J. R. Russell
Writer & novelist
Current Project: Poison Sky
Adult, speculative thriller, currently seeking literary representation.
The outside world is uninhabitable. Humanity survives inside Alphabet City, a vast vertical metropolis where wealth is measured by elevation: the rich live above, while the poor fight for survival below. Watching over them all is The Gallery, a faceless ruling class whose power reaches every floor.
Poison Sky is the memoir of Codie Colson, a war veteran turned private security officer just trying to survive. His job pays enough that he can make an honest living without having to take bribes like many of his colleagues. He is wealthy enough not to feel poor, and a modest retirement is all he hopes for.
But when he is assigned to help Harmon, a Grey Coat from The Gallery's Secret Police, investigate a terrorist cell operating on Floor 75, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens everyone in the city. When the truth begins to emerge, Codie must decide whether exposing it is worth destroying the only world he has left.
Adult Speculative Thriller
138,000 words
Currently seeking literary representation
“Imagine what that does to you. Never knowing what a proper day or a night was. Never seeing light that wasn’t from a bulb. What we’re doing right now is barely living. We’re all in one big holding pattern, or to mix my metaphors, we’re treading water. We are all going to drown.
Truth is, I’ve been drowning for years”
About me…
For as long as I can remember, I've daydreamed about telling stories.
As a child, my imagination was fuelled by worlds like Star Wars. I had my own version unfolding in my head; full of betrayals, impossible choices and characters who seemed just as real as the people around me. I never wrote those stories down. That wasn't the point. They were places I could disappear into whenever I wanted.
These days I write fiction, particularly stories that use unusual worlds to explore very human questions. I'm fascinated by the systems we build around ourselves (whether they protect us or trap us) and by exploring big ideas through the lens of relatable characters.
Creating worlds is only half the joy. The other half is sharing them.
When I'm not writing, I'm usually thinking about stories; whether they're in books, films, television, video games or even my day job. If you're interested in how I think about storytelling, worldbuilding and writing, you'll find some of those thoughts in my Notes.
I am also working on a few smaller projects, which I will add to the site as they near completion.
