Tom Morrison speaks at Noble Horizons

Tom Morrison speaks at Noble Horizons

Author Tom Morrison, left, and former Lakeville Journal executive editor Cynthia Hochswender discussed Morrison's newest novel, "Who Put the Bots in The Tort$?" at Noble Horizons Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Patrick L. Sullivan

Author Tom Morrison provided some insight into the creative process behind his series of legal farces at a talk and book signing at Noble Horizons Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Morrison was interviewed by former Lakeville Journal executive editor Cynthia Hochswender about his latest novel, “Who Put the Bots in The Tort$?” and his interest in writing fiction after a 50-year legal career.

Morrison said he wrote a “spy novel” (his emphasis) when he was in the Air Force after law school.

He didn’t know anything about espionage and the manuscript “never saw the light of day.”

Many years later, as he contemplated his retirement, the idea of writing fiction became appealing again.

Only this time he decided to write about something he knew about — lawyers.

Hochswender asked if he had to train himself “not to write a lawyer.”

Morrison said he took some pride in developing a clear and concise writing style during his legal career.

“Tell a story that the judge and jury can understand.”

He said most of his colleagues appreciated his legal writing style, except one “curmudgeon” who referred to it as “Morrison Newsweek style.”

“I took that as a compliment.”

Asked if he uses an editor for his fiction, Morrison said no.

He writes the first draft in pencil on legal pads, and then edits once the manuscript is typed into a computer.

He does have someone who performs copy editing tasks for him.

Hochswender asked about finding an agent and publisher.

Morrison said after he finished the first of the four legal novels, he spent a year sending out inquiries to agents, with no luck.

He then took it to a small publisher he once represented, and they agreed to publish it.

Asked about writers he finds inspiring, Morrison said Joseph Heller’s “Catch 22” made a deep impression on him.

He was amazed by the book’s energy. “Every page was dripping with parody and satire.”

“I’m trying to do to the legal profession what Heller did to the Army Air Corps.”

Latest News

Fallen tree cancels jubilee

The roof of the Grove was damaged by the tree, the event tent was punctured, a chef was injured and the Jubilee Luncheon was canceled Sunday, Oct. 12.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

LAKEVILLE — The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News Jubilee Luncheon fundraiser at the Grove Sunday, Oct. 12 was canceled after a very large section of a tree fell on the caterer’s tent at about 10 a.m.

Most of the catering staff heard the tree breaking up and got out of the tent in time, but the chef was hit by the falling limbs and sustained non-critical injuries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kent School senior killed, parents hurt in car crash

Emergency responders block Amenia Union Road in Sharon Saturday, Oct. 11, while responding to the vehicle crash.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

Updated Oct. 13, 9:25 a.m.:

SHARON — Shea Cassidy-Teti, 17, of Salisbury, died Saturday, Oct. 11, in a tragic car crash on Amenia Union Road in Sharon.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less