Interview: Judythe Morgan, author of Seeing Clearly

Today, I’m chatting with author Judythe Morgan, who recently launched her latest book, “Seeing Clearly”, about a widow raising her grandson after her only child and his wife die in a suspicious car accident.

The blurb sounds incredibly intriguing, and it’s got me wanting to learn more about the mind behind the story.

Judythe, tell us a bit about yourself and your writing journey.

JUDYTHE MORGAN: I’m sure you read my name and thought Judy-the? Don’t worry, everyone does. There’s a story. In a family with Irish roots you can never be sure if a story is true or simply a great tale. Either way I’m stuck with the unique spelling.

I’m a multi-genre author whose stories tend to merge genre lines blending a little women’s fiction into romantic suspense, military romance, and sweet small town series. That’s why I call them “love stories that touch your heart.” All are PG rated.

No matter what book I write, whether a stand-alone set in Ireland, or a suspense with a seasoned romance, or a sweet contemporary series set in small town Texas, or a historical military romance during the Vietnam era, I will always give you exactly what I want in the books I read, a happy ending.

My writing journey began as I typed away on my laptop between customers at my antiques shop. As my craft improved through workshops, retreats, and writing conferences, I started entering writing contests, placing in many and winning some. The rest is history. My first book was released 2012. My latest in May 2020.

For me, the most interesting thing about being an author is meeting and getting to know my readers. Writing is such a solitary profession. I spend so much time in imaginary worlds with not-so-real characters that meeting others who want to talk about my stories is exciting. I do love my readers and enjoy hearing from them.

What are you working on at the moment?

JUDYTHE: I’m currently working on my Fitzpatrick Family series. the sweet romance stories of eight preacher kids. Two are published: “When Love Blooms” and “When Love Returns”. “When Love Trusts” is due out soon. It’s with editors now.

Being married to a preacher’s kid and the mother of a preacher, I have so much material to work from there’s very little research to do. I’m having fun writing the stories. While I wait on those edits, I’m moving ahead on the three remaining stories. Watch for them next year.

Now, how about “Seeing Clearly”? What’s it about? What went into writing it?

JUDYTHE: I’m promoting my newest release “Seeing Clearly” today. I love Evie who is a forty-something widow raising her grandson after his parents die in a car crash that wasn’t an accident. She’s a grandmother with spunk and grit. Now that the book’s out, I kinda miss her.

The interesting part was researching Mexican cartel research. I’d watched movies and television series about cartels but digging deep into operation and organization was enlightening. And, a bit scary. Cartels are as bad as they are depicted in fiction.

Seeing Clearly by Judythe Morgan

Evie Parker is forty-seven, a widow raising her grandson after her only child and his wife die in a suspicious car accident.

Dawson McKey is thirty-four, a divorced, overly cautious ex-cop, who manages her shipping company. Revenge drives him since his twin sons were killed by a cartel’s bomb.

An undeniable attraction develops. But drugs show up in a company shipment at the same time mysterious emails threaten Evie’s grandson. Then the nanny she hired against Dawson’s advice disappears with her grandson. Dawson suspects cartel involvement.

Their search for the toddler tests their trust, even as it binds their hearts.

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: The Danfield Press
Publication Date: May 12, 2020

Excerpt

Darkness swirled in Evelyn Parker’s head. Dawson McKey’s voice drifted like a soft light through the blackness. She heard her name, the drone of whispered words, and other sounds she couldn’t identify. It was like trying to thread a needle, blindfolded.

She opened her eyes and reality came crashing through her haze. Hospital. Accident. David and Mandy dead.

A doctor lightly touched her wrist, checking his watch. “You fainted.”

Fainted? She never fainted. Not even three years ago when her husband died in her arms. “I’m fine. Where’s my grandson?”

Tiny bumps pebbled across her neck. Did she already know that answer? Is that why she fainted?

“Why don’t we go in there and talk? I can check that bump.” She searched his face for any sign of hope against the truth she feared.

Dawson, close friend and Parker Industry’s Director of Security, eased his arm behind her back.

Evie sank into the nearest chair. The doctor rubbed the back of her head. She flinched. “Everything looks fine.”

“Great. Now, about Michael, when can I see him?”

Dawson’s large, warm hand covered hers. She wanted to nestle into his heat, lean against his strong body, to hide until all of this went away. She stiffened her spine instead.

“Follow me.”

Evie planted her flip-flops on the floor with a thud. The clip-clop of the rubber soles boomed in rhythm with her pounding heart.

Dawson slowed his pace to Evie’s stride. He drew deep on years of training to keep his body language relaxed while his senses were on high alert after what the investigating officer told him. A witness reported another car clipped David’s SUV, causing it to careen off the road.

Accident? Not with the gambling debt David Parker had. More likely a deliberate act by the cartel.

Buy the book

About Judythe Morgan

My name is Judythe Morgan. I was an Army brat then Army wife. I’ve traveled a lot. My start-and-then-move-again careers include teacher, antiques dealer, former mayor’s wife, sometimes-church pianist, and award-winning author. My life’s rarely been dull.

My variety of experiences fill my stories with authentic characters, exciting settings, and compelling plots. My writing’s placed and won multiple contests. Check https://judythemorgan.com for details.

I also write a weekly blog at www.judythewriter.com with my urban farmer daughter Chicken Wrangler Sara.

Birdie Song