Friday, September 29, 2023

This week in The Loft: Author Madison Michael!

Joining me today in The Loft is Chicago's own Madison Michael. The author writes steamy romance, including the Beguiling Bachelor series, and several stand-alone romance novels. Today, Maddy is visiting The Loft to chat about "Tall, Dark and Rich," a billionaire romance anthology that includes stories from 25 romance authors. Born and raised in Chicago, Maddy covered the four corners of the U.S. before returning to her roots, friends, family and the best pizza anywhere. She loves cats, cat jokes and cat videos, anything with too much sugar, and everything writing. 

Author Madison Michael

S:  Good morning, Maddy! It's so nice to chat with you again.

You write "spicy" romance books. How do you determine the heat level of your stories?

M:  I have a rule that I follow on this one, but I freely admit it is based on my own biases about love and sex. My heroes, and heroines have been around the block. They are usually in their late twenties or older, and I feel at that age, romance includes sex. So, rule number one, for me, is that with older couples, I assume they are already sexually active. Number two, I write pretty explicit sex scenes, but they must contain elements of romance and promote the love story. Otherwise, they are gratuitous, and frankly, writing hot sex scenes is too much work to make them superfluous to the story. When I write sex, I try to make it about the  connection. For example. they "caress" instead of "touch." I use the scene to show how the pair gives to each other, takes care of one another. Oh yeah, and I make it sizzle!

S:  Like you, I believe romance includes sex. In most instances, it's the natural progression of a romance--mutual attraction, dating, love, sex--but not necessarily in that order.

Do you think romance books have become too steamy/spicy?

M:  I think there is no such thing as too spicy, but I also believe we have a responsibility as authors to be clear with our readers what they are getting. Readers can make their own decisions about what they read, including the level of "spice." That said, I think many of our sexiest books lose sight of the story, the characters, and the plot in their effort to write about sex. These elements need to go hand in hand.

S:  Book banning is back in the news and even some very popular romance authors' books are being removed from school libraries. How do you feel about this trend? How do we fight it?

M:  I have a big problem with the way that state governments are engaging with educators and librarians around the U.S. I have the benefit of a great, broad education, and access to libraries. In fact, my mother was a librarian. She is responsible for teaching me to love books. As for banning, and threats to libraries and everything else people are attempting to restrict knowledge, I believe it will come back to bite us all—with an aroused curiosity for banned books, with an uneducated population and workforce, and by diminishing authors, teachers and librarians from pursuing their work. How do we fight it? The same way we fight over-encroachment in every aspect of government. Learn where your candidates stand on issues, become an informed electorate, and then vote. Don’t let anything stop you from voting, be it for school board, governor, or president. Local elections matter. Just ask your local librarian!

S:  Every time I read about book banning/burning, moments in history flash through my mind. If we truly prize freedom of speech in this country, we must be willing to fight for it at all levels.

What is the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you as a writer?

M:  Best and worst sounds so dramatic, but my first fan letter was pretty exciting. Finishing each book I actually publish feels like the best thing, in that moment. The worst was my first bad review—but I read the feedback, realized the reader was right, and did a complete overhaul of my first books. How else do we learn, right? But it was painful.

S:  Have you ever shelved or thrown out a manuscript? 

M:  I have three shelved books right now. One simply needs my attention, one I put away half-finished because I wasn’t clear about what I was writing, and the third got away from me. It was supposed to be a short story, but it keeps growing. So I put it away for a while with the hope of having a fresh perspective when I return to it. Many writers shelve manuscripts so that they can return to them with fresh eyes. I try to do this whenever I can.
But throw one away? Never!

S:  When a story idea strikes me, I quickly write the first chapter and then jot down plotlines and character ideas. Sometimes, the idea leads to a book, sometimes it doesn't.

What inspired "A Crazy Rich Dilemma," your contribution to this anthology, "Tall, Dark and Rich?"

M:  I was very excited when author Stephanie Morris announced she was doing a billionaire romance anthology this year and invited me to be included. I was in the middle of my All’s Crazy in Love series, about eight childhood friends who meet at a reunion an dare one another to get married within a year. It only made sense to write a billionaire romance that was adjacent to the Crazy series. So, I created a sister for one of the characters and went looking for a suitable plot. Lucky for me, a friend had a great truth is stranger than fiction story of how she met her boyfriend. Using Leah’s story for inspiration, “A Crazy Rich Dilemma” was born. 

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about “Tall, Dark and Rich?”

M:  I hope readers with order and share this limited-time offer with their friends, book clubs, or anyone who loves indulging in addicting love stories. Over one third of the writers are already best-selling authors, and as of this writing, more than 25 of us are contributing. Also, the anthology will be available for a short time and at an unbelievable cost of only $ .99. "Tall, Dark, and Rich" is available for preorder now.

Here's the blurb:

Money, suits and style.

Possessive, dominant, and used to getting their way.

Tall, dark and rich.

These powerful men will stop at nothing to claim the women they want. From boardrooms to bedrooms, these billionaires live a life of luxury and excess, but it's the women who captivate them and hold their hearts.

Follow the journeys of these powerful men as they navigate the turbulent waters of love, lust, and power while they explore their deepest desires.

With intense chemistry, blistering sensuality, and unforgettable characters, this anthology is a must-read for anyone who loves their romance with a healthy dose of heat. So pour yourself a glass of wine, get comfortable, and be swept away by the intoxicating world of steamy billionaire romance.

The anthology includes stories from--

Melissa Stevens - NYT bestselling author
Stephanie Morris - USA Today bestselling author
Megyn Ward - USA Today bestselling author
Sahara Roberts - USA Today bestselling author
Gina A. Jones - USA Today bestselling author
Dawn Brower - USA Today bestselling author
Zee Irwin - USA Today bestselling author
Lenora Cowan - USA Today bestselling author
Charmaine Louise Shelton
Madison Michael
TL Reeve/Michele Ryan
Grace Grahme
Anne Roman
V.K. Holt
Kitt Lynn
Erika Vanzin
MacKenzie Stowe
JC Jaye
Jess Peters
Eliza Renton
Anika Lynn
Susanna Eastman
E.S. McMillan
Vic Leigh
Elizabeth Kozloff


S:  The anthology sounds amazing. Where can readers purchase it?

M:  It's available at-- 


S:  Maddy, thanks for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Madison Michael and her books, please visit--

Website:  www.madisonmichael.net


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