Friday, June 10, 2022

This week in The Loft: Author Judythe Morgan!

Joining me today in The Loft is award-winning author Judythe Morgan. Her unusual name--a gift from her parents-- has been both a blessing and a curse. As Judythe says, her name is a curse because it is rarely pronounced correctly, often misspelled, and never forgotten. However, the curse is double-edged. Judythe says the unique spelling helps readers remember her name. A self-proclaimed former Air Force brat and Army wife, Judythe has traveled the world and worked as a schoolteacher and antique dealer, and served as a former mayor's wife. Her life experiences have provided a myriad of material for her stories, which she now writes full-time.

Author Judythe Morgan

S:  Welcome to The Loft, Judythe. It is a pleasure to have you here!

Let's start at the beginning. Why write romance?

J:  Real life is filled with challenges and disappointment. Romance is about satisfying conclusions and hope. I believe readers want an escape from reality like I do when I read and that’s why I write romance.

S:  Offering an escape from reality is a worthy goal. Do you write in other genres? 

J:  I do. My books blend sweet contemporary romance and women’s fiction stories, which I call love stories a/k/a Nicolas Sparks. I also wrote a military series, Promises, and a Christian contemporary series, The Fitzpatrick Family. 

S:  When it comes to writing romance, do you consider yourself a dreamer or a realist?

J:  I’m more realist than dreamer. My life as a military kid then wife meant constant change and I spent a lot of time dreaming about roots and not having to say goodbye to friends. I guess that’s why the stories I write always have happy endings, even though the hero and heroine face major bumps and challenges to get there.

S:  I'm sure readers appreciate that dose of reality. Are there any characteristics your lead characters share?

J:  Some of my heroes are alphas. Some are betas. Most have military or public service backgrounds with a strong protector gene. My heroines are strong, independent women who are confident in who they are. All my characters operate from a Christian worldview.


S:  Do you adhere to tropes when writing romance? Which ones do you enjoy writing? Are there any tropes that make you squirm?

J:  Yes and no. Tropes are great to get the plotting juices going, but I want a unique story. I begin with an idea, get to know the characters, and then work out the plot. I don’t worry about which trope that might fit. The story is what’s most important to me and my stories have a twist or surprise to standard tropes. Except for the Hallmark holiday bingo tropes, I don’t have any problem with tropes. I’m always surprised by how creative authors are with familiar romance tropes.

S:  How did you meet your current partner? When did you know he/she was “the one?”

J:  My husband and I met in high school. I was a lowly freshman. He was a big, bad senior. He wore the craziest yellow plaid shirt and I knew right then, he was the one. Any senior who wasn’t trying to dress like everyone else was the man I needed. Our first date solidified my feelings and we’ve been together ever since.

S:  That's such a sweet story! 

As a writer, did the pandemic and the subsequent isolation work to your benefit or detriment?

J:  Pandemic isolation was not a problem. I was fortunate enough to have a great critique group that did weekly video chats. Not being mobile kept my butt in the chair and my fingers on the keyboard. I published two books in the Fitzpatrick series in 2020.


S:  I'm impressed. Unfortunately, the pandemic threw me. It took a while for me to regain my footing.

Complete this sentence: “When one of my books is released, I...”

J:  Worry that no one will want to read it.

S:  If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?

J:  I’d start writing sooner. I love what I do.

S:  What inspires your stories?

J:  Inspiration comes from a vivid imagination and an ingrained habit of asking “what if?”


S:  Judythe, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Judythe, please visit--
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