Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ellen Birkett Morris. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ellen Birkett, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I was in the car on a road trip with my husband in 2014, when we heard a story about children with past life memories on National Public Radio. The story focused on a research program at the University of Virginia and the work of neuroscientists who explored the strange phenomena of children with past life memories. They attempted to verify the children’s claims by checking them against news reports. One example was a young boy who claimed to be a World War II fighter pilot killed at Iwo Jima, and correctly named the plane, a friend who was killed, and the circumstances around the death.

I am by nature a short story writer, but the idea of children with past life memories grabbed me and would not let go. The dramatic potential of the story captivated me. I would spend the next eight years crafting Beware the Tall Grass, a novel that takes a straight ahead look at the dilemma of a mother who wants to build the perfect childhood for her young son, whose consciousness is shadowed by memories of life as a soldier in Vietnam. As the novel progressed, I added a second POV character, a soldier serving in Vietnam.

I knew the idea was unique, and I thought that if it captivated me it would hold the interest of other people. My job was to find the best way to tell it. A big part of that was giving myself the time I needed to let the story grow in my mind, and to figure out the puzzle that was the structure of the book. Once I got those pieces in place, I knew I had what I needed to create a compelling book.

It became a story of advocacy, courage and love. When I found the Donald L. Jordan Prize with its mission of “manuscripts that engage a reader with upholding human values, such as trust, generosity, love, gratitude, or responsibility,” I knew I had found the right place for Beware the Tall Grass,

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into writing through a love of reading and a father who wrote two detective novels, The Last Private Eye and The Queen’s Mare. I got an undergraduate degree in English and a Master’s in Communication and went on to serve as adjunct faculty, and work as a freelance writer and media consultant. I got serious as a writer in my thirties, and started writing poetry and short stories before taking on the novel.

In 2012, I enrolled in the low residency program at Queens University-Charlotte. I learned a lot there working with writers including Susan Perabo, Nathaniel Rich and David Payne. The program offered encouragement and helped me connect to other writers.

Maybe it is my work as a poet, but my prose is known for its economy and use of detail. I take on challenging subjects in my work. My poetry chapbooks, Surrender and Abide, are about aging and loss. My short story collection Lost Girls is about the experience of women and girls, and was born out of the #MeToo movement. Beware the Tall Grass is a story of love and courage that explores memories and past lives. My goal is to write with the economy of Hemingway and the empathy of Elizabeth Strout.

My success as a writer is a function of being open, building my skills and persistence. I refused to quit working. I have been lucky along the way to gain the endorsement of some fine writers. Jenny Offill called Lost Girls, “A dazzling collection of stories that showcases Morris’ impressive ability to hide devastating truths within seemingly small moments..” Lan Samantha Chang, who judged the Jordan Prize said this about Beware the Tall Grass, “In this beautiful novel, two stories separated by half a century intertwine to create an indelible narrative of peace and war. In the throes of his first loss, young Thomas joins the Army and travels to Vietnam, where he is propelled toward his fate. Decades later, in another time and place, Eve and Daniel welcome their infant son and resolve to set aside their own family ghosts. But is it possible to release the past? Can powerful experiences of love and death ever be forgotten? Through surprising and suspenseful turns, Beware the Tall Grass explores the evocative mysteries of time and memory.”

The compliment I relish the most is when a reader tells me that my work has made them cry.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I love the chance to create new worlds that channel what I have seen, heard or read about. I love finding just the right word or image to represent lived experience on the page. The act of creation is gratifying on its own, but I also find that it allows me to work through challenging emotions and experiences that I have in real life. My mother was dying of lung cancer as I was writing this book, and the battle metaphor is so clearly present in the lives of my main characters, Eve who is fighting to understand her son’s disturbing memories and Thomas, who is fighting for his life in Vietnam.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In the process of sending the book out, I got a literary agent. I was elated. He sent the book out to editors and I waited to hear back. I didn’t hear a thing for months. He sent me their replies after much prodding. Months went by and I began to wonder what, if anything, the agent was doing on my behalf. I discovered that the agent took the words from my query letter, put those exact words in his pitch letter to publishers. He didn’t refine it. He didn’t make it any better. He also didn’t give me any suggestions for improvement with the book. No edits at all. He sent it out to a lot of people, and rarely got back to me about the progress or status. So clearly, he was not doing his job. He was forced to resign from a professional organization. When I learned that, I ceased our relationship. He was with a large, well-regarded agency. It was such a disappointment, but I continued on with my journey and began submitting the book to small presses on my own behalf.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ellenbirkettmorris.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenbirkettmorris/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellenbirkettmorriswriter/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenbirkettmorris/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/birkett_morris

Image Credits
Book cover design by Peter Andrew Selgin