Madelyn Grey’s To Capture a Rebel’s Heart releases tomorrow, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for us.
You can get your copy of this exciting start to a new series HERE!
Did you always know you wanted to be an author? What is the first story you remember writing? How did you get from there to where you are today?
Absolutely! I like to say I’ve wanted to be an author ever since I could hold a pencil in my hand. Even when I couldn’t fully form words and sentences, I was drawing and scribbling out stories. My favorite silly memory is back when I was in first grade, I wrote little “books” for everyone in my class. I stapled together a cover page, the story, and then a back cover, and passed them around as gifts. I apparently got lazy with one story, because a classmate came up and asked why it was unfinished. I told him I got bored, and that he was supposed to finish it himself. Thankfully, you won’t find anything like that from me anymore!
In regards to where I am today, as a millennial, I participated in the fanfiction and RPG scene (writing characters with other people online), so I wrote daily for years, and that really helped hone my craft. I wrote my first book at age thirteen (bless me for thinking it was anywhere near publishable), and started querying other books at age nineteen. I like telling people to never give up, because it took me well over ten years to get contracted! I’m forever grateful to Dragonblade (and my perseverance)!
What is the most inspiring place you’ve visited and has it shown up in one of your books?
I tend to find inspiration in little things, rather than a whole picture, so for the Heart’s Rebellion series, I’ve been inspired by Michie Tavern in Charlottesville, VA (I modeled the Grey Whale Tavern after it in To Capture a Rebel’s Heart); the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut (the hero in To Save a Rebel’s Heart is a privateer); Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon, VA (their video on spying is what drew my focus to Revolutionary War spies, which are featured prominently in To Capture a Rebel’s Heart).
How much research do you do into the time period and places you write about? Do you have any experience dressing in character or participating in living history situations or are you more a fan of libraries and online resources?
I do as much research as possible! Although I spend most of my time with articles, libraries, and online resources, I really enjoy going to museums and live events. I’m really glad I went to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, because their talk about historical medicine made me realize I had a couple things I needed to tweak in To Capture a Rebel’s Heart. They also had a display showing how camp life would work, which further fleshed out To Hold a Rebel’s Heart since that story centers around a Continental soldier/camp follower romance, and I got to hold a musket and see how insanely heavy that was. I ended up sinking forward with the muzzle going into the dirt!
As a side note, I haven’t dressed up for anything before, but I was recently inducted into DAR, so that may change one day! I love 18th century clothing!
What drew you to the era you write in? Is there something about the time period you think most people don’t know about? What do you think would be the most difficult part about living in that period?
I remember being interested in the American Revolution in fifth grade, and I enjoyed the movie The Patriot as a kid, but I never truly got invested until I needed to write a flashback for an entirely unrelated story. That time jump brought me back to the 1770s, and I found the era and the people to be fascinating; before I knew it, I was reading tons of nonfiction on the subject, and then by the end of 2020, I was researching for my first novel in this series.
Since I can’t speak for everyone on what they may or may not know, I’ll confess I’d never thought of the American Revolution as America’s first civil war until I started my research. The available movies and books often villainize the British, but the reality is, it was thought of as brother versus brother. A good portion of the British didn’t actually want to fight America, because they would be firing on their family and friends (and vise-versa). While there are definitely villains in my series, I tried to humanize my characters in the sense that no side is purely good or evil.
What are your favorite kind of characters to write? Do you have a specific trope that you’re drawn to?
I adore writing characters with humor and a bit of bite. I, myself, am quiet and shy, so getting to explore confident, brazen types is always a lot of fun for me. Usually, these are side characters in my stories, but my heroine in To Capture a Rebel’s Heart definitely falls under the category of all of the above. I also tend to write devoted gentlemen – or “simps,” as people much younger than me would say – who would do anything for their woman and loved ones. In spite of that, I do love friction and/or lighthearted teasing, so banter is a must. I used to write enemies-to-lovers all the time, but only have mild versions of that for this series. Heart’s Rebellion mostly focuses on forced proximity (book 1-3), forbidden love (book 1 and 2), childhood-friends-to-lovers (book 2), and learning to love again (book 3).
Where is your favorite place to write? Does it change depending on where you are in the process?
I have to be boring and say my desk! I’m easily distracted, and have never been able to read or write if people are around. I also need the room to either be completely silent or have instrumental music, because otherwise I can’t focus. I’ve sadly never been able to write on vacation or anyplace with added stimuli!
Which comes first for you: the plot or the characters?
It depends. Sometimes, I’ll think of a character I want to write, but don’t have a story in mind; more often than not, I come up with an idea and then develop the characters. I’m by no means a plotter, so I’m typically developing them both in tandem.
Do you know where the story is going before you begin, or does it come to you as you write? Do scenes come to you fully formed or are you as surprised as the reader?
I almost never know where my stories are going until I get to the end. It may sound chaotic, but it really works for me! As a millennial, I’ve unabashedly been writing fanfiction since 2003. My favorite type of review to receive is, “I can’t wait to see what happens next,” because I always laugh and respond with, “Me too!”
Does your writing process include any kind of ritual? Story specific playlists, tea, or candles, for example?
I definitely make playlists for my couples! I’ll often listen to those while trying to get in their headspace, or while making marketing edits on Instagram. I’ve uploaded one for Ben/Clara from To Capture a Rebel’s Heart here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5VNTpHHVCc1NXh2xEVXyQR?si=55fde8be57864a0c
Do you write better in the morning or evening? How do you handle the distractions of working from home, especially if you’re sharing the space with others?
I definitely prefer evenings, seeing how I’m a huge night owl, but I’ve also made surprising progress in the morning hours, as well. Can’t say I’m picky! I have a full-time job in addition to being an author, so sometimes I’ll manage to sneak in some writing on my downtime.
When it’s difficult to physically travel, how do you find ways to escape?
I suppose it’s cliché to say books and comfort TV, but that tends to be my best bet! Reading (and writing) will always be the greatest form of escape for me. I also really love The Golden Girls. That show never fails to make me laugh (and cry)!
From all your books, who is your favorite hero and why?
This is tough, because I’m fond of all of them – they’re my “brain children,” after all – but I think I have to go with Sylas Tidwell, from To Save a Rebel’s Heart. Like I mentioned above, I really enjoy writing characters who have humor, and he allowed me to write a lot of jokes and light-hearted banter. He’s also complex since he suffers from PTSD (he’s a Revolutionary War veteran), so I got to explore a lot of angst with him, as well, which I’m fond of since I like dipping into the darker parts of a person, and then helping them find the light again.
What do you like to read when you’re not reading in your genre? Did you have a favorite book or series when you were growing up?
Just like with my taste in music, I’m a fan of all genres! When I was a kid, I was really into the Baby-sitters Little Sister series by Ann M. Martin, as well as Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Goosebumps, and the Garfield comics. As an adult, my favorite book is The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. I’ve reread it three times, and with each instance, I’ve gotten something completely different out of it since I was at different chapters (no pun intended) in my life.
