We met on social media in the modern world, half a nation apart, but we connected over the rolling hills of Ireland’s mysterious history. Angela Hughes is a Historical and Paranormal Fantasy author with a gift for blending ancient myth, history, and faith into her stories. 

When I found out St. Patrick was one of her favorite historical figures and she is a plotter (a writer who outlines the plot before writing the book), I had to get to know her more.  It’s not every day you find these things in common with someone. In this article, I am sharing with you Angela’s recent book, why Ireland called her to write its stories, and how her faith guides her to the end. 

Her recent book, Shadows of the Forgotten Shore, is on its way to my mailbox. It will be a journey to remember! 

Tell us a bit about yourself and your latest book. 

I’m Angela R. Hughes, wife, mom to two amazing teenagers, avid baker, and adventure-seeker. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me experimenting in the kitchen, planning our next family outing, or exploring the Texas Hill Country with my husband and kids. We’re still fairly new to Waco, having recently moved from my home state of Oregon, but my heart will always be split between here, the misty forests of the Pacific Northwest, and the rugged beauty of Ireland, where I lived in my twenties. I’ve also spent time in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, each place leaving its own indelible mark on my imagination.

I’m a Historical and Paranormal Fantasy author with a passion for blending myth, history, and faith into rich, character-driven tales. My debut trilogy, The Once & Future Chronicles, reimagines Arthurian legend in the aftermath of King Arthur’s death. It features a younger, battle-hardened Merlin and a mysterious traveler from the future with ties to the kingdom of Prydain.

This holiday season, I’ll be releasing The Lost Son of Orcades, Part 1, an origin story set in the same world, revealing the untold backstory of one of Arthur’s legendary heroes.

But my most recent release, Shadows of the Forgotten Shore, is perhaps my most personal novel to date. It’s a modern-day Irish ghost story filled with folklore, superstition, and the raw beauty of the Irish coast. The idea began with a simple premise: a young woman returns to her childhood home in Ireland after her mother’s death, only to realize grief may not be the only thing haunting her, but also a very real curse may be at work.

At first, I wasn’t sure where the story would go, or if it would even become a book. Then memories of my grandmother’s lakeside property came flooding back: cabins to explore, deer trails to follow, fishing in a muddy lake, and the upstairs bedroom that was pure magic by day but utterly terrifying at night. That childhood mix of wonder and fear became the foundation of the story. Combined with my years living in Ireland and my love for folklore, it evolved into a layered tale about the origins of fear, bitterness, unforgiveness, and family secrets, woven with romance, mystery, and the supernatural.

I’ve always admired the way M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs paired suspense with a heartfelt exploration of grief, loss of faith, and everything happening for a reason. I wanted Shadows of the Forgotten Shore to do the same, to draw readers in with chills and twists while leaving them with something deeper to carry away. Many of the details in the novel, a 70’s style mushroom mug, a stack of romance novels on the stair, and the eerie seaside view, come directly from my own life, making it not just a story for readers, but a legacy piece for my family.

What drew you to Celtic myths and legends? What is your favorite myth?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been captivated by the fantastic, and not just as “stories,” but as possibilities. Myths like Iliad & the Odyssey, Jason & the Argonauts and Beowulf are unique in that they’re rooted in history, carrying whispers of truth from a world our ancestors experienced firsthand. Some see them as charming old tales; I see them as evidence that earlier generations could see beyond the veil into realities we’ve chosen to ignore.

As a Christian, I can’t help but notice how often Scripture intersects with the supernatural: angels, demons, giants, and the miraculous. When you begin to compare those accounts with ancient myths from around the world, you start to see fascinating parallels: global flood stories, giants, demi-gods, and heroes. While not all of these align with biblical truth, they echo fragments of it, and I can’t resist exploring where history, myth, and truth collide.

That’s where my inner history nerd comes alive, digging into ancient civilizations, uncovering what they believed, and imagining how I can bring that into my story telling.

If I had to choose a favorite myth, it would be Arthurian legend. Many people think of it as medieval knights and castles, but its roots are far older and mythical, woven from the lives of real historical figures and the bards who told their stories long before the Middle Ages. The earliest accounts, found in works like The History of the Kings of Britain and later, The Mabinogion, speak of champions, warriors, faith, monsters and valor. I’m endlessly intrigued by that fine line between legend and truth, between a fantastical tale and an account of something that may have actually happened.

Those same questions drive my own writing: could this be real? What if it was? My novels may be shelved under “fantasy,” but I write them with the deep suspicion that the world still holds more magic than we’re willing to admit.

You said that St. Patrick is one of your heroes. Would you expand on that?

Absolutely. St. Patrick’s life and ministry are endlessly inspiring to me, not only as a writer but as a person of faith. He lived during one of my favorite periods of history, a time of upheaval when the Roman Empire had withdrawn from Britain, chaos reigned, and the so-called Dark Ages were taking root. It was a moment when it seemed civilization was crumbling, yet in the midst of it, something extraordinary was happening. Christianity was spreading with a fire that would preserve knowledge, culture, and hope for generations.

Patrick was at the center of that fire. His ministry in Ireland was marked by courage and supernatural power, surviving assassination attempts, walking unharmed from a burning hut, and even raising the king of Dublin’s children from the dead. He trained and inspired others who carried that same boldness into Europe, sparking a movement that quite literally changed history.

When I first learned about the real Patrick, (not just the mythologized figure draped in shamrocks, driving snakes from Ireland) he became a living example to me that faith can change the course of nations. His life was so inspiring, and would go on to encourage my imagination, spiritual depth, and vision of my writing. As would writers like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald and Stephen Lawhead.In fact, it was during a trip to Northern Ireland to visit Patrick’s historical landmarks that my own writing journey truly began. After hiking to the Cloughmore Stone, (the very rock said to have inspired Lewis’s Stone Table in The Chronicles of Narnia) a friend turned to me, put an arm around my shoulders, and said, “It’s time for you to write your books.” I had never told him I wanted to be a writer. But in that moment, something clicked. I went home and began writing my first novel. Six years later, I’m working on my sixth book.

What does plotting mean to you as part of your creative process?

For me, plotting is like having a map before setting out on a journey. I like to know my destination, even if I don’t know exactly how I’ll get there. Most of the time, a story arrives in my mind fully formed from beginning to end. I’ll jot down a chapter-by-chapter outline to capture the key beats before they fade.

But once I start writing, my characters inevitably start meddling with my plans, and I love it. They make unexpected choices, reveal secrets I didn’t know they had, and force the story to take turns I hadn’t plotted. It’s like watching the plot breathe on its own.

In Shadows of the Forgotten Shore, for example, I knew where I wanted my characters to end up emotionally, but I had no idea exactly how the climax would unfold, or even what the final reveal would be for one of my most mysterious characters. I discovered those answers in real time, in the middle of the scene, with my heart pounding and my fingers flying across the keyboard.

So while I’m technically a plotter, I always leave space for discovery. My best moments as a writer happen when I’m as surprised as the reader, when the story shows me something I didn’t expect, but that makes perfect sense in hindsight. That’s when I know I’m on the right track.