Author Spotlight: A.M. Madden | CJC Photography

Author Spotlight: A.M. Madden

CJC Photography, Boston, book cover photographer, A.M. Madden, Stone Walls1) How did you get started as an author and what made you want to pursue that field?

Funny story… I’m not a writer, I’m a reader. I wrote my first book as I was working full time. I had no objective, except to write a story filled with things I love in a good book. I thought three people would read it. I was then laid off from a company I worked at for twenty four years. My objectives quickly changed.

2) What hurdles have you overcome while striving towards your goals?

At first it was very hard to put myself out there, open to scrutiny and criticisms. When you are already dealing with many insecurities, it can play mind games and not in a good way. Learning to accept feedback, both good and bad, has definitely been a challenge. I consciously remind myself to keep true to my goals, and to not be too influenced by individual opinions.

3) Which novel has been your favorite to write and why?

Book 3, Encore. When I started the series, I had originally planned on two books. As the story progressed, I realized I had too much to say in just an epilogue. Book 3, in essence, is a very long epilogue. It was the part in their story that started it all for me. I visualized that ending before anything else. Finally putting it on paper was an emotional experience for me. I love every part of that book. Backstage, which is Trey’s story, is a close second for me. It’s different than the other four. It was a challenge from page one to page 300, but I feel I grew a lot as a writer with that book.

4) For those looking to become an author, what advice would you give them?
Be patient. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Mind you, this advice is coming from the most impatient person on the planet. I published book one without a social media presence, without proper editing, a book cover that was awful, and no one committed to reading it. I had to stop, and reassess my goals. When I re-launched book one a few months later, I finally did it the right way.

5) Favorite motto?
Things happen for a reason.

6) In one word, how would you describe your writing style?
Realistic.

7) Which author inspires you the most and why?
I have more than one. I love S.C. Stephens, Colleen Hoover, Alice Clayton, Samantha Towle. I can go on and on.

8) What is your writing process like?
I start with an outline  that changes constantly. I also carefully create the characters personalities before I start writing the story. I need to connect to them first, before I can throw them into a book. Sounds weird, but they become as real to me as my family is.

9) Goals for 2015?
Keep writing, keep publishing, and keep being grateful for all that has happened.

10) What new projects are you currently working on?
I’m finishing up my sixth book. It’s called Stone Walls and it will be released in early March. It’s my first stand alone romantic suspense novel about a cop named Ben Stone.

11) Any final thoughts you would like to share with the CJC Photography readers? 
Contact me. I love hearing from readers whether they are familiar with my books or not. I’ve meet some great people since starting this a year ago. It’s probably the best part of becoming an author. Connecting with perfect strangers, and forming a bond just because we are all #romancejunkies in one way or another.

Connect with A.M. Madden

I’m really excited to be working with A.M. on her upcoming novel Stone Walls!

– CJC Photography

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2 CommentsAdd a comment

On Monday, February 9th 2015 at 1:01 pm, Debbie Collins said:

A.M. Madden, is one of my all time favorite authors. It is so easy to get attached to her characters, because they seem so real!!

On Sunday, February 8th 2015 at 9:09 pm, Tracy Tighe Holowczenko said:

I am a huge fan. A.M. Madden is an amazing writer.

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