Hello, and welcome to a very special series of interviews!
AC Adams and I have put together a little anthology, and it's coming out on November 15, so I'm interviewing some of the authors involved.
Let's talk to Madi!
Madilynn Dale is an author based out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. She writes fantasy, romance, and paranormal pieces primarily. She spends most of her day with her son, tending to her pets, and writing.
Madilynn holds degrees in several areas. She has a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from Southern Nazarene University, located in Oklahoma. She also has an Associates of Science degree in Physical Therapy Assistant Sciences from Oklahoma City Community College. She is licensed as a Physical Therapy Assistant in Oklahoma and works as a PRN therapist.
Madilynn has enjoyed reading various forms of fiction and the occasional non-fiction story since she began reading as a young girl. Writing seemed to be another piece of this addiction to books, and she embraced it after becoming a mother. Writing is now a piece of her soul to be bared to the world.
Madilynn's hobbies, when not writing, include reading, baking, crafting, hiking, and horseback riding. She loves to travel and explore. One day she hopes to expand her travels and see the world, but in the meantime, you will find her working on her next novel. She will most likely have coffee and some form of chocolate with her as she writes.
DCU or MCU?
Absolutely MCU. I’ll watch DCU movies but for me they aren’t done as well as the MCU.
Coffee, tea, or cacao?
I will always choose coffee. I’ll occasionally drink the other two but coffee is my go to. It keeps me going even when I don’t want to keep going.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
A lot of my ideas and inspiration for my writing and books comes from dreams. I get further inspiration from the world around me.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing or working on things book related, I like to travel, read, cook, and sleep. I also like to spend as much time as I can outdoors. Nature is a must for me.
Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?
My advice would be that once you finish writing something, step a way from it for a bit then go back and start self editing. Going in with a refreshed mind lets you look at the story different and find things you missed.
Do you like to create books for adults?
I do! I like to tie in a bit or sometimes a lot of steamy stuff. I may someday write one for children so my son has something to read by me.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
When I write I try to be original. I let the story in my head flow out. It won’t fit all readers but I don’t write to market.
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Publishing my first book taught me a ton of lessons. One was to slow down and pay attention to what I’m putting down. I stayed in my head a bit and learned more of the show don’t tell tricks. I also started planning more after pantsing my first book completely.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
The best money I ever spent as a writer and continue to spend is on my book covers. A lot of readers will pick a book by the cover and not spend much digging into reviews or reading the synopsis. They go “Oh pretty,” then add to cart.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I think I would have to choose a mouse with glasses. I like it to be quiet most of the time I write, not only because my son is sleeping. I also like to close myself up in my new writing cave and type away.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
At this point in time I believe I have maybe six half-finished books or short story collections. I have one that is finished and unpublished, well I guess two since I have a manuscript sitting with my editor.
What does literary success look like to you?
Literary success is different for us all. For me, selling just one book is success. It’s an ever changing thing though and I strive to get my book out there in more ways. I want to share my stories. I’d love to make money in the process but we all know that it’s slow going as an author for making bookoos of money.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Engaging with people and talking about your books is what I’ve found to be the most beneficial for me. Building that relationship is the key. Even if they aren’t huge fans of your genre, they may still make a purchase because of awesome you are.
What do you have coming next?
I have on deck a couple of things. Soon to release is an anthology titled Deals In Blood featuring one of my short stories in it, of course there is also Spice & Steam, and shortly after that I’ll have Blue Flames available for pre-order. It’s going to be a busy next few months.
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