Today I have the absolute honor of sharing my interview with Madison Granger with you!
My favorite part of being an author is getting me meet other authors who are like minded, creative, full of fascinating stories both imagined and experienced! Getting to share and imagine those stories with other people is a true gift, and I'm so very lucky to have had that opportunity with Madison!
I'm super excited because I get to work with Madison on a new project that will be released in January 2021 called "Sinners & Saints - a Collection of Romantic Interludes" (you can get your copy HERE).
But until that release comes out, I couldn't help but wanting to share a little bit of Madison with you guys beforehand!

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1. Why did you first start writing? What was the inspiration for your first book?
I was encouraged by two FB friends who were new authors themselves. Meeting them at a book convention (ARC NOLA) was the turning point. I went home and started writing.
Phoenix Rising was a story that had been in my head for several years. It was a fantasy I kept going to entertain myself.
2. Did you ever consider traditional/indie publishing? Was there a reason you chose the way you did to go about publishing your works? Do you have any insights for future authors trying to make the same choice?
My first venture was with a hybrid publishing house. I learned a tremendous amount from the publisher including how to format and publish my own works. I taught myself how to make teasers and book trailers. When the publisher cut loose the house authors I stayed with indie publishing because I was basically doing it all by myself anyway.
3. How many books do you have published now?
At the moment I have eight books published.
4. Do you have any books in the works at the moment?
I’m currently working on a story for an upcoming anthology and 3 novels.
5. Any advice you’d offer up-and-comers looking to find their place in the literary world?
Be prepared to give 150%. Do it because you love it, not because you expect to make any money at it. Money is a bonus.
Now that we got THAT out of the way, lol, let's get into a bit more about YOU!
How about "publishing" and actually getting your book out there to start with?
6. What do you see as the differences between self/indie publishing and traditional publishing? The pros/cons of either/or?
Plain and simple, control over your work. Which is why I like indie publishing, I like picking the cover, adding the front and back matter I want, and formatting it the way I want.
7. Did you edit/format your work on your own or did you use an outside source? Any good resources you can pass along to others looking to do the same?
My former publisher taught me to format. Now, I’m glad she did. I like having control of how my book turns out. I was advised in the beginning to hire a good editor. Best advice ever. Self-editing is delusional, in my opinion. You’re never going to find all the mistakes and you’re too biased to see where changes could help.
8. What is your least favorite part of the writing / publishing process?
Formatting is my least favorite part. I can do it and I’m proud of the finished product but it’s not done without sweat, more than a few tears, and an awful lot of cussing.
9. How do you choose your covers? And, follow up, does the cover influence your character, or do you match your covers to the personalities you’ve already written about?
When I get ready to write a story, I go through tons of stock photos of models to find who looks like my main characters. When I find those pictures, I send them to my cover artists with a brief description of the story. Their magic takes over and they send me what they come up. They usually get in the first try, only tweaking until it’s perfect.
10. And though this isn’t actually publishing, it’s still a fun question: How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?
Names are very special to me. I will research names for days before I find the right ones for my characters. I have a note app on my phone with a looonnnngggg list of names for future characters.
SO, now I totally have to talk about you and your writing a bit! To really get to know the “you” of Author Madison Granger:
11. Where do your ideas come from?
Dreams. Seriously, I wake up and have the beginnings of a story.
11. Do you hand write or do everything on your computer?
I do everything on my computer. I’ve tried to handwrite, but when I’m in writing mode my brain goes too fast and my hand can’t keep up.
12. I’m wonky when it comes to writing. I don’t pre-plan anything, per se, but I have files on all the stories that I’ve written to keep my series in order and in line, even if I’m the only one who ever sees any of that. Do you do any pre-writing or post planning work for your novels or series?
You should see my binders! Or maybe not. LOL Especially for my series because there are so many people, I have to have character bios, and a HUGE family tree. I keep track of eye color, hair color and their bonding marks and scents. (Read the books, you’ll know what I’m talking about LOL)
13. If you could go back to your first book, would you keep it the way it is, or would you change it?
I actually have changed it, a little. Not the story, but the setting up. When I started writing I was clueless to POV (point of view) and my first book glared with errors. I have since straightened that out and corrected a lot of errors. I’m happier with it now.
14. What do you think is most emblematic of your writing style/novel?
A lot of my characters are older, more mature. I’m not talking about my shapeshifters either, who are hundreds of years old. Torie Masters in Phoenix Rising is a divorced grandmother. I like to say I give a realistic bent to fantasy.
15. If you could pick your favorite scene out of your work, what would it be and why? (If you have an excerpt, please feel free to share also.)
My favorite scene is actually an entire chapter and it’s in my 2nd book, Eternal Embrace. It deals with the attack on a neighboring werewolf camp. The Alpha beaten and left for dead, and his children are killed. Every time I read it, I’m moved to tears. I simply feel it’s one of my best pieces because it strikes such a strong and heartfelt chord.
16. Do you have any good advice for young romance authors trying to find their footing when writing a romance scene? Any good resources that maybe helped you when you started writing?
I actually bought a few of those books to help you write erotica and romance scenes. I got more use out of the book that told me how to write a better fight scene.
Best advice: Make sure the positions are correct and you have the right number of appendages where they’re supposed to be. If you mess that up, someone will call you on it. LOL
Okay, and now, we’ve gotten the “business” portion of the interview done, lol, let’s talk “FUN” stuff…or what I think is fun…lolol.
17. You wake up tomorrow, and your main character has been deleted from your novel! What would your other characters do in response?
In my series, the clan would band together and work through it. Personally, I would be devastated. Quinn McGrath is my true book boyfriend.
18. It’s 1775 and the Revolutionary War in America has just started, and your main character is thrust into the middle of the Battle of Bunker Hill! Would they live/die/flee/fight?
My people fight! They’re all warriors of some kind.
19. If you could step into any one of your novels and spend a “day in the life” of one of your characters, who would it be? If you stepped into a particular scene, would you change it from what you’d written originally, or would you want to live it like your hero/heroine?
Torie Masters and I would totally live her life.
20. If any one of your novels was to become a movie or a TV show and you got the chance to work with the casting director for it, do you know who you would want to play your characters or who your inspiration for those characters were when you were writing your novel?
I’ve yet to find anyone to play my Kindred warriors but Roman Reigns HAS to be Sully from my UF, To Kill A Demon.
And my last question…because, everyone needs to know:
21. Dragons…or wolves? One word answer is not enough! We must know! What is your favorite supernatural creature?
Dragons, and here’s the kicker. I’ve yet to write about them! But I’ve always loved them and have a ton of statuary in my home dedicated to them.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me, Madison, and thank you, readers, for taking the time to get to know us a little better.
I'm so excited to be sharing an upcoming release with Madison in "SINNERS & SAINTS - a Collection of Romantic Interludes" coming in January 2021 (Preorder your copy HERE).
But until then, because I know you're gonna need more of Madison to keep you going, make sure to check out her latest release: DEUCES WILD - The Kindred Book Five!
Links to Madison:
Email: mgrangerauthor@gmail.com Website: http://www.madisongranger.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadisonGrangerAuthor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadisonGranger Amazon: amazon.com/author/madisongranger Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15139766.Madison_Granger Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/madison-granger
Book Links:
Phoenix Rising, The Kindred 1 https://tinyurl.com/y7nl9hh2
Eternal Embrace, The Kindred 2 https://tinyurl.com/yaaa8eln
A Destiny Denied, The Kindred 3 https://tinyurl.com/ycreenv7
Blindsided, The Kindred 4 https://tinyurl.com/ya4rperl
Deuces Wild, The Kindred 5 https://tinyurl.com/y8s8bohw
To Kill A Demon https://tinyurl.com/ycv53upm
Save the Last Dance https://tinyurl.com/yavm5fpk
Heart of Stone https://tinyurl.com/yaw52mk5
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