'Hunger Games' screenwriter Billy Ray wrote his own YA novel - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
by Mary McNamaraMarch 2, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Award-winning screenwriter Billy Ray, known for his work on *The Hunger Games* and AMC's pro-cinema campaign, has transitioned into a new chapter of his career as a novelist with the release of *Burn the Water*, a YA dystopian thriller inspired by *Romeo and Juliet*. Set in a futuristic London after environmental cataclysms and biological warfare, the novel follows star-crossed lovers Jule and Rafe, teen warriors from rival factions, the Crowns and Rogues, battling for survival in a flooded, post-apocalyptic city. Ray, who initially conceived the story as a screenplay idea but faced rejection, revisited it during a writer's strike in 2023-2024, driven by fear that if he didn't write now, he never would.
Ray’s journey from screenwriter to novelist highlights the stark differences between writing for film and prose. He initially struggled with "impostor syndrome," unsure of his ability to craft a novel. The story's setting in London was chosen for its topography and historical significance, while the narrative itself was deliberately lean to avoid pretentiousness. Feedback from early readers revealed that his draft read more like a screenplay, prompting him to expand and deepen the prose.
The release of *Burn the Water* is significant not only as a literary debut but also as a potential bridge between YA fiction and adult readers interested in dystopian themes. Ray
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Originally published on Los Angeles Times on 3/2/2026