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Madison Layle
An interview by
Jennifer |
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Jennifer was honored to have the privilege of interviewing this Madison Layle for Wild on Books! Madison discusses her writing influences, the differences in working with a partner and writing solo, her upcoming releases and more! Madison Layle's Sites:
www.madisonlayle.com Posted June 29, 2008
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Madison: Thanks, Jennifer. I’m glad to have this chance to chat with you and Wild on Books. I wrote my first short story romance just a few years ago. It was originally planned for a magazine, but when that didn’t work out, I revised it to make it longer and sent it to a new publisher that I’d heard about through my critique group. I was very fortunate that they liked it. Cobblestone Press published the story under the title, Diary of Dreams, which was in the summer of 2006. It’s been a crazy ride ever since then!
Madison:
Absolutely. When I was growing up, we kids didn’t have video games or satellite
TV with hundreds of channels. My parents encouraged me to read, and that
eventually led to a strong interest in writing. Jennifer: Your stories vary in genre from BDSM Romance to Paranormal Romance to Contemporary Romance. Do you have a preference for what romantic sub-genres you write?
Madison:
It’s a toss up between BDSM and Paranormal romance, because I love both, and
when I can mix them… Well, that makes it even better! But I always make certain
that romance is the primary focus. Sex is exciting and fun, but without a strong
emotional commitment of the heart, the sex can prove meaningless. I don’t shy
away from erotic sensuality, or even a bit of fetish foreplay, but I won’t write
stories without heart and meaning. Jennifer: Do you tend to read the same genres you write, or do you read other genres?
Madison:
My favorites tend to be similar to the types I write, but I’ve read every
subgenre of romance one can think of. Variety is what makes reading enjoyable.
Jennifer: Every fan has to ask their favorite authors this question: Who are your favorite authors to read?
Madison:
LOL I think my answer is different every time I answer this question. It really
depends on what I’m reading at any given moment. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed
reading print books by Anne Rice and Sherilynn Kenyon, among others. But I’ve
really loved reading books by Lori Leigh, Shelly Stevens, and Deanna Lee. My
favorite story of all time, though, remains one written by Anna Leigh Keaton,
who later became my writing partner. That story is Phantom Lover. It’s a really
cool story. Jennifer: Who or what has been your biggest writing influence?
Madison:
I’d have to say my mother for encouraging me to read when I was little. If she
hadn’t done that, I don’t think I would’ve become the writer I am today. Jennifer: You have co-written a number of books with Anna Leigh Keaton. What challenges are there with working with a co-author and in what ways is it easier?
Madison:
The easiest thing is being able to brainstorm ideas with someone, so writer’s
block is extremely rare for me. The hardest thing, which really isn’t all that
difficult, is that my co-writer is such a pantser, while I’m a plotter. I take
the notes, including character worksheets and such, which keep us both on track,
and she writes faster than I do, which prods me into action just to keep pace.
I’m fortunate that my co-author and I think and write so much alike. We work
really well together. Jennifer: Speaking of co-writing, the INCOGNITO series doesn’t show signs of losing steam anytime soon. Can you tell us how many future stories you have planned for this series? Madison: That’s a good question. When we first began our partnership on this series, Anna and I originally planned a trilogy, but that blossomed into an 8-book series…and then that stretched into even more, with a 10th book coming out in June 2008. That’s Soren’s Surrender, which is Anna Leigh’s solo book for the series. Owning Rachel is mine, while all of the rest have been co-authored. I can’t really say when the series will end, except to say that it definitely will end when Anna and I can’t ensure the same high level of unique, entertainment we’ve been able to maintain thus far in the series.
And for Wild on Books readers, I can announce that Anna Leigh wrote a short,
erotic tale for Cobblestone Press’ new WICKED line that, after reading it, I
talked her into releasing it as a prequel for a new Incognito story. The
characters she came up with were so awesome, I thought their full story needed
to be told. And we’ve also co-written a Wicked short story as a prequel for
another Incognito, which we’re writing now. How long Incognito will continue is
anyone’s guess. But, as long as the ideas are still coming, we’ll keep writing. Jennifer: The INCOGNITO books center around a private BDSM club, but are most certainly what I would consider BDSM romances. Are there limits to what elements you will include in these books?
Madison:
BDSM takes sex far beyond typical lovemaking. Many consider it extreme, but
that’s always been the challenge with this series…how best to push the envelope
while staying true to our personal commitment to matters of the heart. So, while
the limits are shoved higher than some might consider comfortable, I have to
admit that, yes, there are some things you’ll never see in an Incognito story,
such as nonconsensual sex or sadism that causes permanent physical damage. Our
goal is not to provide a how-to guide to BDSM, but to entertain readers by
providing a romantic love story within the realm or subculture of BDSM. Jennifer: I believe I read that your INCOGNITO books were the first from Cobblestone Press to be in print. That must have been exciting for you! Will your other Cobblestone Press releases be in print soon as well?
Madison:
Yes, it was! Anna and I were truly honored to hear that Cobblestone Press
decided to take Incognito to print, and I hope it’s the start of something that
will see future Incognito stories in print. I believe it will, but that’s still
an unknown. I would also like to add that our stories are also available for
Amazon’s Kindle! Jennifer: A number of your romances have included a ménage theme with two men and one woman. What do you think it is about this fantasy that intrigues so many women?
Madison:
Probably the same reason men love the idea of having two women cater to their
sensual fantasies. I think the idea of one man finding you attractive is great.
If you add another man, it’s twice as nice. So, by writing stories where the
heroine finds herself in that situation, I provide a way for readers to sort of
live vicariously through that heroine. It’s a way to explore one’s fantasies in
a safe and fun way. Jennifer: Where do you find inspiration for your stories? Do the characters come to you first or the plot?
Madison:
That changes with every story. With Owning Rachel, I literally dreamed the story
as if I were watching the triad of characters. It was a great dream (*big
grin*), and it made me want to write the story as soon as I woke up, but I
didn’t even know the characters’ names until after I started writing. With
Seducing Olivia, their names came first because they’d appeared as secondary
characters in Rachel’s story. But with one of my latest novels, Seduction’s
Bite, the plot came to me first. It pits a female vampire hunter with a
justifiable hatred for vamps against a vampire who is sent to recruit her. Jennifer: Is music a factor for you while you are writing? Do certain songs put you in the right frame of mind to right certain stories?
Madison:
Sometimes, yes, but I find that music with words tends to distract me, so I
prefer instrumental. Jennifer: What career goals do you still have to look forward to?
Madison:
As with most writers, I’d like to earn additional print contracts, but my
primary goal is to keep the story ideas coming. Hopefully I can do that and
continue to earn a living doing what I love to do most, and that to write. Jennifer: You have a new solo release with Cobblestone Press in the EROTIC BITES series. What can you tell us about SEDUCTION’S BITE?
Madison:
With Seduction’s Bite, I get to combine my love of vampires with a bit of fetish
fun. When I write, I love to challenge myself, and this story proved quite
challenging. The heroine, Cheyenne Logan, suffered a terrible life-altering
tragedy at the hands of a rogue vampire. She literally hates them, doesn’t trust
them, and wants to kill every one she can find. So, I just had to make her hero
a vampire! Kieran is a vampire with his own problems. He uses sex to give him a
reason to live on as something he never wanted to be, but he’s haunted by a loss
that won’t permit him to commit his whole heart to anyone, much less a human.
The story really kicks into a higher gear though when he’s sent to recruit her
into an underground organization…without getting himself killed, of course.
Seducing her into his world doesn’t come easy, but that’s what makes the whole
adventure thrilling. Jennifer: Of course, we want to hear about your summer release as well – can you talk a bit about RAJAN’S HOPE? Madison: Oh, Rajan! He’s a very powerful genie with a serious problem. Centuries ago, he thought he had everything he could possibly dream of. He was worshipped as a fertility god, with his every sexual whim catered to by sacrificial virgins whom he kept in his harem. But he was cursed, which turned him into a stone statue. His only chances to break the never-ending cycle is during a 10-day period each time a woman touches him and wishes him alive. His hope lies in his “mistress”, only his latest heroine is unlike any he’s encountered before. Caitlin is a feisty modern-day businesswoman trying to make it on her own. She doesn’t believe in wishful thinking or magical freebies, but she winds up with much more than she bargained for when her statue comes alive and vows to fulfill her every ‘wish’. Seduction’s Bite and Rajan’s Hope are both available now at www.Cobblestone-Press.com, and you can read more about all of my solo and co-written novels at www.MadisonLayle.com.
Madison:
Believe it or not, I have six writing projects underway as we speak, including
book #2 in the Erotic Bites series, the next story in the Incognito series, and
several other solo projects, so there’s quite a lot to keep me busy for the rest
of this year and then some. (And I’m not even counting a new series that my
co-writer and I have already plotted! Egads, I need a clone! LOL) Jennifer: What would your fans find interesting or surprising about you?
Madison:
Oh, dear. This is always such a hard question to answer, because I don’t know
what fans might find “interesting” or “surprising”. When I’m not writing, I’m
addicted to word puzzles. See? Not all that amazing, is it? Hehehe. Okay. Well,
I’m really a down to earth kind of person who is very happily married to the
love of my life…a man who loves it when I write the hotter scenes in my
erotic romances. I’ll let you read between the lines on that one. LOL Jennifer: If they made a movie of your life, what would it be called?
Madison:
Incognito, of course! LOL. Jennifer: Madison, thank you so much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to share with us in this interview? Madison: Thank you! I do want to say that I enjoy hearing from readers, so if I may, I’d like to share these links. You can always reach me online at my various Internet haunts:
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