Urban Lit ULM Magazine | Page 20

ELLIE MORRIS CONT... all ideas as possible out- comes. Usually I hate changing things, but this time it was for the best. Also, keep a diary, notebook or even an art journal full of all the ideas that pop into your head. Writing things down is always a good idea, as every little thought counts and could contribute to a really interesting future story. As I mentioned above, an art journal or a sketch book is also an excellent idea, even if you have no skills in drawing. I was once stuck on a certain chapter and didn’t know how to set about typing the beginning, when I sat down to draw a picture of how Aika would look, her expression and how she would hold herself, as well as what she was wearing and where other characters were located in relation to her. This helped me put pen to paper and describe what was going on. Or if you can’t draw, perhaps even pasting down words from newspapers or scribbling colors to set the mood could generate some ideas. Mind- mapping is also a great idea for beginning. ULM: What are your future plans for novels, if any, that you can share with us readers? EM: Mansions of Glass is currently in the works, the second novel that takes place from where When the Summer Ends trails off. At the same time, I’m also working on and editing two other books – Carrie’s Valentine, a novel about Carrie’s life written in collaboration with a good friend, and Roses for Margaret, a story about life in an all-girls school and coming to terms with illness and sexuality. Most of my future novels will deal with themes of mental health and LGBT romance, as these are themes that interest me the most. ULM: Where can readers connect with you and find your work online? EM: My main, o ffi cial website is elliemorrisbooks.com. Tumblr http:// elliemorrisbooks.tumblr.com/ Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/ elliemorrisbooks/ ------ Book Links: https:// www.amazon.co.uk/When- Summer-Ends-Ellie-Morris/dp/ 1326640720/ref=sr_1_2?