. As indie authors, of course, there are lots of other jobs besides the writing. Steve designs the book covers and runs ads. Margarita manages the website, the mailing list, proofs the audiobooks and manages the publishing process. We’re both active on our author Facebook page. We rarely disagree on plot points or characters, and any differences of opinion are soon sorted out by talking the matter through, usually at the dinner table!
What do readers like most about your books?Well, from what they tell us, they seem to really like the characters and the settings. Our Bridget Hart series is set in Oxford, and as alumni of Oxford University ourselves we’ve really tried to make the most of the university setting, featuring colleges, faculties and the Bodleian library. But as Bridget muses in Killing By Numbers, Oxford isn’t all ‘punting and poetry’. The traffic is a nightmare, there are hordes of tourists, and homelessness is a real issue. The North Yorkshire coastal setting for our Tom Raven series is very different, but Scarborough is very historic and scenic. When it comes to characters, we try to create flawed but relatable individuals. Both Bridget Hart and Tom Raven are utterly dedicated to their jobs, but this comes at a price for their personal lives and relationships. A strong theme that runs through our books is family. Dysfunctional or otherwise, it’s always hugely important.
Which writers would you say influence and inspire you the most?We both read widely, and not just crime fiction. Different writers influence and inspire us in different ways. When it comes to crime fiction, we both enjoy Anthony Horowitz for the brilliance of his plotting and the quality of his writing. We love Belinda Bauer for her dark humour. Margarita enjoys Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves, whilst Steve likes Harlan Coben and J.D. Kirk. Margarita is a great fan of Charles Dickens for his characters and his intricate plotting. Amongst contemporary authors her favourites are Sarah Waters, Kate Atkinson and Robert Harris. Steve reads quite a lot of fantasy, particular favourites being George R.R. Martin and Joe Abercrombie, but also thrillers, sci-fi and horror. Everything you read influences you in some way, even if you’re not consciously aware of it.
Your second series, featuring DCI Tom Raven, is set in Yorkshire. Do you have a particular connection to the region?Yes, Margarita is from Harrogate in North Yorkshire and we’ve enjoyed many family holidays in Scarborough when the children were growing up. We chose Scarborough as the base for our North Yorkshire detective because the town has so much character and charm. Layers of history are constantly present, from the castle on the headland to the Victorian hotels and spa and eventhe twentieth-century amusem*nt arcades.
The books also venture beyond Scarborough into the stunning North York Moors and the medieval city of York. We’re planning to head up the coast to Whitby for one of our future books.
Who would be your ideal choice to play Bridget Hart in a TV/Film adaptation and why?Ooh, tricky question. Bridget is approaching forty, short and slightly overweight. She drives a red Mini convertible and is partial to pasta, pinot noir and chocolate cake. We can’t think of anyone off the top of our heads, but if anyone has any ideas, let us know. Or better still, tell Netflix!
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?It must be stumbling into Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford, where we bought all our books as students, and finding our own books filling up almost a full shelf. Fame, at last!
How can our readers reach you?Readers can find us at our website http://www.msmorrisbooks.com/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/msmorrisbooks
Or just search for M S Morris on Amazon!
Najma Haji
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