Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Patrick Morgan
Book Titles: Apparent Horizon
Released: 10/6/2020
Genre: Thriller/psychological suspense
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Apparent Horizon”?
Morgan: The initial inspiration for this book came from contemplating how people would like to react to trauma versus how they often actually react. I think most everyone on the planet would like to think that they’d do the right thing in extremely unpleasant, unfathomable situations—such as hitting another human being with your car—but I also wonder just how much that fight-or-flight response kicks in for all of us under intense pressure. From there, the book really expounded on that theme of “what would you do in a world without consequences?"
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Morgan: To be honest, most of the names just came to me seemingly out of thin air; or at least the first names. The last names all are names I’ve encountered in my personal life that somehow stuck with me and felt like they belonged with the first names in this particular story.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process, or your book?
Morgan: I think it’s important for readers in general to remember that with fiction, the book itself does not define the author as a person. By that, I mean that just because a book is exploring certain themes or asking certain questions, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the author condones the actions or thoughts of their characters. This book is certainly dark, but that doesn’t mean that I’m dark as a person. An example that comes to mind is George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones). Most people have now seen how dark that story can get, and it’s certainly filled with revolting characters who do terrible things, but it’s still just a work of fiction cooked up by the author’s imagination. I think that’s always important to remember.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Morgan: Whether it’s writing or anything else in life, when I get “stuck,” I need to move to get out of it—and I mean physically move. Sometimes that’s a long walk, sometimes it’s a run, sometimes it’s a drive… but whatever it is, I need to put myself in motion to get the blood flowing in my body and in my brain.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Morgan: It’s a cliche, but if you’re not constantly writing as much as you can, you should be constantly reading as much as you can. I know just as well as anyone how difficult it is to balance writing with working, especially while you’re still trying to turn a profit at this profession. But unless you’re consistently practicing your craft and producing content, it’s going to be extremely difficult to succeed.
If "Apparent Horizon" were adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Morgan: I’d like to see Dane DeHaan as Michael, Oscar Isaac as Drew, Domhnall Gleeson as Aaron, and Rashida Jones as Jeanette.
What is your favorite book, genre, and/or author?
Morgan: I’m partial to thrillers, particularly psychological thrillers. It’s hard to nail down my favorite book and/or author, but I’d definitely recommend the latest book I read to anyone out there who loves a good psychological thriller: I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid.
What are you working on next?
Morgan: I just released my second novel, Realms, in March of this year. My third book, Viaticum, is due out in July. Both books either are or will be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (as well as many other online retailers).
Learn More About the Author and Apparent Horizon Here:
https://www.instagram.com/patrickmorganauthor/
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