SUMMARY

Introduction:

• I welcomed Madeline Nixon to my channel, Pen to Paper, to discuss her latest work, “Not Actually,” which was released in November.

Madeline’s Background:

• Madeline shared she was named after the famous children’s book character, Madeline, by her sister.
• She’s from Ontario and has authored three adult books alongside 14 educational kids’ books.
• She’s also an editor and has been writing since high school, where an encouraging teacher sparked her passion for writing professionally.

Writing Journey:

• Her professional writing started after a high school assignment where her teacher recognized her talent.
• She pursued professional writing at university, leading to her diverse portfolio.

Inspiration for “Not Actually”:

• The book was inspired by a scene in her previous novel, “Emergency Lullabies,” involving a nanny at a library event.
• The title “Not Actually” came from a playful pun on “Love Actually,” suggested by her mom, influencing the book’s theme and scenes.

Character Development:

• The main characters are Zoe and Kieran. Zoe is described as spontaneous with a complicated background, leading to her life upheavals at the start of the book.
• Their relationship is characterized by banter and history, feeding into their chemistry.

Challenges in Writing:

• I asked about the difficulties she faced, and she mentioned a particular scene at the end of “Not Actually” took a week and a half to write due to the complexity of getting it right.

Writing Process:

• Madeline discussed dealing with imposter syndrome and writer’s block. She emphasized the importance of persistence, knowing your process, and community support.

Transition to Romance:

• Although her first book was about ghost stories, her love for romance stories in various media led her to write in the romance genre. She’s now exploring paranormal romance with a ghost hunters’ love story.

Upcoming Projects:

• Madeline talked about her involvement in the Valentine’s anthology, “Heart’s Lock, Love’s Key,” featuring a snowed-in, enemies-to-lovers story.
• She’s also working on a Christmas novella with a witchy twist, aiming for a June 2025 release.

Advice for Writers:

• She advised new writers to listen to their own rhythms, not forcing writing when inspiration isn’t there, and to find or create a community of writers for support and inspiration.

Social Media and Engagement:

• Madeline is active on multiple platforms under the handle @markedwithanM. She discussed the varying effectiveness of each platform for writer-reader interaction.

Personal Touch:

• We shared a moment over the nickname “pumpkin” and discussed our shared interest in ghost stories and haunted places, including a light-hearted detour into Scotland’s ghost lore.

Conclusion:

• I encouraged viewers to explore Madeline’s work, follow her on social media, and look out for her new releases. We wrapped up with a mutual appreciation for the writing community and the joy of storytelling.