I am absolutely thrilled to welcome historical romance author; Lissa Morgan to the blog for an exclusive chat. I am delighted to be talking with Lissa about her two gorgeous books; The Welsh Lord’s Convenient Bride and An Alliance with his Enemy Princess, both of which I did break my own self-imposed book-buying ban to buy as I loved the look of them so much. I am very excited to be sharing this interview with you all.
Hello Lissa, Welcome to Chicks, Rogues and Scandals! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today.
Firstly, what five words would you use to describe yourself?
Thank you for having me on your blog, Frankie! Five words to describe me would be: Welsh, workaholic, writeaholic, honest, impatient!
Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
Absolutely! An Alliance with his Enemy Princess is an ‘enemies to lovers’ romance set in my native Wales in 1091. Gwennan, a dispossessed Welsh princess, is on the run disguised as a man. She is sworn to free her parents from prison and retake her fortress from the Normans. Moreover, she has vowed to avenge her dead husband and to love no one else but he. Rolant, a dishonoured Norman knight, has come to take possession of Gwennan’s fortress for his overlord, the Earl of Rhuddlan. He had a cruel lesson in unrequited love from his betrothed, which had tragic consequences for his family, and for that he blames himself. Gwennan takes Rolant hostage in exchange for her parents’ release, but when the Earl refuses her demands, she has to resort to Plan B – an alliance with her handsome enemy. But things don’t quite turn out the way either of them expects!
I am in absolute love with this book and can’t wait to read it in the next few weeks. When not writing, what do you like to do to relax?
As well as writing, I hold down a couple of ‘day jobs’ so I don’t get a lot of relaxation time. When I do, I like to get out into the fresh air of the countryside. I live in a lovely part of rural Wales, close to the mountains and the coast, so my favourite way of relaxing is to take a long walk, preferably on a frosty winter’s day, and at the end enjoy coffee and cake in a café.
If you could have a holiday home anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Italy, every time, preferably on the bay of Naples or in Rome – or both! I love the landscape, the food, the wine, the culture, the way of life, in fact everything about Italy ticks all my boxes.
If you could have one of your books made into a film, which book would it be and who would play your lead character’s?
What a great question! I’ve only written three books so far, so I guess my debut, The Welsh Lord’s Convenient Bride, would be the one I’d choose to be made into a film. It’s set against a factual Welsh rebellion against the Crown, so it has intrigue and action, as well as romance. For my heroine, Eleanor, I’d choose Megan Dodds, and for my hero, Rhun, Orlando Bloom would be perfect, though in their slightly younger days because my heroine and hero are aged 19 and 24 respectively!
Yes, to Orlando Bloom, that is a film I would love to watch! When writing, do you plot or just go with the flow?
When I first started writing, and for several years afterwards as I pursued my dream of publication, I’d always go with the flow and not plot very much at all. Now I’m contracted by Harlequin Mills & Boon, I’ve found that doesn’t quite work, due to having tight publishing deadlines. So, I tend now to go with ideas and let them flow to start with, and then, when I’m two or three chapters in, I sketch out a plot – though this invariably changes as the characters and story develop.
What three tips would you pass on to an aspiring author?
- Write every day, even if it is only a few lines. Or if you can’t write, then edit or read over what you did yesterday. Connecting with your writing on a daily basis helps keep the book going forward. Writing is a bit like a relationship – you have to be invested in it all of the time, even in your sleep sometimes!
- Trust in your characters and let them guide you. There is nothing more rewarding for an author than that moment when your characters come alive and actually start telling you what to write!
- Believe in your unique author voice and don’t try and sound like anyone else. Your voice is your USP, whatever genre you are writing, and a strong and individual writer will stand out from the crowd.
If you were hosting a dinner party what three people (dead or alive) would you invite?
Oh gosh, that is such a hard question! I think number one on the list would be the Lord Rhys, a minor character in my next book, The Warrior’s Reluctant Wife, but a major historical figure in medieval Wales, who must have been a larger-than-life personality given his political and military achievements and his amorous exploits. Second would be William Shatner because I’m a total Star Trekkie, and his comments about the fragility of our planet after his trip into space really touched me. And third, Agatha Christie – her plots are amazing, even today. I’ve read most of her crime novels over the years and not once have I guessed whodunnit and how! I’d love to get her secret out of her!
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with me today Lissa, I have just one more cheeky question, just for fun; What is your favourite snacking food?
Sadly, chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!
LOL, me too1! Thank you, Frankie x
About the Author
Lissa Morgan hails from Wales but has travelled far and wide over the years, usually in pursuit of the next new job. A history graduate and former archivist, she now works in academia and freelance website design, which she fits in around her writing time. She lives between the mountains and the sea in rugged north-west Wales surrounded by medieval castles that provide the perfect inspiration for her books.
Website: https://lissamorgan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lissamorganhistoricalromance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LissaMorganAuth
About the Books
The Welsh Lord’s Convenient Bride
Enjoy the drama that unfolds in this medieval marriage of convenience…
A wedding between enemies
A marriage to heal their scars
Hiding a disfigurement, Eleanor de Vraille is already lacking confidence when she arrives at her future husband’s cheerless Welsh castle. And Rhun ab Owain’s open disapproval of her does nothing to make her feel at ease. Their union is to seal peace between their families, nothing more. But Eleanor’s heart rebels—is she a fool to hope for any affection from this strong-willed nobleman with the dark glittering eyes?
An Alliance with His Enemy Princess
A high-stakes, Medieval enemies to lovers story.
A royal decree
That will change their lives…
Norman knight Rolant Guyarde has come to conquer a Welsh fort, but when he meets its mistress, he realizes she’s the sword-wielding “soldier” he fought en route! Despite their being enemies, he finds himself intrigued by the brave, beautiful Princess Gwennan. When they’re forced into an uneasy alliance, Rolant helps her petition the king for her parents’ release from prison. But in exchange for their freedom, the king demands a price neither Rolant nor Gwennan expects!
If you are an author of romance and/or historical and are interested in taking part in a Chicks, Rogues and Scandals interview then do get in touch via the Contact Me page, all are welcome!
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