Hello, Goodreads!

Mitchell Lanigan here, your average Joe with a laptop and a dangerously overactive imagination. I’ve somehow stumbled my way into writing novels that some of you might have read—if not, I'm sure they make excellent paperweights.

So, about my accidental foray into the literary world: one sunny afternoon (because all good stories start on a sunny afternoon, right?), I was trying to evade the real world and ended up writing what would become my first novel, Playground: Cyprus. It’s a thrilling ride set on the sun-drenched shores of Cyprus, filled with intrigue and more plot twists than a pretzel factory. The characters are as real as your quirky neighbors, and yes, the places are visitable – bring your own dramatic soundtrack.

Now, a shift in tone but not in intent: the sequel, Playground: Ukraine, is set to be released this late May. It treads into the more somber and profound landscapes of war, where the stakes are as real as they get. Here, my aim has been to blend the gravity of the subject with the resilience of the human spirit, offering a narrative that honors the depth of its theme while adhering to the authenticity and sensitivity it demands.

In this blog, I'll take you behind the scenes of how I weave my plots and breathe life into my characters while barely keeping my own plants alive. Stay tuned for tales of literary woes, triumphs, and maybe even some exclusive sneak peeks if my coffee pot keeps up.

Catch you in the next post—unless my characters stage a mutiny and run off with the plot again.

Cheers,
Mitchell