Ex-Windsor student and Author visits Windsor

28th November 2022

Ex-Windsor student and Author, Morgan Owen, visited the school this week to talk about her new book, The Girl With No Soul, and to undertake some workshops with Year 7 and 9 students. 

Morgan was a student at Windsor from 1995-2000, and she loved being back here and meeting our students. Morgan worked with a Year 7 and Year 9 class giving them tips and advice about writing. They spent time creating their own world and writing about what it would be like.  Some students then read their pieces out to Morgan and the rest of the class for feedback - there were some excellent ideas! 

Q&A with Morgan Owen 

We wanted to find out more about Morgan, and so asked her some questions.

What is your best memory at Windsor High School?

The peak 90s nostalgia of lip synching to the Spice Girls in the school talent show. The drama club always had a lot of fun too, especially during our production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (I was the fairy queen Titania). I also got to visit Austria and the Czech Republic on school trips."

What made you want to be an author/Have you always wanted to be an author? 

I wrote my first story at primary school. It was about a family of cats. I think I showed the headmaster; I was that proud. I was always very imaginative and wanted to escape into another world like Alice in Wonderland. I’d read multiple books in a day then craft my own fanfics."

Who is your role model?

I’ve taken a little bit of inspiration from lots of people and mushed it all together rather than looking up to one person in particular. In writing terms, Margaret Atwood and Ursula Le Guin inspired me a lot, but it was more about their art than them as an individual."

How did the school/staff support you achieving your goal to be an author?

My English teachers were always very encouraging, even when I wrote weird stories about assassins and creepy fortune tellers. There were plenty of opportunities to get involved in creative activities too, like the debate team, the yearbook or making mock newspapers. My school experience definitely contributed to my love of writing."

What advice would you give to current students?

There are so many things in the world that are out of your control, so find a passion to keep you grounded - something to occupy your mind during the quiet times. Invest in yourself by indulging your interests. Also try and stay connected to those around you. Escapism is crucial but so is community. Having a strong support system can make a huge difference when life gets hard."