Interview For Maddie James

I am reading The Curse now for review and it is wonderful!
Tell us a little about yourself

I’m a Midwest girl, grew up in Ohio, transplanted to Kentucky when I went to college. Some people would say Kentucky is south, but where I live it is still sorta Midwest. I have a hint of a southern accent but still a lot of Ohio in me. I have two grown children, a boy and a girl, and three adorable little grandbabies, ages 3, 2 and 1. Yes, my daughter is busy. I love to see them when I can and marvel at how much they grow and learn everyday.

I work full time for a non-profit literacy organization and spend a large majority of my time working in schools on American Indian reservations. So, I travel quite a bit and have learned to write on the laptop in airports and hotels quite handily.


What do you write?

I started out writing category romance back in the late 90’s for Kensington but my writing muse has turned me into a new direction the past few years. For the most part I’m writing light paranormal and romantic suspense/thrillers. Everything seems to have a suspense edge to it.

Why do you write?

Because I can’t not write! Back in 2000 I got a new day job. It was a huge learning curve for me. One of my coworkers described it as going back to graduate school. Yeah, it was like that. A lot of research and reading and writing and travelling. And I stopped writing. I was off-balance for four long years. Finally figured out what was going on. There were too many stories in my head! I had to get them out! It’s just a part of me and those stories just nag and nag, so they have to be told.

What are you writing now?

I’m working on a time-travel trilogy at the moment. The books are contracted so I’m on deadline. Book one, THE CURSE, will be released in November 07. I’m writing book two, now. I’m also working on a pretty hot romance/thriller, too, that is currently not contracted.


What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

It depends on the occasion. I’m usually pretty casual. My work on the reservations dictates what I wear there. Business casual is way to dressy. For the office, that’s fine. But what I REALLY like to wear is my jeans and comfy shirts and if it’s winter, I’ll be wearing my cowboy books, likely. I just love ‘em? Now, when I get home in the evening after work, I wear the slouchiest most comfortable sweats I can find, or maybe even a nice comfy nightgown!

Are you in love? Have you ever been?

I’m currently not in a relationship or in love. I lost someone I loved very much about a year ago. I’ve been in love before, yes, a few times.

Do you have a dream lover – and what does he look like?

I don’t know if I can describe what he would look likes as much as I could describe how he would make me feel. His love would be all-consuming, unconditional, and would just wrap me up with it.

What kind of comfort food do you like best?

Lasagna. Hands down. With a chocolate chaser.

What makes you laugh? Cry?

These days, lots of things! But we wont’ go into hormones. Small children make me laugh. Anything slightly emotional makes me cry anymore.

What do you do to amuse yourself when not working?

When am I not working?  I leave the day job and come home to write most day. But, I love working outside in my yard, fiddling with the plants, getting my hands dirty. I walk, a lot. And I read and watch movies. Oh! I cook, too. Love to cook. I am working on a cookbook, too.

What is it in a man or woman that turns you on? The clean version please!

The way he looks at me.

What do you hate about life?

I can’t say I hate anything about life. I usually roll with the punches and try to find the lesson learned or the message in just about everything.

What do you hope to achieve in life and when will you know that you have been a success?

If my children remain successful adults I will be happy. If I can make a difference, even a small difference, in the lives of other people, I will be satisfied. If my stories make my readers feel something, that would please me.

What are you going to write next?

I have a plethora of projects going! Once the time-travel trilogy is finished, I have a little Cajun werewolf story that is waiting on me, and the thriller, and another romantic suspense, and a Native American story, a witch, and even a futuristic… See, they are all there in my head just begging for release!