Indie Support Sunday: Madeline Nixon

I must thank all the incredible Canadian authors I know and follow on social media for introducing me to Madeline Nixon. While I haven’t read her books yet, I have them on my TBR and cannot wait to dive in. Speaking of Canada, that’s where all of Madeline’s books are set. Putting emphasis on her identity as well as where she calls home is important to her, and that honestly is the best thing about being a writer.

Madeline grew up in a family of writers and that’s what she was meant to be doing, starting with writing fanfiction and performing plays with friends—this has been her destiny. And like any good writer, she also eavesdropped on people’s conversations for inspiration. Those of you who say you don’t do that, we know the truth! And while Madeline doesn’t choose specific genres for her books, she has written a collection of ghost stories and is now in the beginning stages of a series of interconnected romances!

You can find her romance books in Kindle Unlimited!

BEING AN AUTHOR

Who or what inspired you to write?

I’ve basically been writing my entire life. My mom’s a writer and my sister’s a writer. It was just a normal thing to do in my family. We grew up writing fanfiction and performing plays we made up in the basement with friends. I never really thought about it as a career until I was in grade nine and my English teacher told me this was something I should pursue. That kind of changed everything for me.

What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author? 

The best is that it allows me to do what I love. And, obviously, the support that very enthusiastic readers and other indie authors give. The worst is probably that you’re doing all of this on your own. You truly don’t realize how much goes into publishing until you’re the one doing it. 

Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?

Honestly, I would love to go the traditional route one day. I have so many manuscripts that I still continue to query. But ultimately, I’m impatient. I wanted my words out in the world without waiting years to hit at the exact lucky time. Traditional publishing is a lot about luck and I’m not lucky so I took my fate into my own hands. And despite how hard it is to be your own hype team and market all on your own, I really like it this way. 

When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?

I have a constant narrative going on in my head. As I’m going to sleep or on a road trip or so many other mundane scenarios—I’m telling stories in my mind. I’m also nosey as hell and used to eavesdrop on conversations when I was in university, then write down the funny pieces of dialogue. But when my mind is quiet, I enjoy crafting, baking, and watching terrible reality TV. 

If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?

I love this question! Okay, I’ll break this down by genre (and get oddly specific):

Horror: The Troop by Nick Cutter

Historical Fiction: Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall

Literary Romance: People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

British Romance: Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane

Mystery Series: Three Pines by Louise Penny

Graphic Novel: Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Celebrity Memoir: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Memoir: My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward by Mark Lukach

Romance/Women’s Fiction: The No Show by Beth O’Leary

Paranormal Romance: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Paranormal Mystery: Omens by Kelley Armstrong

What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?

1. Keep writing

2. Don’t listen to all of the rules. Some of them are totally valid, others are just opinions. Find out what works best for you and go with that

3. Write what you love, not what you think you should write

4. Find writing friends. They make things so much better

5. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You could end up being someone's favourite author

ROMANCE AS A GENRE

Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?

I adore romance. It’s one of my favourite genres, even in genres that aren't strictly romance. I love a side plot romance in non-romance books. I just love how hopeful romance is. I’m a huge romantic and love is that little glimmer of hope. I’ve written in many different genres. 

My first book is a collection of ghost stories, so very different from what I’m writing now. But romance is just so fun to write. I don't consciously choose a specific genre, it’s just whatever story comes to me and right now, that’s a series of interconnected romances, starting with Emergency Lullabies.

If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?

I’ve published my paranormal short story collection and multiple series of educational children’s books (an opportunity I got through my work). I’ve also written mystery and thrillers, which are so fun as well. I’d like to dabble in historical fiction one day. Though like I said, my fiction tends to have romance on the side.

What are your most and least favorite tropes?

I love enemies to lovers and fake dating. Give me that and I will be so happy. I’m not the biggest fan of second chance (I think I hold grudges lol), but I also wrote a second chance romance so . . . I guess I can be swayed.

What are some tropes you want to write in the future?

My next book, Last Christmas I Love-Spelled Us Apart, is a witchy Christmas novella, which is new to me, though not surprising. I love both Christmas and witches. It’s also a friends to lovers romance which I hadn’t done before that point. I have plans for a rockstar romance and accidental pregnancy romance in the near-future. But I also feel like I could dive into any trope depending on what suits the characters.

If you write closed door romance, why did you choose that and what are your favorite ways to build tension between the characters?

I think Emergency Lullabies is largely a fade to black situation because it was my first romance and I just didn’t feel comfortable tackling the beast yet. I hadn’t written anything besides a romantic subplot before then, so those stories didn’t require sex scenes. I wanted to sort of ease myself into the genre before getting into the nitty gritty details. My second romance, Not Actually, is definitely sexier, but I think that relationship also called for it. The door is sliding further and further open as I go. As for tension, I feel like you can build it with looks, and touches, and leading words, and absence of touch. Whatever works for the story and the characters.

YOUR BOOKS

What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?

Emergency Lullabies was inspired by an interaction I saw at a park between a dad and a child’s nanny. I wrote it down and then spent weeks fleshing out that idea in my notes app. This was the summer of 2021 and then I wrote the book that November for NaNoWriMo.

I was inspired for its sequel, Not Actually, when I was going through edits for Emergency Lullabies two years ago. There was a character early on in the book (Zoey!!) that was having a terrible day and I immediately thought, “There’s a story there.” And then I saw this picture of a couple on Pinterest that inspired something that happens near the end of the book. So I had the beginning and the end, and just had to figure out the rest.

Last Christmas… began when a friend of mine messaged the group chat in December 2023. She wanted a witchy Christmas book and all we could think of was Half Spent Was the Night by Ami McKay. Great book, but she’d already read it. So she basically told me I had to write this book. And I did, in July when I finally had an idea in the middle of the night. So this one’s for you, Caitlin!

Can you briefly tell me about your books?

Emergency Lullabies is a second chance romance. It begins when Magnolia and Theo meet at a splash park when their niece and daughter literally run into each other eight years after a misunderstanding in high school. Theo helps Magnolia reignite her passion for songwriting in the wake of her sister’s death, which left her frozen. It’s a story with a lot of heart, grief, and so much love from meddling kids and a wingman Bernese Mountain Dog. 

Not Actually is a brother’s best friend romance that follows Zoey, who appears at a library program in Emergency Lullabies. After losing her apartment, boyfriend, and job all in one week, Zoey Gillies moves in with her brother and his wife. Old feelings for Kieran, her brother’s best friend, resurface as he helps her put her life back together. But both Zoey and Kieran hesitate, not wanting to ruin the friendship with her brother.

Last Christmas I Love-Spelled Us Apart is a witchy Christmas novella. It is a friend to lovers romance that follows Birdie Hawthorne who is a witch and works at her family’s magical bakery. Her best friend Charlie returns home for Christmas after ten years of no contact and Birdie discovers she botched a silly love spell she performed at eighteen. This spell drove Charlie away instead of bringing them together. She now has to spend the five days before Christmas trying to undo the spell or risk losing him forever.

I’m also part of the anthology Heart’s Lock, Love’s Key. Ten Canadian indie authors came together to write Valentine’s Day themed romance shorts. My story is an enemies to lovers, snowed in romance.

Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?

My favourite character is Kieran McCarthy, who is the love interest in Not Actually. He just cares so deeply and is such a golden retriever. I love him and his multiple pairs of glasses. 

If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?

This is such a hard question for me. With Emergency Lullabies, I only really had a vision for Theo and that was Blake Moynes from The Bachelor. And he’s obviously not an actor. Magnolia is kind of the appearance of someone I knew in university, but also a smash together of so many other people. So if there’s someone who’s a combo of Taylor Swift, Nicola Coughlan, Megan Hilty, Renee Rapp and Kelsea Ballerini, then them.

For Not Actually, I picture Zoey as Haley Lu Richardson and Kieran as mid-2000s Hugh Dancy, but with his Will Graham glasses. And in Last Christmas… I’d go with Dove Cameron for Birdie and Ben Barnes for Charlie.

How much of yourself do you put into these characters?

I feel like there’s always a little bit of yourself in your characters. It’s hard to avoid. I used to be a nanny so my experience with that was put into Magnolia. I also have a scene where she orders chocolate chip pancakes and home fries, and my dad read that and was like “This is so you.” So there’s things that slip through. I don’t think she’s super identical to me, though. Just bits and pieces here and there.

What is a story/stories that you really want to tell?

I am the biggest fan of The Bachelor franchise for all the wrong reasons. I love the drama. I have a very chaotic idea for a romance inspired by the show. 

I also cannot wait to start writing this book I have planned about two authors in a small town, centred around the town’s library. Absolutely coming your way next year. 

Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?

The main thing with me is that all of my books are set in Canada. I’ve lived here all my life and I don’t want to hide that. My identity is important to me so that goes into my books. I have characters that don’t have it all together, which I find relatable. No one has it all figured out. Also, as mentioned, there’s a little splash of romance regardless of genre. 

What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?

Immediately next is Last Christmas I Love-Spelled Us Apart. I’m aiming for a little Christmas in July release, mostly because I simply cannot wait to have this book out in the world. I love it so much. It’s very low angst, very magical, and super Christmassy. It’s a little spot of joy that I think we all need right now. 

I also have my second collection of ghost stories coming out this fall and am possibly part of another anthology. In 2026, you’ll see the third Like A Love Song book and probably some other fun things…

When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?

Love. Heartbreak. Hope. Found. I hope people relate to these stories. I’ve gotten the most magical messages from readers that light me up and make me feel giddy that they’re giddy. I have no expectation that everyone will love everything I do, but I at least hope that they find something.

AUTHOR’S CHOICE

• Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks and audiobooks yes. All

• Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense

• Single and Dual POV 

• Standalones, series or standalones in a series—Standalones in a series because I can't control myself, personally, but also want to know about the side characters in other stories 

• Open door, ajar door or closed door romances—Game to read all of them, but I think my favourite to write is ajar

• Music or silence when writing—I have playlists

• Plotter, pantser or plantser—I’m a plotter, but not a hardcore 50 page plotter. More like a respectable 10 page plotter haha

• Water, tea, coffee or….wine?—Hot chocolate! But also mostly water

• Cold or warm weather—For writing, cold. For editing, warm. Don’t ask me why, it just feels right

• Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?—I am so not a morning person (I’m a Leo and we like sleep) so definitely afternoon/night

• Illustrated or photo cover?

Want more Madeline? You can find her on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, BlueSky and Facebook. Make sure you sign up for her newsletter and check out her website for more bookish updates!