Author Interview-- Madisyn Carlin

 Hello, everyone! Super excited to be part of the blog tour launching Madisyn's book, Deceived! 

In a land built upon lies and deception, uncovering the truth can be deadly.

Therese Westa is sick of death, but taking lives is what provides for her younger sisters. When a client approaches her with an unusual request, Therese takes the job offer, which includes the condition of “no questions asked”. As Therese uncovers the reason for the request, she is faced with a choice: kill an innocent man or save her sisters.

Therese’s hesitation to carry out the assassination thrusts her into the aftermath of a dangerous chain of events. Caught between security and truth, Therese must choose where her loyalties lie, for the answer will determine who survives. 

Doesn't it sound amazing?? It's right up my alley, and I'm definitely going to be adding this book to my bookshelf! You can find it here on Amazon or order it from the author here.

But enough about that. Here is the author herself, here for a fun interview! Hello, Madisyn!

Thanks for having me, Olive!

For the first question, how many books have you written?

I have written six full-length novels, five spanning over 100,000 words, one short story, and countless half-finished tales, which I have promised myself I will finish…eventually.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I spend time with my family, exercise, read, canoe, and traipse through the prettiest mountain range in the world. I also collect notebooks, stationery, and pens and pencils.

 

Is DECEIVED your first published book?

Yes, it is my first published book. However, it is not my first published work. My short story, A Past to Bear, was published last year in Whitstead Harvestide.

 

What is your writing process? Are you a plotter or a pantster? When do you write best?

My process for beginning an idea usually follows this order: jot down a few notes in the dead of night (I’m fortunate if I can decipher my handwriting the next morning), create an inspiration board while simultaneously hunting down a title, then finally begin writing.

I am definitely a plotter. The thought of pantsting is enough to make me ill. If I don’t have an outline to follow, I can’t write the story. Regarding when I write best, there’s not a specific time of day. If I have an opportunity to sit down and log in some word count, I’ll take it. Weather-wise, I write best when it’s snowing or raining.

 

Who was your favorite character to write, and why?

I love all of my main characters, but Rogan, by far, is my favorite. He’s quiet with a hidden sarcastic side and takes his job seriously. One of the reasons he is my favorite is because I see the potential in him. His loyalty, sense of honor and duty, and desire to do what is right make him a formidable character to write. It will be a battle to get him to realign his stance and loyalties, but I can’t wait to see how he turns out in the end.

 

What was your favorite moment to write in DECEIVED?

I have two favorite moments. The first is when my characters first hear about God.  The second is the ending. I won’t go into details due to spoilers, but those final chapters are probably where the most character formation occurs.

 

What movies or books would you say are similar to DECEIVED?

Resistance by Jaye L. Knight and Dare by Tricia Mingerink are two books which are similar to DECEIVED.

 

Does DECEIVED have a theme song?

“Destiny” and “Back to Life”, both by Skillet, are the book’s/series’ theme songs. For instrumental, “Destiny of Mankind” by Two Steps from Hell.

 

Do your main characters have theme songs?

They do. “Broken” by Lifehouse and “On My Own” by Ashes Remain are theme songs for all four. Those are the only theme songs I have for Holder and Therese. Other theme songs for Rogan include “When the Truth Comes Out” by Manafest and “Break the World” by Nine Lashes. Ivelle’s other theme song is “Foreigner” by Ledger.

 

How did you come up with your world?

Parts just fell into place while others I had to sit back and think about. The kingdoms’ names were easy—Orm means “darkness” and Uri means “light”. I knew I wanted a land infested with evil and where knowledge about the one true God was sparse at best and unknown at worst. I had to dig for the antagonists’ motivations. Through that was born certain punishments, lies, and myths about Uri, and King’s Day. Around those concepts everything else was built.

 

If your book was a dessert, what would it be?

This question definitely made me think!

Sugar cookie, I believe. There are multiple steps to making sugar cookies, just as there were multiple steps to what comprises the final product of DECEIVED. At first sugar cookies may seem simple, just like DECEIVED, but they are more complex than originally thought.

 

If you were to give new writers advice, what would it be?

One piece of advice I would offer is to never let writing-related disappointments and perceived failures keep you from writing. Writing is not an easy craft. It takes time, often years, to hone your ability and find your voice. You will encounter roadblocks, potholes, and unexpected bends along your writing journey, some of which may encourage you to give up and call it quits.

Don’t. Please, please don’t give up. Every hardship, every heartache, is honing you as a writer, bettering your craft. God gave you your story for a reason. Don’t let that dream die. Don’t let it dissipate because difficulties arise. Every word, even the ones you don’t think are good, is from God. Write your stories to glorify Him.

 

That's all the questions, but thank you for participating in the interview! And readers, if you want to get to know Madisyn more, you can *insert social links here*

Book Rating:

Overall Rating: PG13 for violence and thematic elements. 

Language: some usage of "blasted"

Sexual Content: No. However, prostitution and mention of a character being forced to work at a brothel are mentioned, but not glorified.

Violence/Gore: nothing overly descriptive or glorified. 

Magic: none.