In the author spotlight today we have the awesome Madeleine Holly-Rosing, creator of The Boston Metaphysical Society.

Madeleine is well known throughout the steampunk world. A consummate creator and supporter of others, her book on how to run a successful Kickstarter campaign is a must read for anyone looking to run a successful campaign of their own. I have a copy sitting on my desktop at this very moment!

Quite what possessed her to put herself through the wringer like this we don’t know, but let’s see how she gets on shall we.

What was the first novel you ever sat down to write? How old were you at the time?

It was called The Mavens of Magic, a middle-grade fantasy. And no, I’m not going to tell you how old I was. 😊

How old were you when you finally got published? How many novels had you written by then? Which one got published first?

Yup. I’m going to skip that first question. I’ve written only two novels. The first is the one mentioned above and the second was Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets. I self-published that one.

What are your crutch words? Which words do you most overuse?

That would probably be “that.” Hahaha And also, “informed.” I always have to weed those out.

Which character of yours is your favourite, and why? (And why is it never the main character?)

Her name is Beatrice Weldsmore, and she first appears in a novella I wrote called, Steampunk Rat. (The story is in my anthology, Boston Metaphysical Society: Prelude.) However, she is one of the main characters in the trilogy I’m working on off and on called, Boston Metaphysical Society: The House Wars.

I like her because she’s a woman of a certain age, powerful, but has a secret that could destroy everything she’s ever worked for. She adheres to the rules only when it suits her or if they work to her advantage. Beatrice is ruthless, but uses that aspect of her personality only when necessary.

How’s your grammar, spelling, and punctuation? What mistakes do you make most often?

OK. Getting better with time and practice. Semi-colons and hyphens are what I screw up the most.

How disciplined are you as an author? Do you have set goals? How often do you fail to meet those goals?

I usually get everything done, eventually. Often the goal post shifts as other priorities take over. Like right now, I’m not writing at all as I’m fulfilling one Kickstarter while running another. My responsibilities to my backers take precedent, which means I won’t run two Kickstarters in a one year again if I can help it.

What’s something you hate in other people’s writing that you try to avoid doing in your own but often end up doing anyway because words are hard?

Books that start off too slow. The weird thing is I am a fan of the slow burn. I will hang in there if the characters are interesting, but if not, I’m gone.

If you could go back and change any of your already published work, would you? What would you change, and why?

Yes. In fact, I plan on doing that with my short stories and novellas. I want to go back and re-edit them and then re-publish under a different cover. The grammar and punctuation could use a do over.

Which part of the writing/publishing process do you like the least?

The marketing and formatting. It takes time away from writing other things.

Aside from book sales and big piles of cash, what does literary success look like to you?

Writing a book that I’m proud of.

Finish this sentence: Reviews are…?

Reviews are a necessary evil. Most of the world believes you must have reviews to be considered a “real” writer. But the fact is, they do help to sell books. However, I’ve gotten to the point where I ignore anything on Goodreads and you should too.

What aspects of steampunk are you not a fan of?

Corsets! I love the way they look, but I’d rather see them on other people and not wear them. hahaha

Which of your books should a new reader start on? Pitch it to us.

The original six-issue graphic novel series in trade paperback about an ex-Pinkerton detective, a spirit photographer, and a genius scientist who battle supernatural forces in late 1800s Boston. That’s what started it all. Then I’d move to the prequel novel, Boston Metaphysical Society: A Storm of Secrets. However, they can be read in any order as they are both standalone.

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Thank you to Madeleine for answering my Awkward Questions. If the Boston Metaphysical Society sounds like your kind of thing Madeleine’s running a Kickstarter campaign for her exciting new audio drama, The Ghost Ship, which you can be a part of. Or there’s a reprinting of her original Boston Metaphysical Society six-part comic series coming out later this year from Source Point Press. Get it while it’s hot!

You can also follow Madeleine on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.