Mark Morris
Mark Morris is a British author born on June 15, 1963, in Bolsolver, Derbyshire, England. He has established himself as a notable writer in the horror and supernatural genres, with a diverse body of work that includes novels, short stories, and contributions to anthologies. Growing up in various locations, including Hong Kong, Morris developed a passion for horror and science fiction, which greatly influenced his writing. He began his literary career after graduating from Trinity and All Saints College in 1984, initially struggling to find work before using a government scheme to support his writing endeavors.
Morris's early novels, such as *Toady* and *Stitch*, explore themes of the supernatural intertwined with human nature. His book *The Immaculate* further solidified his reputation, delving into the complexities of childhood fears and adult realities. He has also written several tie-in novels for the *Doctor Who* series, showcasing his versatility as a writer. Over the years, his works have continued to examine dark themes, with recent publications like *The Society of Blood* and *That Which Stands Outside* further expanding his literary reach. Morris has also been involved in editing anthologies, including award-winning essays on horror films, reflecting his passion for the genre in multiple forms.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Mark Morris
Writer
- Born: June 15, 1963
- Place of Birth: Bolsolver, Derbyshire, England
Biography
Mark Morris was born on June 15, 1963, in the mining town of Bolsolver, Derbyshire, England, the son of chemist Jack Morris and Eileen Patricia King Morris. He grew up in several towns in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong. As a child, he become an avid reader of horror, ghost, and science-fiction stories and a dedicated viewer of such television programs as Dr. Who, Thriller, Star Trek, The Avengers, and The Twilight Zone.
After graduation from high school, Morris enrolled at Trinity and All Saints College, where he received a BA in 1984. Emerging from college into a tough work market, he spent four years on unemployment before receiving financial benefits under the now-defunct Enterprise Allowance Scheme, a British government program that helped the jobless set up businesses. Morris used his allowance to write full-time. He began contributing short stories, articles, and reviews to a wide variety of publications and his fiction was included in many anthologies, such as Dark Voices 3 (1991), Blue Motel: Narrow Houses Volume 3 (1994), and Dark Terror (1995). He also wrote regular book review columns in Million and Beyond.
In 1989, Morris published his first novel, Toady, later revised as The Horror Club. The book told the story of a group of small-town British boys who conjure a havoc-wreaking monster during a séance. In 1991, he published his second novel, the well-received Stitch. This dark story concerns a quiet, unassuming college student who takes control of a secret, sexually oriented cult inhabited by a supernatural entity; the personalities of cult members radically change as they explore the thresholds of pleasure and pain.
The Immaculate (1992) solidified Morris’s reputation as a versatile writer and a horror author to be reckoned with. It tells the unsettling story of best-selling author Jack Stone, who returns to his hometown after his abusive, alcoholic father’s death and re-encounters the fears of his childhood in both real and imaginary form. The Secret of Anatomy (1992) features middle-aged David Fox, who finds a message in a bottle washed up on a beach; the message is a note written in 1953 from a boy who claims his father is going to murder him.
After releasing a collection of short fiction, Close to the Bone (1995), Morris has published a succession of novels that examine the supernatural and paranormal in relation to the dark side of human nature. Mr. Bad Face (1996), nominated for the British Fantasy Society’s Best Novel Award, relates the tale of four individuals, who as children supposedly burned the neighborhood bogeyman to death and years later must confront the possibility that Mr. Bad Face has returned with a vengeance. Longbarrow (1997) is the tale of an inherited house inhabited by evil spirits. Nowhere Near an Angel (2005, with Stephen Gallagher) features Rob Swann, a former convict and punk and a recovered drug addict, who as a middle-aged man meets Suzi, who is not what she seems.
Morris has contributed several entries to the Dr. Who series of tie-in novels, including The Bodysnatchers (1997), Deep Blue (1999), Forever Autumn (2008), Ghosts of India (2008), Tales of Trenzalore (2014), and Wild Blue Yonder (2023). Under the name J. M. Morris, he has published the novels The Lonely Places (2002) and Fiddleback (2003). Under his own name, Morris has published several other works in the 2000s and 2010s. These include the short story collection Long Shadows, Nightmare Light (2011), and the novels The Deluge (2007), The Black (2014, with Emily Hare), The Wolves of London (2014), and The Society of Blood (2015). The latter two novels are part of the Obsidian Heart Trilogy, which follows Alex Locke, an ex-convict, through London’s underworld and beyond. In 2024, Morris published That Which Stands Outside, a tale about a remote Norse village that may be home to mysterious supernatural forces. In addition, Morris has also edited three anthologies of horror movie essays, including Cinema Macabre, which won the 2007 British Fantasy Award.
Bibliography
"Blog Tour Review – That Which Stands Outside by Mark Morris." Dark Reads, 26 July 2024, darkreads.blog/2024/07/26/blog-tour-review-that-which-stands-outside-by-mark-morris/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.
Brooke, Keith. “The Spectral Book of Horror Stories Edited by Mark Morris Review—A Chilling Selection.” Guardian, 29 Nov. 2014, www.theguardian.com/books/2014/nov/29/spectral-book-of-horror-stories-edited-by-mark-morris-review-chilling-selection. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.
Morris, Mark. “Exclusive Interview: Author Mark Morris on His Latest Novel ‘The Wolves of London: The Obsidian Heart’ and More.” ScienceFiction.com, 10 Oct. 2014, sciencefiction.com/2014/10/10/exclusive-author-interview-mark-morris-latest-novel-wolves-london-obsidian-heart/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.
Morris, Mark. “Interview: Mark Morris.” By Lisa Morton. Nightmare, June 2014, www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/interview-mark-morris/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.
"Mark Morris." Mark Morris, www.markmorrisfiction.com/new-page-67. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.