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I am one of those rare birds - a California native. I've
lived in California my whole life and I love it
I never intended to be a published author. It just happened.
One night, when my husband was at work and the kids were in bed and
there was nothing on TV, I sat down and started writing a book of
my own. That book was COMANCHE FLAME. And I've been writing ever since.
I also write paranormal romances as Amanda Ashley.
I write for Leisure Books, Signet Books, St. Martin’s Press,
Zebra Books and Silhouette Romance.
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A Time To Shine @ Sime~Gen would like to Welcome Amanda Ashley/Madeline
Baker, and thank her for interviewing with us.
THE
INTERVIEW
Ok, the last two times we chatted, we found out about your books/writings
and about you, the author. Now we'd like to find out what has been
happening in your life since then.
Now that you are published, do you feel like you are treated differently
than you were before? If so, how?
Of course published authors are treated differently. It's a complete
change of status from unpublished to published. Unpublished authors look at
you differently. You look at yourself differently. Starting a book is one thing.
Finishing it, and selling it, is something else entirely.
Once you're published, you get a whole new set of problems and find
yourself facing deadlines, dealing with covers you hate, copy editors, galley
proofs, and coming up with another book, and hopefully, another after that.
You need to decide if you want/need an agent and how to find a good one. You need
to decide what to do about promoting yourself and your books, booksignings,
entering contests, and going to conferences.
Once you've published a few books, friends and neighbors will come to you
and tell you they have this great story idea, and if you'll write it, they'll
split the money with you!
How has this affected your daily life?
That's hard to say. I've been published for so long now, I can't
remember what it was like when I wasn't. For me, writing has always been fun,
something I do because I enjoy it. I always said when it stopped being fun,
I'd quit, though I can't imagine not writing.
How does it feel to see your life's work in print?
Wonderful! Even now, after 50 books, it's still a thrill to walk into
a bookstore and see my books on the shelf. I remember being so excited when
I saw my first book in a store that I went home and got my camera and took a
picture of my book on the rack. Except for the births of my children and
grandchildren, I don't think anything else has been as exciting or satisfying.
Do you see any changes in the types of books and characters that you are
writing now compared to when you first started?
Well, when I first started writing, I was writing historicals and
then I started writing vampires. And then I started writing romances for
Silhouette. But even though I'm writing for several different houses, I think
my characters remain pretty much the same. My heroes tend to be alphas whether
cowboy, Indian, or vampire.
What changes are you seeing?
None that I'm aware. The only real difference is that I spend more time
on research than I did when I first started, and that my library of research
books on cowboys, Indians, vampires, werewolves, and witches has grown.
Has your writing taken a different direction from when you first started? If so how?
Not really. I still write the kinds of books I like to read.
What changes have you seen in the writing industry over the course of your
writing career?
The publishing industry seems to be shrinking. I think there are fewer
publishers now than when I started. Except for big name authors, I think
print runs are down. It seems most publishers are experimenting with new lines,
everything from books for teens to erotica. I am appalled that so many authors
are using the F word in their books. I have stopped reading two of my
favorite authors because of that word and the way it's used.
Do you feel these changes are for the better or worse?
I have no idea. I guess only time will tell.
What kinds of stories/characters can we expect to see from the "seasoned
author?"
Pretty much the same thing that I've always written. I especially
love writing paranormal romances and would like to write more of them.
Is there anything new on your agenda? (Book signings, new writings, tours, etc)?
I don't do many booksignings. I've never been offered a tour. As
for new writings, I'm currently working on a historical for Signet and when
I finish that, I'll go to work on another vampire book for Zebra. I have
several other stories I'd like to work on when I have the time.
Is there anything else you'd like to mention that we haven't covered?
Just to tell unpublished writers to hang on to their dreams and never give up.
My first book was rejected 31 times before I sold it.
Recent Or Upcoming Author titles:
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SILHOUETTE ROMANCES
by Madeline Baker
Dude Ranch Bride
West Texas Bride
Callie's Cowboy (7/04)
HISTORICAL ROMANCES
Leisure Books by Madeline Baker
Reckless Heart
Love in the Wind
Reckless Love
Love Forevermore
Reckless Desire
Renegade Heart
First Love, Wild Love
Lacey’s Way
Forbidden Fires
Prairie Heat
Comanche Flame
Midnight Fire
Cheyenne Surrender
Apache Runaway
Lakota Renegade
Chase the Wind
Spirit’s Song
Lakota Love Song
Reckless Embrace
HISTORICAL ROMANCES
Signet Books by Madeline Baker
Hawk's Woman
Apache Flame
Lakota Love Song
Wolf Shadow
Under Apache Skies 9/04
TIME TRAVEL
Leisure Books by Madeline Baker
A Whisper in the Wind
The Spirit Path
The Angel and the Outlaw
Feather in the Wind
Under a Prairie Moon
Unforgettable
Chase the Lightning
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VAMPIRE ROMANCE
Leisure Books by Amanda Ashley
Embrace the Night
Deeper Than the Night
Sunlight Moonlight
A Darker Dream
Shades of Gray
Midnight Embrace
VAMPIRE ROMANCE
Zebra Books by Amanda Ashley
After Sundown
A Whisper of Eternity
Shadows Through Time (2/05)
VAMPIRE/PARANORMAL ANTHOLOGY
Leisure Books
Paradise - Baker
Enchanted Crossings - Baker
After Twilight - Ashley
VAMPIRE/PARANORMAL ANTHOLOGIES
St. Martin's Press
Midnight Pleasures
Stroke of Midnight (Fall 2004)
HISTORICAL ANTHOLOGIES
Leisure Books by Madeline Baker
A Frontier Christmas
A Wilderness Christmas
Love’s Legacy
HISTORICAL/CONTEMPORARY ANTHOLOGY
Silhouette Books
Lakota Legacy
Big Print Editions
Thorndike Press
Lakota Love Song
Reckless Embrace
FANTASY
Leisure Books
Beneath a Midnight Moon - Baker
Warrior’s Lady - Baker
The Captive - Ashley
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