Return to the world of A Secret History of Witches with the bewitching tale of Ursule Orchière and her discovery of magical abilities that will not only change the course of her life but every generation that comes after her.
We chat with Louisa Morgan all about her latest release The Great Witch of Brittany, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Louisa! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a mom, a yogini, a dog lover, and a writer, not always in that order. The first half of my like (started at the age of five) I was a professional singer, both folk and classical. The second half (so far) I’ve been granted the great blessing of a second artistic career, and I’m so grateful. I love writing books. And I love—and am often surprised—that there are readers for them! Not sure very many folks get this lucky.
How has the first month of 2022 been for you?
It’s been busy! With a new book coming out, there have been lots of people to talk to, interviews to do, plans to make. Also, my familiar, Oscar, has needed some physical therapy, so that’s kept me occupied. He’s my constant companion, and I need him in optimum health! I’m also getting used to the spectacular but icy North Idaho weather. Brrrrrrr.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I was an avid reader from a young age, and because I’m used to doing the things I love, writing came naturally, in its time. I always intended to write, and then my musical life dominated, but here I am! To me, writing is very like performing. I love having an audience, and I love polishing my performance—my novel—to the highest sheen I can.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Smoky, the Story of a Horse. Will James was the author. My father, a horse lover, gave the book to me when I was very young (an early reader) and I probably read it twenty times before my teens. Even today, the voice of that novel is inspiring, genuine, flowing, a distinctively Western but absolutely readable narrative. The book is facing me from my bookcase right now, with my dad’s inscription.
Your new novel, The Great Witch of Brittany, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Biography of a working witch.
What can readers expect?
They can expect to get to know the ancestress of the Orchière witches they met in A Secret History of Witches. I hope they love her as much as I do.
Where did the inspiration for The Great Witch of Brittany come from?
This inspiration was a first for me! A number of readers asked about the first Ursule, wanting to know her story. I loved discovering it, and as so often happens when I develop a character, I miss her! She is the embodiment of the powerful women I have known and loved.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
There were personal challenges, as so often happens to all of us. And as I was writing in the year 2021, I had the same challenges and difficulties we all did, created by the pandemic. It has been a hard time for everyone. A friend said the other day that she didn’t see how I could write in the midst of such a difficult year, but the truth is that my work saved me. Turning to the past, meeting a character I cared about so much, developing her story, these were all things that took me out of myself. I won’t pretend it was easy, but as my wonderful mother said, “One foot in front of the other.” That maxim works for both writing and life.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
There were many, but I think the one that surprised me the most, and which I loved making happen, was the return of Remy, the farmer Ursule worked with for many years, toward the end of the book. He was a goodhearted man in a world where many men were cruel to Ursule, and I remember him fondly.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Worst: Write fast. (I have an entire presentation I give at workshops debunking this.)
Best: Dramatize, don’t narrate. (I know we all hear this all the time, but when I get stuck, it’s the principle I return to. I could expound on this at length!)
What’s next for you?
I’m writing a new novel, not a witchy one, but a ghost story. I hope the readers will enjoy something different! I’m also already contemplating another witch book, set in the time of Eleanor of Aquitaine—working on developing that. The witch element will be a little bit different, I think.
Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?
Don’t miss The Violence, by Delilah Dawson, if you can tolerate a dash of horror in your narrative! I had the privilege of reading it in manuscript, and I loved it. I also loved a book that came out in 2020, and is now available in paperback. It’s You Let Me In, by Camilla Bruce. Oddly enough, since I don’t read much horror, it also has strong horror elements, but an absolutely fabulous mystery and an unreliable narrator I envy. Very well done. Another book I was lucky to read in manuscript is a literary novel, but I’m not sure it comes out until early 2023. It’s No Two Persons, by the wonderful writer Erica Bauermeister. When it arrives, don’t miss it!
