MOORE, James A.

(J. Morrison)

PERSONAL: Born in Atlanta, GA; married; wife's name, Bonnie.

ADDRESSES: Home—Near Atlanta, GA. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Dorchester Publishing Company, Inc., 200 Madison Ave., Suite 2000, New York, NY 10016.

CAREER: Author and creator of role-playing games.

MEMBER: Horror Writers Association (former secretary and vice president).

WRITINGS:

(With Ron Spencer) Get of Genris Tribebook: Of Axe and Claw (sourcebook for Werewolf: The Apocalypse), White Wolf Publishers (Stone Mountain, GA), 1995.

(With Kevin Andrew Murphy) House of Secrets (part of "World of Darkness" series), White Wolf Publishers (Stone Mountain, GA), 1995.

(With others) Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy (part of "Vampire: The Masquerade" series), White Wolf Games Studio (Stone Mountain, GA), 1999.

Under the Overtree (horror novel), Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2000.

Fireworks (horror novel), Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Serenity Falls, Meisha Merlin Publishing (Decatur, GA), 2003.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds, Simon Spotlight Entertainment (New York, NY), 2003.

Possession, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Newbies, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Also author of Hell-Storm for the "World of Darkness" series, HarperPrism; has written under the pseudonym J. Morrison for White Wolf. Contributor of written content for various role-playing games, including Chaos Factor, Vampire Players' Guide, second edition, Changeling Players' Guide, Dark Kingdom of Jade Adventures, Wraith: The Oblivion, second edition, Haunts, Necropolis Atlanta, and Wraith Players' Guide. Contributor to other series books, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayer. Contributor to anthologies Love Bites, 1995, and Bending the Landscape: Fantasy, 1997. Also author of numerous short stories and several comic-book scripts.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Harvest Moon; editing The Bedlam Reports: Memoirs from Padded Cells.

SIDELIGHTS: James A. Moore writes primarily horror novels and short stories, but he has also provided supplements for role-playing games, created role playing games, and written the occasional comic book script. His Under the Overtree takes the traditional theme of acquiring power at puberty that is the focus of so many horror novels and gives it a twist. The novel tells the story of teenager Mark Howell, who has just moved to Summitville, Colorado, with his family. He is less than socially graceful and soon attracts the attention of local troublemakers. This soon leads to his desire for revenge, a goal he seeks with the assistance of the newly awakened Fae, a spirit who uses Mark as a means for its own revenge. Adam Lipkin, in an online review for Rambles.net, observed that "although the various twists and turns are always enjoyable, what makes Moore's novel really shine is his ability to create intriguing and original characters." He went on to remark that "the essence of a great horror novel is making sure that the characters encountering unbelievable situations are themselves believable, and Moore accomplishes this with craftsman's precision." A contributor to Publishers Weekly called the book a "creepy novel recalling vintage Stephen King."

With Fireworks Moore turns to extraterrestrial beings. The story revolves around the town of Collier, Georgia, and what happens when a UFO crashes into the local lake in the middle of the annual Fourth of July fireworks display. The crash itself causes many deaths, and is swiftly followed by the appearance of a special government agency that has been tracking the spaceship's progress. The town is quarantined, with citizens and tourists alike finding themselves being held prisoner. Moore uses three points of view to give the reader varied details of the situation. In a review for Feo Amante's Story Time Web site, Garrett Peck remarked that Moore "certainly does raise plenty of topical concerns, ranging from conspiracy theories about black ops to race and class relations, gun rights, and the true meaning of patriotism." Peck concluded that "if you want an involving and intelligent novel about serious sociological, political, and interpersonal issues . . . you couldn't do much better." Booklist critic Roland Green wrote that "regional color, memorable character sketches, horror, and literate paranoia mix together in Moore's disturbing, absorbing novel."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, April 15, 2001, Roland Green, review of Fireworks, p. 1543.

Library Journal, May 15, 2001, Jackie Cassada, review of Fireworks, p. 167.

Publishers Weekly, February 28, 2000, review of Under the Overtree, p. 68; April 30, 2001, review of Fireworks, p. 62.

ONLINE

Dorchester Publishing Web site,http://www.dorchesterpub.com/ (November 12, 2004), "James A. Moore."

DragonCon Web site,http://www.dragoncon.org/ (November 12, 2004), "James A. Moore."

Fantastic Fiction Web site,http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ (November 12, 2004), "James A. Moore."

Feo Amante's Story Time,http://www.feoamante.com/ (November 12, 2004), Garrett Peck, "James A. Moore."

Rambles.net,http://www.rambles.net/ (November 12, 2004), Adam Lipkin, "James A. Moore."

White Wolf Web site,http://www.white-wolf.com/ (November 12, 2004), "James A. Moore."*