About Muffy Morrigan

A life of writing

I have wanted to be a writer and storyteller my whole life. According to my baby book, the first story I ever told was at age three and was about a magical bear who lived in the mountains.

By the age of six, I had advanced to writing novels and penned my first classic The Giant Raygun. It was handwritten and bound with bright pink yarn, and I sold out of all ten copies.

I took a break from writing until the age of 13, when I wrote The Lady Pirate and the Misty Wind. Your basic space opera, it came out in the heady days of the first Star Wars movie when sci fi was a hot commodity. My brother managed to convince his teacher to read it to the class. Reviews were mixed, but generally favorable.

The third novel length endeavor was a Scarlet Pimpernel style story told through the diaries of his wife. It was enough to win a little contest, and I basked in the glory of the $10 grand prize.

A life of many places

I took a break from novels to focus on university and after, but I was always working on a short story.

Writing existed as background music to everything I did.

I even packed several spiral bound notebooks into my tiny tent to use for writing while I was at my first archaeological field school in the high desert of New Mexico. A full summer with no distractions except work (and cattle tanks, long story) provide the opportunity to write and spend time off walking through the desert and letting the country settle into my bones.

The places I’ve lived and the places I love always figure largely into my writing. From the deserts to the Northwest and beyond, I want that send of solid place in my works so the world feels comfortable and should someone ever visit the actual places, they will feel like old friends.

Places and genres

Places create different stories, and I think that is why I write across many genres. I have been told this isn’t the best idea, but I love them all mystery, fantasy, romance, science fiction—even horror and thriller. Each place has at least one story, and I want to tell them all.

I am an eclectic reader, that might be a major factor in why I see different genres in places. I read the gamut from classic mystery whodunits to hard science fiction and everything in between. These authors are my mentors, my teachers in words and craft.

What makes a great life

In the midst of all this writing, I have managed to have a few jobs here and there, embracing the goal I made when I spotted the back of a Louis L’Amour book when I was 10. He had been everything from elephant trainer to gold miner and I remember thinking what a great life that would make.

I never trained elephants, but I have been a working archaeologist, teacher, librarian, youth minister, reporter, news editor, managing editor and columnist.

I have lectured on history of medicine, occult sciences, tall ships medicine and once (because there was a cancellation) vampires.

I have formally studied history, archaeology, herbalism and alternative healing.

I am a certified Life Coach and a certified Wellness Coach.

PNW, "Denmarkia" - and cats!

Personally? I live in the Pacific Northwest among the ancient trees and soaring, snow covered volcanoes. I visit my second homeland of Denmark at least twice a year (more on that here [link]).