Local author cuts back legal practice to crank out steamy novels
By Christopher Bennett
Correspondent
Morganne Leigh MacDonald’s journey from lawyer to romance novelist started many years ago on a trip through the mountains.
The then, self-admitted, “avid and snobby” reader preferred thrillers and historical fiction, but needed to decompress from the stress of her second year of law school at Marquette University.
While on the road she bought a book by famed romance writer Johanna Lindsey, a prolific author whose sales number in the tens of millions.
“I so love that it took me away from the hard, heavy things,” MacDonald said. “It’s nice to have something that comes from the heart and soul.”
After almost two decades as a family lawyer and elder advocate, MacDonald is returning to the passion sparked by that innocent purchase.
She’s published three romance novels and another is on the way. She writes under the name “Leigh Morgan.”
But there’s much more to MacDonald.
She lives in Dover, is a mother of two and married for 25 years to Vince Malewski, a Milwaukee-based architect.
She’s a fourth-degree Black Belt in Okinawan Shorin Ryu, a martial arts discipline she’s practiced for more than 20 years, and is also fiercely proud of her Scottish and Celtic heritage.
And in recent years she and her husband started two companies. One specializes in making Scottish and Celtic food such as haggis and pastys. The other is Pen and Sword Publishing.
Pen and Sword is the publishing house through which MacDonald’s next book will be published, “Defending Destiny,” which comes out later this year.
She previously published three titles. “Sparring Partners” debuted in 2010, followed by “Second Chances” in 2011 and “Fighting Fate” in June of this year.
MacDonald’s full-time focus on writing intensified in recent months. She worked with her father at Union Grove-based law firm MacDonald and MacDonald, and also did work for Racine County as an elder advocate.
Her father retired in December and she completed her duties to the county on May 30. MacDonald estimates she now writes at least five hours each day and devotes more hours to research.
MacDonald’s works focus on themes common to her life and interests – her study of martial arts, her heritage, mysticism, romance and more.
Together “Sparring Partners,” “Fighting Fate” and “Defending Destiny” comprise what MacDonald calls “The Warrior Chronicles.”
“They can all stand alone,” MacDonald said. “They all have different characters, but it’s the same family.”
MacDonald’s romance novels are not for those afraid of a little passion.
“These are pretty steamy stories,” MacDonald said. “There’s a lot of sex. This is not for someone who doesn’t like romance. They’re sassy and they’re sensual.”
MacDonald’s formula for romance is working. All of her books are available at amazon.com and are earning glowing reviews.
Coming next for MacDonald is a series set in the Scottish Highlands around the year 1000.
It’s a natural dovetail, given her other business interest. She and her husband started Macski Highland Foods, which makes haggis and pastys. The name of the business is a combination of their last names.
Haggis is a Scottish dish consisting of various ingredients cooked in either a sheep’s stomach or a sausage casing. Pastys are a meat pocket-like dish associated most closely with miners in Cornwall, England.
MacDonald said their products are currently served at McBob’s Pub & Grill at 4919 W. North Avenue in Milwaukee. The company hopes to soon distribute its delicacies to local retailers.
MacDonald will be at Irish Fest August 16-19 at Milwaukee’s Henry Maier Festival Park and at the Waukesha Highland Games August 31-September 2 at the Waukesha County Expo Center.
Macski’s food will be available and MacDonald will conduct a book signing at the Highland Games. Each event provides MacDonald to connect with her loves – her heritage, her writing, her passion for life and family.
“The whole thing is romance,” MacDonald said. “It’s finding love and making it last. Every one of my books has a quirky extended family and involves dealing with the family life.
“Without love, life isn’t worth it.”
Learn more about MacDonald at http://www.bardintraining.com.
-
-
-
-
-