Have you ever read a book or watched a movie and thought, “How did this happen?” Some stories are a real gamble because they push against the main stream. As a result, cautious business types in the industry tend not to chance unique ideas. That’s what’s so great about the self-publishing industry. You don’t have to be given the “okay” in order to share your uncommon ideas. Author James Morley III is proof of that with his novel, Sweetness Followed. Check out my interview with James Morley below!
About the author
James Morley III is the award-winning screenwriter of the film Black Days and the soon to be released thriller The Death of Me. While his physical make-up is 99% common elements his non-physical make-up attempts to be rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics. He resides on a piece of the continent formally known as Pangea. Sweetness Followed is his debut novel.
Name/Pen Name: James Morley III
Links (links open in new tab):
Book Title: Sweetness Followed
Book Trailers (links open in new tab):
Genre: Dark Satirical Metaphor
Links to buy:
Or if you must…Amazon
Book summary
Set in the early 1980’s when America was beginning its journey to its current nihilistic state, Sweetness Followed charts a turbulent year in the life of eleven-year-old Erin Cook in upstate New York. A coming of age tale that is unflinching in its portrayal of unguided adolescence and family strife; it heads down an ominous path when Erin is unwittingly chosen for the highest spiritual calling. In the spirit of Catcher in the Rye, it is a cautionary morality fable for a confused generation.
Review excerpts
“What appears to be a light character driven novel is in fact a clever stratagem for a significantly more serious and enduring work. While many of his characters present as simplistic and self-focused, Morley uses them collectively as a tapestry to inveigh against the solipsistic nature of man (and woman). In so doing, he uses their lack of moral grounding to set the stage for the novel’s ultimate payoff.”
“For me to continue reading any work of fiction the author must make the characters real. Morley achieves this brilliantly with his first novel. I look forward to reading more from this clever author in the future.”
“This is a philosophy wrapped in a story that uses characters to propel it. This will never be in Oprah’s book club, not because it is not worthy, but because it is too deep. Not deep in the way pseudo-academic literature pretends to be; the book is quite clear and quite obvious. But it will hit you in your soul.”
Talking Shop
What is the central theme or message of your story? What do you want readers to take away from it?
Ideally, they will call upon their classical literature insight from secondary education and recall The Bacchae by Euripedes – as a society gains more wealth, power, influence, technology it tends to decrease morally. Humans need a moral guide, otherwise everyone will become their own gods. My story has this philosophical thread wrapped up in an aggressive small-town narrative.
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
I received the following review from a reader whom I do not know and it was a deeply satisfying moment. Someone understood my thesis without me having to explain it to them! It reads as follows: “If you like John Irving, you will likely appreciate Sweetness Followed. Both authors write vividly of their characters and appeal fluidly to forces beyond those characters’ natural existences. Unlike certain of Irving’s works, however, SF is not characterized by occasionally interminable prose: SF pays homage to the reader’s valuable time. It builds thoughtfully and efficiently, albeit mysteriously, to its end. Finally, unlike Irving, Sweetness Followed is generally much darker and weightier, but the reward for finishing it is that much greater.”
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
This was an eleven-year process from the moment I wrote word one in 2007, until the day it was published in 2018. Which is utterly absurd and not the proper way to write. Yet, as any human can attest, life often intervenes and creativity, like confidence, can ebb and flow. There were periods of years where I forgot about the manuscript altogether and others where I would get a surge of inspiration. Ultimately, when I had reached a point where I needed a career reset, I dusted it off and committed myself to completing it. Initially as a bucket-list kind of thing, but then it evolved into a work that I’m genuinely proud of.
How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have any formal training, or is it something you learned as you went?
I think many writers don’t label themselves as such until the moment they get paid for doing so. Now whether that’s right or wrong, I can’t say, but it certainly was the case for me.
I started writing as a leisure activity probably around 18 or 19, but it wasn’t until I actually received a check for my first paid writing assignment at 25 that I thought “I am a writer”. It was a straight to video B-level action movie and I remember staring at the check in my car for a good 15 minutes.
I never took a writing class and some people after reading my work will think, “well, that’s fairly obvious.” Writing is like any other muscle, and if you don’t use it, you lose it. Adhering to the keyboard on a daily basis is important, but continually listening and reading even more so. One isn’t going to be terribly insightful about the human condition if one only exists in their own bubble. Absorb as large a swath of life as you can. Not to plagiarize it, but to analyze and make your own conclusions.
Are your books for sale at any book stores? Have you tried any other methods of selling hard copies in person versus online?
It was. A few indie stores where gracious enough to take a chance on me. I did publish through IngramSpark so any place can order it. Because my book does not fit into a neat little category, it’s a very challenging placement. I get that. It’s certainly more along the lines of Catcher in the Rye, than a fantasy or young adult series.
What were your expectations for writing and publishing your first book? Have they changed since then?
One of the secrets to happiness is to have zero expectations and that was certainly the case here. Because it’s a tough book and does not reside in an easily categorized genre, young adult, romance, etc., I was not delusional on its ability to generate mass sales or cross-cultural appeal. The only way a book like this could survive was through word of mouth.
“What If” Scenarios
If your book ever becomes a movie, and you get final say over the cast, which actors would you hire to play your characters?
My book is too dark to become a movie. There’s not a studio or director in existence that would have the courage to take on this project. Not that it’s violent, but it has an edge to it that the current climate would avoid.
You’re offered a contract to rewrite your book in another genre. Which genre do you choose and why?
It wouldn’t take much to rework my story into a horror novel. I’ve had the most success in screenwriting in the horror genre, so it would be an easy transition for me to push and pull in different scenarios to up the creep factor.
You’re given $10,000 to spend on marketing for your book. How do you spend it?
I’m not sure how much a billboard in Times Square is going for, but I love the artwork that was created for the book, and it would be fun to see it in a huge format.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
I have the outline and the first few chapters of my next book. I would use the financial security and time to finish that. It would be a welcome task as I learned a lot from my mistakes on the first one.
Would you rather own your own book store or your own publishing house, and what would you sell or publish?
In this day and age a publishing house would allow more freedom to support up and coming authors. A book store sounds romantic, but the current generation is too addicted to screens to support that endeavor.
Just For Fun
What legacy do you want to leave behind?
I never trusted the zeitgeist and I never quit.
One year of your life you’d like to do over.
Do the 90’s count as a year?
One bucket list item you’ve completed and one that’s still on your list.
Write and publish a novel and go scuba diving in Israel. I’ve done the first.
A movie or piece of music that changed your life.
Thomas Newman’s score to The Shawshank Redemption is a work of art. The man is a genius and understands human emotion better than most psychiatrists.
Your most unrealistic dream job.
Travel agent for a great scientist.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of Sweetness Followed here, and help support local bookstores. This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
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Thanks for the giveaway! I’m always looking for new books to read!
Thanks for reading! Good luck!
Great interview! We love the question about the best compliment he’s received.
Very true. I think all authors want their work to be understood, especially with material so deep.
Awesome post and interview! The book sounds quite interesting; it’s nice to see more books with morals coming out. Thanks for the contest, too… I entered, and I’m really looking forward to seeing if I win. I’m a reviewer, so I would be happy to leave a review of the book after reading it. 🙂
Daisy
Awesome. Reviews are as valuable as gold to authors. Good luck!
I absolutely love the questions you’ve asked, especially the What Ifs and Just For Fun ones. I may or may not be taking notes for my next interview haha. xD
Thanks! Feel free! I’m planning to mix in some new questions for future interviews.
This would be a great addition to my Little Free Library! Great post and it sounds like a fab book!