Lissa Morgan

Do you - like me - read primarily within the genre you want to write?  Harlequin Mills and Boon publish several diverse lines, from historical to suspense, medical to nocturnal.  Aiming at the line that most interests me - Presents or Modern - I tend to read mostly within that line too, enjoying books that were published several years ago, sometimes decades ago, and also keeping up with current trends and new authors. I was interested recently to see that Harlequin are running a new Blitz in February, this time on Romance ( http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com ) and it got me thinking of the books I've read outside of my chosen line and what made me place them on my book shelves, alongside the numerous Moderns. Liz Fielding is an author who has published over sixty books in the traditional and contemporary lines but her writing somehow refuses to be typecast.  She brings a freshness and humour to her work and has been doing so ever since her first book was published...

As someone who doesn't normally make New Year resolutions, this year I find myself making several.  And, while I aim to keep all of them, top of the list is to complete a book. I once blogged here about the importance of always finishing a book  (April 2016 ) but for the last couple of years, I've been unable to do that. The reasons why have been many and varied but, on reflection, the main one has been a lack of focus and determination following a run of rejections.  Keeping going, keeping believing, fending off doubts and finding inspiration, let alone actually sitting down and putting fingers to keyboard, can be hard at such times.  Who was it that said that success is 99% persistence?  They might be right but alongside persistence is the support of fellow writers and friends who are there backing you every step of the way.  And, even more importantly, believing in you when you don't always believe in yourself. So to all those fabulous people I'd lik...

Wishing you all a festive season filled with peace, love, friendship and joy . . .  . . . and a year of high hopes and fulfilled dreams in 2018.   Melissa x

Well, blogging again, obviously, after several months away for various reasons. And writing again, albeit slowly, after several months away for various reasons.  Sometimes it is necessary to step away from your dream and rethink how much you really want that dream - or even if you still want it at all.  And sometimes the only way you can find out is to not follow that dream for a while and see what answer comes up. So that's what I've been doing - taking time out to rethink. And doing some reading in my chosen genre too in an attempt to enjoy  reading romance again and to remember why I started writing it in the first place.   And I've been reading some truly amazing books by truly amazing and inspiring authors. Sara Craven, who has just sadly passed away, began writing for Mills and Boon back in 1975. She's an author whose books I've picked up now again over the years, but reading some of her early and more recent work during my 'time out' has reconfi...

Being a big cricket fan, I've spent today listening to the Champion's Trophy final between India and Pakistan. Against all the odds and everyone's expectations, Pakistan won, and by a huge margin, beating probably the best one-day team in the world.  Often the  underdogs, Pakistan can't even play international games at home because foreign teams won't visit, still nervous after the attack on the Sri Lankan national team in Lahore in March 2009.  Seven Sri Lankan cricketers were injured in the attack by armed militants, and six security officials and two civilians were killed during the gun battle that ensued.  Sadly, terrorism is everywhere these days, and the UK is more than aware of that fact after the recent atrocities in Manchester and London. But the Pakistan cricket team, by sheer persistence, passion and hard work, are an example that if  one has the heart and the determination, nothing is impossible and even the greatest odds can be overcome. W...

May has always been a month of change for me. Perhaps it's the gentle turning of late spring into early summer, and the weather recently has certainly felt like it.  As I said in my last post, I've decided to return to part-time work in order to devote more time to writing and, as of the 5th of next month, I'll be working three days and writing the rest of the week. And that isn't all!  I've been lucky enough to get a position as visitor experience manager in one of Wales's most beautiful and historic places, Lake Vyrnwy - Llyn Efyrnwy in Welsh - in the heart of Powys. The lake, owned and run by Severn Trent Water, was formed in the 1880s by the creation of the first stone-built dam of its kind in the world, and it's still pretty impressive today. You get a real shiver down the spine driving across the top of it to the visitor centre and RSPB reserve.  Surrounded by dramatic hills and farmland, it is remote but totally idyllic, and a great day out. T...

Although spring doesn't officially start until 21st March, it really felt like it had arrived early and in all its glory today in north west Wales.  The sun shone warmly and the sky was clear blue so, lucky enough to have the day off work, I went for a long walk up in the hills. The beauty of nature at this time of year is truly amazing.  Hedgerows and trees were showing blossom, daffodils were everywhere and other springtime flowers were making an appearance too. The trees were alive with birds, all of them flitting around looking for mates or, having already paired up, busily gathering material for their nests.  I got a good look at a couple of male Bullfinches showing off before a female, who seemed to be playing hard to get!  Seeing these lovely colourful birds is a real treat as, sadly, they are not as common as they once were in the UK.  Bees too were in abundance and I even saw a butterfly, the first I've seen this year.  So, it may be ra...