Fantasy fiction author Megan Freeman on life by the sea, surf therapy, and how the myth and magic of Cornwall seeps into her writing
Interview Susie Atkinson | Photography Aaron Hindes
I have always been drawn to the wild beauty of the Cornish coast. I grew up in Penzance, and although I left for university and work, I moved back in 2020 with my husband. We found a cottage in Poldark tin-mining country, surrounded by rugged landscapes by the ocean.
Living by the sea is a gift. The coastline here is breathtaking. It’s impossible not to be inspired by it. I am a writer and have just published my first book, and it wouldn’t have been written if I didn’t live by the sea. It plays a huge role in my creativity. Something about being near water, the endless horizon, the rhythm of the waves – it gives my mind space to breathe.
My day job at The Wave Project, a surf therapy charity, is another way the ocean shapes my life. We help young people struggling with mental health issues, using the power of surfing to build confidence and resilience. I see it every day – the way being in the water lifts people, how their posture changes; their worries seem to lessen.
Cornwall is full of folklore, and where I live, near Carn Kenidjack, is no exception. That deep connection to myth, nature and the sea seep into everything I write. Though my debut novel starts far from the sea, its characters, like me, eventually find their freedom at the edge of the ocean.
Megan’s first novel, A Better Nightmare (£8.99, Chicken House), is out now.
