Cozy Witchy Romance + Worldbuilding with Morgan Lockhart

from What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Looking for a cozy, witchy holiday romance with world-building that feels like slipping into a warm sweater? Today I’m sitting down with debut author and longtime video-game writer Morgan Lockhart, whose background explains exactly why her book feels so immersive and magical.In this episode, we chat about her 20-year career in game writing, the pivot back to her “first love” of books, and how A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart blends cozy romance, magic-light vibes, and real-world emotional stakes. If you love Hallmark holiday romances but wish they had a touch of witchy charm, this is the perfect entry point into the cozy-paranormal space. We also dig into her craft, world-building, burnout, motherhood, and the comforting wave of cozy stories readers are reaching for right now. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart by Morgan Lockhart — Cozy Witchy Romance | Holiday | Magic-Light  | Audio ✅Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman — Contemporary Fiction | Christmas | Feel-Good | Audio ✅Good Spirits by B.K. Borison — Small Town Romance | Cozy | Holiday | Audio ✅The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream — Upmarket Contemporary | Emotional | Literary Lean | Audio ✅The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna — Cozy Fantasy | Found Family | Magic | Audio ✅The Witch’s Guide to Magical Inkeeping by Sangu Mandanna’s newest — Cozy Fantasy | Warm Magic | Found Family | Audio ✅🕒 TIMESTAMPS[00:00] – Meet Morgan Lockhart[00:20] – How she shifted from 20 years in video-game writing to novels[01:00] – What video-game writing actually looks like[02:00] – Narrative vs. action-driven game writing[03:00] – How game-writing worldbuilding shaped her debut novel[04:00] – Writing cozy as a response to the last five years[05:00] – Burnout, motherhood, and pivoting to books[07:00] – Elevator pitch for A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart[08:00] – Rivalry, curses, and the romance tension we love[10:00] – Why cozy-light magic works for contemporary romance readers[11:00] – What Morgan reads across genres[12:00] – Her must-read cozy & holiday recommendations[13:00] – Where to find Morgan onlineJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review! Mentioned in this episode:Advertise with UsDo you have a book or service that you want to share with our engaged audience? Check out our opportunities to sponsor with us.Advertise With Us

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