Today I have romance author Madonna Lacy who is also known as M.L. Lacy and I met her through my friendship with Terry Kate, creator of Romance in the Backseat, when we had our live chat together. Well Madonna got in touch with me one day about sending me a copy of her debut novel, Chrysalis: The Awakening, which Madonna is going to send me a signed copy for me to read and review later on my review blog so keep a look out for that review. Also don't forget to come back on Thursday, October 22nd because Madonna will be guest blogging about her debut novel, Chrysalis: The Awakening, which is the first book in your Chrysalis Series. Now onto my very fun and informative interview with Madonna:

Phoebe Jordan: When did you know that writing romance was going to be the thing that you would do with your life? Which author inspired you to start writing romance? Madonna Lacy: It wasn’t something that I inspired to do. It just developed on its own. I wanted to try my hand at putting the stories I have always made up in my mind to paper. I never thought of mine as ‘romance’ stories though—just my stories with romance in them. Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you? Madonna: I have always liked the paranormal realm so romance/fiction/fantasy will always be my genre. I can do more with it. I hope to do true mystery/romance, who done it…one day. Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote besides any school work? And do you still have it with you? Madonna: I have never written a book before this one. Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research? Madonna: Since it’s in the fantasy realm, and because I wanted my mythical beings to be different, it’s all my way. My characters do not follow the typical molds for vampire, witches, werewolf (if there is such a thing). Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your current novel, Chrysalis: The Awakening, which is the first book in your Chrysalis Series? Madonna: It was a story that had been in my head for some time. It wouldn’t leave, so I kept my thoughts going with it and finally this is the way I wanted it. The entire book has played out in my head. The beginning and the ending of the story have stayed the same, what happens between now and then is like life—it keeps changing. Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, Chrysalis: The Tribulation, which is the second book in your Chrysalis Series? And what are your titles and plans for any of your future books in your Chrysalis Series? Madonna: I try to come up with the titles that will give a little insight into what’s coming in each chapter of her life. Tribulations relate to the distress or suffering that happens. Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there? Madonna: I pick names I like. When I’m thinking about the next book, I have characters I want to add. I decide the personalities first and how they are going to interact with the current cast of characters and run with it. I loved the name Odessa and it fits the Guardian in the story. Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your current novel, Chrysalis: The Awakening? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your current novel, Chrysalis: The Awakening? Madonna: I like writing for each of them, Esmeralda is a fun character to write for, she’s a good evil person, no one knows really what she’s up too. (She has many irons in the fire). Sandy’s fun and sassy. I really like them all. Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, Chrysalis: The Tribulation? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, Chrysalis: The Tribulation? Madonna: I haven’t any favorites really, I enjoy the time I get to spend with each of them. A lot is happening in the second book; a lot happened in the first book, book 3 will be just as action packed. Gina will play a larger role in Bree’s life in book 2. Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels? Madonna: First I have to come up with a story line, then I just write, what happens, happens. Then through the editing process I try to take out things I have put in that really aren’t leading anywhere. I don’t write by outlines because things change throughout my story. I know how each of the book starts and ends and I know what major things happen in the story. So what happens in the middle is really up for grabs, as long as I get to the major parts and the ending—that’s what matters. Phoebe: Which do you like best, writing a series or are you going to give writing stand alone novels a chance? How is writing each different for you? Madonna: I like series, but I’m in a writing contest in November and it should be at least 80,000 to 100,000 words. I hope to end it as a stand alone but leave it in a way if it is received well to continue with it. Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long? Madonna: I have self-published my books. I looked at all the companies online, researched them and finally decided on AuthorHouse. I’ve had a very good experience with them and I’ve been learning more along the way. Once I made the decision to self-publish it took about 4 months. Phoebe: Why did you decide to self-publish your novel instead of sending it to an agent or a publishing house? Madonna: It came down to ‘I wanted the book’. Several of my friends and family members read the story and I thought they’d just say ‘okay, that was good’ and let it go at that. But when I got their reactions and they were excited for the next book, and read the manuscript for the second and were still excited, I thought why not. I tried the traditional routes. Since I hadn’t any previous publishing credentials, I soon realized it was probably not going to happen as quickly as I wanted it to happen, it’s very hard to break into the publishing world. So many really good stories go unpublished. So after receiving the rejections, I decided that since I had put a lot of work into my story—I wanted it in book form. Now I have it and I have started getting a following, so maybe I might give it another try on the third book in the series, or maybe the story I write in November. We shall see. Phoebe: How did you feel when you finally saw your first published book? Madonna: Honestly? I was elated! I cried and then I read it again. Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels? Madonna: Not yet. I just write and see what happens. Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.) Madonna: When things happen in a story and you have no idea how it happened. I like details; I like to bring you along on the journey, not just arrived and not let you know how you got there. Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any? Madonna: Creating is what I most enjoy. Twists and turns. I like for you to see what I am seeing. Sometimes I tend to get a little carried away in describing something, I’ve toned that down. I don’t like a lot of ‘flowery’ prose. I don’t talk that way so I don’t write that way. I’m very common in my writing and my readers like my style. Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without? Madonna: A dictionary and a thesaurus. Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane? Madonna: It’s hard for me at the moment. I wanted to write at least two books a year—that was my goal. But that was all I seemed to be doing and so I have set a schedule to do one a year. I write a few hours at night, between the news and nighttime TV. Then I spend that time with my husband. I write on the weekends but I try not to let it interfere with my home life. I don’t always win! Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies? Madonna: I enjoy painting and riding bikes. I scrapbook and I like to travel. I like to help my husband with his genealogy—I like to research dead people! Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you? Madonna: My advice is simple, find what works for you and keep writing. No matter what the reviews say. It’s all subjective. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box. You won’t please everyone so it’s important that you please yourself. Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you? Madonna: There are a lot of inexpensive ways to promote your work such as word of mouth, getting reviews, doing blogs like this as well as Facebook, Twitter and Book Clubs. There are a lot of expensive ways too. Set a budget and stick to it. Bookmarks are great, I leave them everywhere. Libraries love them. Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)? Madonna: I don’t have ‘favorite’ author(s)—I have ‘favorite’ series. I read Steven Berry, Rick Riordan, a lot of YA (because I have 3 granddaughters and I want to stay current with them). Of course I read the Harry Potter series! Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that? Madonna: Currently, I’m not reading anything. I have Rick Riordan’s last book in the Lightening Thieves series sitting on my night stand…waiting. I want to read Steven Berry’s The Charlemagne Pursuit and then his next one, Dan Brown’s The Last Symbol.