Interview with Hal Emerson, Author of Cicero James, Miracle Worker

29 Jan 2025

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Cicero James, Miracle Worker?

I’ve had a scene in my head for several years of a regular guy waking up on an autopsy table, realizing he’s died and come back to life, and having no clue how it happened or what to do about it. I wrote that scene and realized there was enough of a story there for a full book and, longer-term, a whole series. Beyond that, I’ve always enjoyed Urban Fantasy but have also often felt frustrated by an over-reliance on storylines that revolve around the Big Three (vampires, werewolves, and faeries). I wanted to attempt to write something with a more original magical backdrop, and that’s how I came up with Miracle Workers and their secret society.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read all kinds of things, honestly–I just finished “The Starless Sea” by Erin Morgenstern, which I enjoyed. I’ve got “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac next up on my list, and a couple of classics lined up after that. I find myself drawn to strong, dynamic protagonists across all genres, and that’s what most often draws me into my own stories.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

“On the Road” by Kerouac, “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton, and several classics, including “Far From the Madding Crowd” and “One Hundred Years of Solitude” that have been recommended to me numerous times but to which I have just never gotten around.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene was the Cicero waking up in the morgue on the autopsy table. Exploring what that would feel like, to die and come back to life with no explanation, was a great mental exercise.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I tend to do my best writing lying down. No clue why. But lying down on a couch or in a reclined chair, with a laptop, the words just flow out of me.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

You don’t have to feel like doing it–you just have to do it.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That it’s always worth fighting for what’s right.

 

Hal Emerson is the author of the new book Cicero James, Miracle Worker

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