My novel Beware the Tall Grass won the 2023 Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence. Judge Lan Samantha Chang said of the novel: "In this beautiful novel, two stories separated by half a century intertwine to create an indelible narrative of peace and war. In the throes of his first loss, young Thomas joins the Army and travels to Vietnam, where he is propelled toward his fate. Decades later, in another time and place, Eve and Daniel welcome their infant son and resolve to set aside their own family ghosts. But is it possible to release the past? Can powerful experiences of love and death ever be forgotten? Through surprising and suspenseful turns, Beware the Tall Grass explores the evocative mysteries of time and memory."I am also the author of Lost Girls, winner of the Pencraft Award for short stories. "Morris has an ability to wring a lot of emotion out of a few scant details, giving the feeling of a much longer work. Many share settings and characters, which contributes to a sense of interconnectivity and added meaning... she demonstrates a shrewd understanding of what makes her characters tick. In the end, readers will leave the collection feeling as though they’ve lived pieces of several real lives. A varied set of tales from a skilled practitioner of the short form."-- Kirkus Reviews"There is something about reading the short stories in the collection Lost Girls by Ellen Birkett Morris that makes me think of a magic trick. Blink and you won’t be able to figure out how she does it. But then, don’t blink. Stare as hard as you can. Retrace favorite paragraphs and lines and still be mystified about her pointillistic ability to create the images and lines that take the breath out of your body and create the unforgettable lost girls — and women — who inhabit these spaces rarely immortalized as engagingly or sympathetically in contemporary literature." --Yvette Benavides, Book Public, Texas Public Radio I am also the author of the poetry chapbooks Abide (Seven Kitchens Press) and Surrender (Finishing Line Press).As a freelance writer, I create clear, concise, and compelling copy for groups and organizations seeking to expand the scope of their influence, generate interest in their goals and objectives, and create excitment in the marketplace. I provide on-demand media relations work on a project by project or yearly basis. Specialties: Creative Writing, Media Relations, Annual Reports, Newsletters, Press Releases, Compelling Articles.