Parry Sound author Jacqui Morrison has built a writing life around persistence, character, suspense, and the belief that stories are worth staying with, even when the path to publication is difficult.
I have the wonderful opportunity to meet and photograph all kinds of interesting people in and around Parry Sound. Sometimes they come into the studio for a professional headshot. Sometimes they come in because they are building a business, launching a book, updating their public image, or simply stepping into a new chapter of their work.
While they are in the studio, I get to learn a little about their lives. I hear about their businesses, their creative work, their families, their interests, and often the longer story behind what brought them there. That is one of the privileges of portrait photography. The camera may be the reason for the appointment, but the conversation is often what makes the session memorable.
Jacqui Morrison is one of those people. She is a Parry Sound based author whose writing life began in childhood with poetry and short stories. Over time, that early interest became a serious and sustained creative practice. Her career has taken many turns, including owning an ice cream parlour, teaching life skills, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and mentoring other writers. Through it all, writing remained a constant thread.
Jacqui’s work often returns to themes of resilience, justice, personal strength, and the complicated choices people make when they are placed under pressure. Her novel Missed Deadline continues that interest through romantic suspense, a genre that allows her to explore character, conflict, danger, and emotional survival.
Jacqui has also contributed to the local writing community through seminars, mentoring, and her work as a writer in residence at the Parry Sound Public Library. In a town like Parry Sound, those contributions matter. Local writers help preserve regional culture, encourage other creative people, and remind us that meaningful stories are not limited to large cities or distant literary centres.
About Jacqui Morrison
Jacqui Morrison is a passionate writer living in Parry Sound, Ontario. She began exploring writing as a child, first through poetry and short stories. A high school teacher, Lenore Hawley, encouraged her interest, and in 1995 Jacqui made a deeper commitment to her writing life.
Her career has been varied, and that variety has given her a broad view of people, motivation, hardship, and resilience. She has owned an ice cream parlour, taught life skills, worked with survivors of domestic violence, and developed a lasting interest in law and justice. Those experiences show up in the concerns that shape her fiction.
Jacqui’s books include romantic suspense, mystery, and character driven stories. She is interested in how people respond when life becomes difficult, and how inner strength can develop through adversity. She also remains connected to other writers through local writing groups, accountability partnerships, seminars, and mentoring.
The Story Behind Missed Deadline
Missed Deadline grew out of Jacqui’s long standing interest in newspapers, justice, and the inner lives of fictional characters. The novel follows Sarah Juliet, a protagonist who began in Jacqui’s imagination as a weaker character but gradually became more resilient as the story developed.
That shift is important. For Jacqui, character development is not simply a technical part of writing. It is where the emotional life of the story begins. She writes biographies for her major characters, including villains and love interests, so she can understand their motivations and keep them consistent throughout the book.
The result is a story shaped by suspense, personal struggle, and the question of how someone finds strength when facing a legal battle, family pressure, and emotional uncertainty.
Interview with Jacqui Morrison
What inspired you to write Missed Deadline, and how did the idea evolve from its initial concept to the finished product?
In 1993, I wrote a column for a newspaper, and I became fascinated with the inner workings of newspapers. I thought up the main character Sarah, and she had many changes throughout the novel. At first, I thought of her as a weak individual but as I was writing, she became resilient.
Can you share a moment or scene from the book that you found challenging or emotionally resonant to write?
I don’t want to give any spoilers. The first chapter was fun, but in a few chapters, she was shocked and depressed because of the actions of a man. This was about Chapter nine.
How do you approach character development, and are there any characters you relate to on a personal level?
Always I write a biography of the main character and in this case, I wrote one for the villain and the love interest because it is romantic suspense. That way, I could look back and make sure I had the same characteristics throughout the novel, Missed Deadline. Sarah Juliet, the protagonist, resonated with me, because I also went to some rock and roll events in my twenties. However, she was so flawed at first, but she grew as a person.
Can you describe the techniques and influences that shape your voice?
I took a writing seminar at the Charles W. Stockey Centre in Parry Sound a couple of decades ago. I was shocked to learn my style was first person narrative as I had always written in third person. However, it really works for me, and I enjoyed getting into Sarah’s head. The love interest’s chapters were third person, so I could show more detail.
What message or insight would you like readers to take away from your book?
Never give up and stand up for yourself if someone or two people try to bully you.
How did you create a rich and immersive world for your readers?
I love description, and I am fond of dialogue. Both move the story along. I try to envision locations when I am describing them. Dialogue is fun but hard. You have to write from many perspectives, so they sound like the character you’re envisioning.
Can you share a memorable reader response or story that highlights the impact your books have had on someone’s life?
Peers from public school and high school love my books and buy them. This gives me joy.
If you could have a conversation with one of your characters, who would it be, and what would you ask?
It would be Sarah Juliet, from Missed Deadline, and I was wondering where her strength came from. She had both a legal battle and a family law situation and she stayed strong for the most part.
What was the most profound or life changing experience or realization you had while writing this book?
Resilience is a theme in all my books, but in this one, I gave Sarah a really hard time and you’d have to read the book to see if she succeeded.
How have your priorities changed from when you first started writing?
This is a hard question. My first published short story was in 1996 and I have been writing ever since. I would say it is character development and having more life experiences that have improved my experience in writing.
Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out as an author?
I would not have been so rushed to get a publisher. I needed to grow before I submitted. I feel I have grown, and that’s what is important.
What challenges did you have to overcome at the beginning of your journey?
Not having confidence back in the 1990s. I have writing confidence now.
How do you define success?
Breaking even or making a bit of profit. I still work, in a job I love, but it would be nice to be a full time author.
What is keeping you up at night?
Nothing I can think of.
Describe some of your key routines or habits that keep you going.
Accountability. I have a writing partner and we exchange pages every Sunday. I have a writer’s group and we exchange pages as well. The writer’s group has been going for two years, twice a month, and it has kept me on point.
How do you find time to develop your creative process?
I try to write something every day. I journal for fun, and I edit my works in progress almost daily.
What are some hard choices you had to make to get where you are?
The discipline of writing when it’s beautiful weather. I just want to get out of the house and enjoy the weather, so I have to work at being diligent.
What is your relationship with failure?
I submitted my work too soon when it wasn’t ready, and I got a lot of form letter responses of rejection. I know now I have more confidence in my writing style.
What book or author are you enjoying right now?
Anything by Lisa Unger. She’s a great writer. I don’t listen to podcasts.
What is one thing people would never guess about you?
I can be shy.
What is one thing you wish people knew about you?
I will not quit when I’m passionate about something like my author career.
Writing, Resilience, and the Local Creative Community
One of the clearest themes in Jacqui’s answers is persistence. She talks about early rejection, submitting work before it was ready, learning through experience, and continuing to write even when confidence was not there yet. That kind of honesty is useful because it gives a more realistic view of a creative life.
Writing is often romanticized from the outside. The finished book is visible. The years of drafts, uncertainty, discipline, rejection, revision, and quiet accountability are less visible. Jacqui’s story makes those parts visible. Her writing practice is not built around waiting for inspiration. It is built around routine, feedback, and staying connected to other writers.
That is also why local creative communities matter. A writer’s group, a public library, a seminar at the Stockey Centre, a teacher who encourages a young writer, and readers who continue to support local books all become part of the story. Creative work may be done alone, but it is rarely sustained alone.
Where to Find Jacqui Morrison
Jacqui Morrison in the News
- CBC interview with Ramraajh Sharvendiran
- 2009 IPPY Awards, Canada East, Best Regional Fiction
- Jacqui Morrison’s fifth book, Shaken No More
- Parry Sound author Jacqui Morrison releases newest murder mystery
- Local author releases latest novel, The Vigilante
- Library’s writer in residence helps others hone skills
- Parry Sound based writer releases new romantic suspense drama
Books by Jacqui Morrison
Jacqui Morrison’s books include romantic suspense, mystery, and fiction shaped by resilience, justice, and character driven storytelling.
About the Photography Session
Photographing authors is always interesting because their public image has to do more than simply look professional. It also has to feel connected to their voice. A good author portrait should feel approachable, credible, and personal. It should give readers some sense of the person behind the work.
For Jacqui, the session was about creating portraits that reflected both her warmth and her seriousness as a writer. Like many people who come into the studio, she brought a story with her. The final images are not just headshots. They are part of the broader record of a local author continuing to write, publish, mentor, and contribute to the creative life of Parry Sound.
If you are an author, artist, business owner, or professional in Parry Sound, Muskoka, North Bay, Sudbury, Barrie, Toronto, or surrounding areas, professional headshot sessions start at $300. Sessions are available in studio at Peter Istvan Photography in Parry Sound or on location by arrangement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jacqui Morrison?
Jacqui Morrison is an author based in Parry Sound, Ontario. She writes fiction with an interest in romantic suspense, mystery, resilience, justice, and character driven storytelling.
What is Missed Deadline about?
Missed Deadline is a romantic suspense novel by Jacqui Morrison. The story follows Sarah Juliet, a character who faces emotional pressure, conflict, and difficult circumstances while developing strength and resilience.
Where is Jacqui Morrison from?
Jacqui Morrison lives in Parry Sound, Ontario, and has been involved in the local writing community through seminars, writing groups, mentoring, and library related work.
Who photographed Jacqui Morrison?
Jacqui Morrison was photographed by Peter Istvan Photography, a professional headshot and portrait studio located at 64 Parry Sound Drive in Parry Sound, Ontario.
How much do professional headshots cost at Peter Istvan Photography?
Professional headshot sessions at Peter Istvan Photography start at $300, with studio and location options available depending on the session.
