This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to an author whose stories feature strong, silent FMCs and green-flag MMCs—Morgan Vayle! If you love low spice paranormal romance that’s thrilling and mysterious, you’re in for a treat.
Morgan Vayle is known for writing dark worlds with tender romances. Her Dust of the Earth Series is a fade to black, grumpy/sunshine romance with a unique twist on vampires that’ll leave you guessing until the end.
In this spotlight, Morgan Vayle shares a glimpse into her writing style and routine and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at The Dust of the Earth Series.
Whether you write love stories, devour them, or dream of doing both, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into it and give a warm welcome to Morgan Vayle! 💖
Interview with Morgan Vayle
What’s your typical writing routine like—do you write with emotion or outline first?
I’m a plantser, so a mix of planning and winging it. I typically have a list of bullet points that are the major plot points. I also usually know how the story ends. Then I discovery write my way between the scenes.
What part of writing romance do you enjoy most—the meet-cute, the conflict, or the happily ever after?
It’s changed depending on the story. For Dust of the Earth, I enjoyed writing the angst and then the happily ever after. There’s forced distance and star-crossed lovers tropes which makes the yearning particularly fun to write. Though the characters deserve some peace, too, and I enjoyed writing the scenes where they could actually be together.
For the book I’m currently working on, which is more of a “one-sided enemy to lovers” vibe, I really enjoyed writing the scenes early in their relationship where there was a lot of conflict mixed with attraction. It’s the first book of mine with a “weapon to throat” trope and that was a surprisingly fun scene to write.
Can you tell us about your latest romance (other genre) and what inspired the story?
Dust of the Earth, which concludes this summer, was inspired by a mix of mythology and science (I majored in biology, so natural themes are heavy in all my work). My current WIP is a fairytale retelling, inspired by the Snow White and Rose Red story.
Are your characters based on real people, or entirely fictional?
My characters are entirely fictional. They sprout into my head as (mostly) fully formed people, with their own quirks and habits.
How has your writing evolved since your first book?
My writing has evolved in both pace and routine. As I’ve written more, I’ve become better at identifying where scenes should start and what’s extraneous information. My routine has also changed a lot. When I first started writing I didn’t have a kid and now I have a toddler. I used to prefer writing in complete solitude and silence, but with an almost 2-year-old that’s an impossibility. So now I just write when and where I can, environmental conditions be damned.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Don’t give up! Keep working and reworking. Make connections with other authors, too. I’d be lost without my local author group. It’s important to have a support circle of people who know what you’re going through, who can cheer you on, and give you advice.
What do you like to read in your free time?
Almost any fantasy subgenre, though primarily high and cozy fantasy. My reading palette cleansers are usually thrillers.
How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life?
It’s tough with a kid and a remote job. Writing is often done in the early morning before my toddler wakes up or on the weekends when my husband can watch him.
What are you working on next?
A fairytale retelling novella. As stated before, it’s based on the Snow White and Rose Red tale. It’s a high fantasy romance with mid-30’s MCs, necromancy, a world trapped in eternal winter, a gentle giant MMC, and a cold-hearted FMC.
It’s part of a fairytale retelling collaboration with the Portland Romance Writers, so if you love fairytale retellings be sure to tune in to their socials for updates.
What do you hope your legacy as a writer will be?
I want to write stories that will stay with my readers. Where we can know that despite the darkest circumstances, despite the trauma we experience, we’re deserving of love.
Morgan Vayle’s Bio
Morgan lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, son, and two needy cats. She’s been writing since she first learned how to hold a pencil and string words together. When not daydreaming of fantasy worlds, she can be found reading or wandering among the wildflowers.
I hope you loved getting to know Morgan Vayle and hearing about her inspirations, journey, and latest release. If you haven’t added this to your TBR yet, now’s the time—trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 💖
You can connect with Morgan Vayle here:
📱 Socials: https://linktr.ee/morganvayle
🛒 Grab her books: https://a.co/d/09yhmvC9
Thank you for joining me in spotlighting a fellow author who’s giving us all the feels. Stay tuned for more author features, book talk, and behind-the-scenes romance goodness.
Until next time—keep reading, keep swooning! 💖