Justin Morgan's Blog

Where Myth Meets Mountain: Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) the easy way

Where Myth Meets Mountain: Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) the easy way

After a tricky start to the new year, I took a trip to my old university stomping grounds to enjoy some time in nature. It had been decades since my student days in Bangor and, with another birthday fast approaching, I wondered if I’d still have enough in the tank to reach the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). In fact, it had been so long since I’d last made the ascent that even the name of the national park and mountain h...

New Year around the world – Knowledge to help you feel good

New Year around the world – Knowledge to help you feel goodDoes a bad January mean a bad year?

Has 2025 started well for you? I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been the best beginning to a new year for me. The worry of course is that a bad start to the year means a bad year altogether. Well, I’m here to show you (and to convince myself) how that is categorically not the case – phew!

As I began writing my January newsletter, I struggled to feel anything but bleak, then I recalled ...

Brittany & Wales – More than a shared love of dogs

Brittany & Wales – More than a shared love of dogsBrittany – Worthy of your full attention

This summer I took my first proper holiday since becoming a full time writer five years ago. Where better to power down my author brain than the beautiful Emerald Coast in the northern region of Brittany, France.

As a proud Welshman I’ve enjoyed a feeling of connection when exploring Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall but to feel such familiarity on the other side of the English Channe...

Exploring Wales & Brittany – Sisters Across the Sea

Exploring Wales & Brittany – Sisters Across the SeaBrittany – Worthy of your full attention

This summer I took my first proper holiday since becoming a full time writer five years ago. Where better to power down my author brain than the beautiful Emerald Coast in the northern region of Brittany, France.

As a proud Welshman I’ve enjoyed a feeling of connection when exploring Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall but to feel such familiarity on the other side of the English Channel w...

Exploring Louth: A Journey Through Time and Tradition

Exploring Louth: A Journey Through Time and Tradition

A Personal Connection to Louth: The Heart of Lincolnshire

Louth, a picturesque market town nestled in the Lincolnshire Wolds, holds a special place in my heart. My connection to this area runs deep, as my wife’s family hails from a village just a stone’s throw away. Fifteen years ago, we exchanged our vows in the garden of her family home, surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the countryside.

Let me show you what this litt...

Sacred Waters – How an Ancient Myth Shaped a Modern Story

Sacred Waters – How an Ancient Myth Shaped a Modern StoryThe Ainu Creation Myth: A Source of Inspiration

When I embarked on the journey to write Tsunami Dolphins, I drew deep inspiration from the Ainu creation myth, which I first encountered in Hokkaido on my first trip to Japan. The power and beauty of this ancient story, which attributes the formation of the world to the water wagtail bird and the divine spirits known as Kamuy, offered a profound lens through which I coul...

The Tribes of Borneo: An Introduction

The Tribes of Borneo: An IntroductionWho Are The Tribes of Borneo?

When most people think of ‘Borneo’ their mind goes straight to rainforest and wildlife and rightly so. Borneo contains some of the oldest rainforest in the world, estimated by some to date back over 140 million years, perhaps twice as old as the forests of the Amazon. It’s biodiversity is incredible, providing a home for thousands of plants and animals. Many of these are endemic – not found anywhere else in the...

Is It Worth It? Hidden Histories Behind a Classic ’80s Lyric

Is It Worth It? Hidden Histories Behind a Classic ’80s LyricHidden Histories

A lesson in writing craft, the lyrics to the classic 1982 song Shipbuilding are the subject of this month’s blog post. If you’ve never heard it before listen now – you’re in for a treat! And if you’re lucky enough to already know it, let’s uncover the hidden histories behind the familiar words and reveal what they’ve taught me about writing craft.

Is it worth it? 

There can’t be many people in...

A Journey Through Time: Exploring the Merveilles Cave Art

A Timeless Encounter with Prehistoric Cave Art – Merveilles Cave, Rocamadour

Having read, and loved, The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel, a novel about a young Cro-Magnon girl living with an earlier branch of human, I was very excited to be recently passing through a corner of France known for its remarkable cave art – Merveilles Cave.

If you’re not sure who the Cro-Magnon were, I really enjoyed this rather quaint video that explains just that, though there are plent...

Truffle Treasure – The Hunt for Culinary Gold

Truffle Treasure – The Hunt for Culinary Gold An Alluring Enigma

Truffles. The very word conjures up images of luxury, gourmet meals, and an air of exclusivity. These subterranean fungi, shrouded in mystery and boasting an intoxicating aroma, have captivated foodies and chefs for centuries.  

I am currently holed-up in a lovely (but weather-worn!) little former shepherd’s house in Southwest France, in a forested region known for the quality of its truffles. Stalls on week...