Here's our interview:
Where did you get the idea for OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY?
Our music loving friends were in town so my Beau, Michael, suggested going to The Green Mill to hear authentic Chicago jazz. (
http://www.greenmilljazz.com) On Swing Night, there is an orchestra and a performance
ala the 40's or 50's. It feels like stepping back in time. The idea for the book came to me then and there. Michael solidified it when we took swing dance lessons together. The man can cut a rug. We relived that swing night week after week until I was compelled to write
Our Love is Here to Stay.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book?
When readers finish Our Love is Here to Stay I want them to appreciate the power of love; to have an "aah" moment but wish for a little more. There is a happy ending but there is an opening for more. If it inspires them to learn swing, that's okay too!
What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?
I would love to try writing Historical Romance, perhaps a Regency. I was initiated into romances by authors such as Barbara Cartland and Georgette Heyer and have always loved the wardrobes, the manners and the monarchy.
If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?
When I wrote my first Beguiling Bachelor book, Bedazzled, it was not intended to be part of a series. I locked my characters into situations without concern for follow up novels. My characters for Besotted, Tyler and Regan are constricted by my earlier writings. If I could go back, all four books and all the key characters would be taken into consideration from conception.
What is the hardest part of being a writer for you?
I love writing but I am consumed with all aspects of being an indie publisher. Self publishing is a little like doing a jig saw puzzle…you put in a piece and you can see the picture better. That reinforcement makes it harder to walk away from the puzzle and go back to the isolation of writing. It is difficult to find enough time for both full time jobs.
What comes first for you – plot or character? And why?
Characters always come first. I may have a plot concept, but the plot will evolve based on the characters. I need to know them, really know them, to make their actions plausible, and to make their chemistry fiery and satisfying for readers.
What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?
The most fun has definitely been
Beholden. I loved writing about bitchy Sloane Huyler and pairing her with Randall. They played off each other so well. I could just relate to them both. I wonder what that says about me. As for the easiest to write, my bonus free book (
www.madisonmichael.net)
Studmuffin, which may be the sexiest of the books I have written, was my first short, standalone, novella so it was pretty easy. Also, I am a divorced woman who may or may not have had a fling with a younger man. Let’s just say I could relate well to my heroine.
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it? Does it help you with your writing?
I am an occasional inn-sitter for two gorgeous B&B’s. One is the inspiration for my upcoming B&B Billionaire series. Check out the actual B&B that I based my Lakeside Lodge upon at
www.stoneporchbb.com
Do you have any pets? Are you cat person or a dog person? Or are you into totally different pets, like goldfish? What do you like best about your pet?
I love dogs but I am a city dweller so cats are my companions. Last year I parted company with my two feline editorial assistants after almost twenty years together. It was heartbreaking. I plan to adopt again this spring. It’s lonely writing without a paw striking the computer keys now and then.
If money were not an object, where would you most like to live? Why?
I have played the ‘if I won the lottery’ game a million times, and every time I have houses in California, New York and Spain. I love that unique California attitude. I think New York would be fabulous with an unlimited budget and I want a jumping off spot in Europe and Spain has tons of great cities – Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia for example, that I never tire of visiting.
Name two authors we might find you reading when taking a break from your own writing.
I am in love with Kate Canterbary’s Walsh Series and Karen Marie Moning’s Fever Series. They both create wonderful, flawed characters that discover their hidden strengths, and these authors pen sensuous stories that are impossible to put down.
What do you like best about your hero in OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY?
Like Matthew, I used to be a software consultant. That road warrior existence is exhausting. Matthew, despite his travel weariness, embraces Chicago, and I love that he is willing to make it, and Patty, home.
What do you like best about your heroine in OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY?
I really like Patty’s enthusiasm for the future rather than her being limited by the times. Sure, it facilitates the plot, but wouldn’t we all want to be the kind of woman who jumps into life with both feet? Patty is that woman.
How do you choose the names and physical characteristics of your characters? Do you base them on real people?
This is a difficult task. I create the essences of my characters, their troubles, strengths, families, histories, what drives them, before I place them in settings and plot. Like a parent, I wait to "see" my newborns before selecting their names.
I get an image, ideas for names and play with them in my head for several days. It often takes me numerous tries to get a name right – Wyatt Lyons Howe was a Jefferson, a Geoff and a Wallace before he became a Wyatt. As for faces, that’s easier for me, but I always pin photos on the wall to make sure that I am consistent in eye color, the shape of a face and other features.
How can readers reach you or find you online?
Tell us a little about your current work in progress.
I am just completing the first story in my new B&B Billionaire Romance series, Desire & Dessert, to be published as part of a collection in April. I am excited about both the new series and the collection. Look for them this spring.
What’s your tagline? Why did you choose it?
I don’t have a personal tagline, but I am open to suggestions
Do you have an event coming up you’d like to tell us about?
As an author, no. In my personal life, I am chairing a benefit for Mental Health America on March 4. Our focus is helping teens, their families and their community get access to any assistance they need and fighting the stigma of mental illness. If you want more information, email me at
maddy@madisonmichael.net
If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?
My favorite novel is Beholden. I just love the characters. My fans favor Bedeviled the best. The best way to approach my books is to start the journey with Bedazzled, the first book in my Beguiling Bachelor series. Then keep reading and let me know which you would most recommend.
Tell us about your next release.
My next project is the first in my B&B Billionaire series.
It is coming out as part of a collection of billionaire themed stories scheduled for release in April. I have already sketched out several other books in the series and am really enjoying writing these characters. The first, Desire & Dessert, is the story of a billionaire hotelier who is purchasing a charming B&B managed by someone equally used to calling the shots. When our spoiled executive makes one too many changes, sparks fly.
Is there anything we haven’t covered here that you’d like to tell readers?
I love my fans and would enjoy engaging with them more often. Whether they want to email to tell me about themselves, suggest plots, characters or settings, or to submit reviews to the many outlets available, I look forward to hearing from them.
