<p>Eigth-grader Morgan Cash, right, interviews illustrator Alexus Meyers on Thursday at Armand Larive Middle School.</p>

Ten years ago, Lucas Morris began writing a story about what would happen if his pets interacted with the raccoons and other wildlife in his apartment complex in Alaska.

Earlier this year, he began considering publishing his collection, and Morris, who now lives in the Tri-Cities, turned the 7,000 word short story collection into a book. The Complex was soon self-published through CreateSpace and Kindle Direct Publishing and distributed.

Thursday, Morris performed his first speaking engagement as a public author: at Armand Larive Middle School in Hermiston. Sixth-grade students in Delia Wallis class all read The Complex before the visit.

Im really excited to talk to some people who have read my book, Morris said. Its amazing. The first fan letter I ever received was from a student at this school.

Morris said he focused on the middle-school age group for his book because reading helped him through personal and family struggles during those grades.

When I was in sixth grade, I was suffering through a lot of abuse, my parents getting a divorce, and what helped me through it was Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, he said. Any book where animals have human characteristics really helped me, and I wanted to do that for other kids.

After finishing his young adult novel, Morris put an advertizement on Craigslist looking for a cover artist. More than 100 artists responded, including Alexus Meyers. now a freshman at Richland High School. Meyers completed the cover art for The Complex while in eighth-grade. Thursday, Meyers took time to work with sixth-grade students on drawing a bullpup, the ALMS mascot.

She was wonderful, Wallis said. She really took the time to work with the students, and they were really excited.

The sequel, yet untitled, is expected out by the end of the year. Morris said he wrote the entire 30,000-word book in a weekend, writing 14 hours a day.

I had all these ideas for different plot points, and I wanted to lose them, he said. Thats why I wrote it so fast. I wanted to capture everything.

During the Hermiston visit, Morris autographed books, answered student questions and talked about his characters and writing. He also encouraged students to keep writing.

Anyone can do it, Morris said. If you have the imagination and the story, you can become an author. You just have to do the work.

For more information about Morris and his books, visit www.thecomplexbooks.com.