By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine
In an exclusive interview with AMFM Magazine, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Billy Ray opens up about his bold transition from Hollywood blockbusters to young adult fiction with Burn the Water, his gripping debut novel published by Scholastic Press on March 3, 2026.
Best known for his work on Captain Phillips (2013), The Hunger Games (2012), the iconic Nicole Kidman AMC commercial, and the highly anticipated Sunrise on the Reaping (2026), Ray has spent decades crafting stories for the screen. Now, he steps into original storytelling in a new medium, reimagining Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a dystopian epic set in a flooded, post-apocalyptic London of 2425.
The novel follows Rafe, the ruthless captain of the Rouge army, and Jule, the fiercest warrior of the Crowns—two young leaders from opposing factions locked in a centuries-long war over scarce resources in a sunken metropolis ravaged by climate change. Destined to lead their sides to victory, they instead fall in love, forcing them to confront the true cost of endless conflict as a greater threat emerges from the depths.
As Ray shared in the conversation with AMFM’s Paul SAlfen, the idea for Burn the Water first sparked 18 years ago. “I had the idea about 18 years ago… what if I said it’s like, 400 years in the future? What could that future look like? What would the Montagues and Capulets of that day be fighting over?” He envisioned a story exploring where the world might be headed, but the scope—vast world-building and expensive visuals—made it feel more suited to film or TV. For 15 years, it stayed on the back burner.
That changed during the 2023 WGA strike, when Ray couldn’t write for screen. “At that moment I couldn’t write a screenplay and I couldn’t write TV. And I thought, oh, that’s God’s way of telling me that Burn the Water is supposed to be a novel.” He began writing on day one of the strike and completed the first draft by the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. “It was meant to be.”
The result is a heart-wrenching tale of love, courage, politics, and war. Publishers Weekly praises Ray for “deftly examin[ing]the brutality of war across an evocatively depicted vision of a future drowned metropolis,” while The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books notes how he “builds a grim, brutal world on the bones of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet… allowing the characters here enough depth and distinction to make this a unique endeavor.”
Ray admits that even while writing the book, he couldn’t help envisioning it on screen. Having adapted Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games works—including the upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping, which he calls “going to be the best of the Hunger Games series”—he learned from “the best” about transitioning novels to film. “Movies have been my life and my livelihood. So I’m always thinking about that.”
For aspiring writers, Ray offers grounded advice drawn from decades in the industry. “Don’t think of it as art. Think of it as work.” He treats writing like mechanics: problem-solving, getting the engine to run better. “95% of what writing is, it’s just problem solving.” He dismisses writer’s block outright. “I just don’t believe in writer’s block… My hands never stop moving… Keep writing, keep pushing. Something of value is going to hit that page.”
He describes novel-writing as a “Hail Mary”—unlike screenwriting, where directors, casts, and release dates share blame, a book is solely the author’s. “When you write a novel, it’s just you… you’ve thrown the Hail Mary.” The fear of failure drives him daily, along with a desire for legacy and to keep the moviegoing experience alive for future generations.
At its core, Burn the Water carries a powerful message for today’s youth. Ray sees a generation feeling “lost” and “voiceless,” and he wants them to know they’re not alone. “Not only are we going to be okay, but… they are going to be the ones who get us there.” The story centers on leadership through Jule, a young woman who endures hell to become a “warrior queen” capable of uniting a fractured world. “There are things that my generation got wrong and their generation is going to have to fix, and… they can.”
With book two already written (as YA publishing often demands a quick sequel), Ray’s new chapter as a novelist is just beginning. Burn the Water delivers an immersive enemies-to-lovers romance amid visceral stakes of war and loyalty—proving that love can challenge even the deepest divides.
Pick up Burn the Water today and dive into a flooded future where courage and connection might just save everything.
About Paul Salfen: Paul Salfen is a Dallas-based TV host, producer, editor, writer, and consultant who currently holds the positions of co-host of Drew Pearson Live on KTXD (London Broadcasting), co-host of The ANE Show on iHeartMedia, and producer/writer for AMFM Magazine.
About Christine Thompson: Christine Thompson is the Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Writer and Video Editor of AMFM Magazine and AMFM Studios LLC.
