Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
Exclusive Interview with
Marieke Lexmond
When did you start writing?
In 2006, we moved to America, and not being allowed to work left me with something unfamiliar: lots of free time. Add a healthy culture shock to the mix, and writing became the perfect creative outlet. After discovering screenwriting software, all the stories that had been living in my imagination finally found a place to go.
What makes writing your passion?
I love telling stories in many different forms, but writing is especially magical because you can invent entirely new worlds, step inside people’s minds, and play around with ideas and possibilities you normally never get to explore.
How long have you been writing?
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
It’s an incredible moment when something you created suddenly becomes physical, and you can actually hold it in your hands. Magical!
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
I love family dynamics, tarot, and magic, so creating the Madigans was a joy. Each member of the Madigan family represents one of the Major Arcana cards from the tarot, and that became the starting point for their personalities and character traits.
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
That writing itself is actually the smallest part of it! There are so many other things authors have to do these days besides simply creating stories.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
I strongly believe creativity sparks creativity. When I sit behind my computer, I write. Once I’m done, I go out and do things that inspire both me and the story. Walking the dogs in beautiful nature helps — especially since the witches in my books are deeply connected to it. Trying new recipes also inspires me, since one of my characters loves to bake and cook. Even making little spells or creative projects helps feed the imagination and keeps the characters flowing in my mind.
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
I wish I had a magic potion for that! In the end, you keep going because you’re passionate about it. You walk the path, and eventually you’ll get somewhere. It may not always be where you originally imagined, but sometimes it turns out even better.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Stop trying to fit in. It’s a waste of time and energy. We’re all unique creatures, and walking your own path is already difficult enough without trying to please everybody else.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
I do… although I’m not always sure that’s wise! The bad reviews always hit harder — I think that’s human nature. Negative things tend to linger longer. But at the same time, feedback can help you understand what works and what doesn’t in your writing. In the end, you simply can’t please everybody.
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Of course! Never literally, but when you write, it’s impossible not to use your own life experiences in some way. In the end, a writer is a little bit of every character they create.
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
I’m definitely not an expert on that, but I do know a strong cover matters. It’s the very first impression readers get of a book, and consciously or unconsciously, it plays a huge role in whether someone picks it up.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
I absolutely love connecting with readers and really enjoy talking with them. It’s such a wonderful feeling when complete strangers reach out to say they connected with your stories.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
Who is your favorite author? Why?
I honestly don’t have one favorite author or even one favorite genre. There are simply too many amazing stories and writers out there, and never enough time to read them all. Ironically, when I’m deep in writing a book myself, I actually find it difficult to read because I get completely immersed — and you can’t really afford that while creating your own story world.
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
I honestly don’t understand trolling in any form — not just toward authors. I always think: take all that negative energy and turn it into something positive instead.
What would you say to your readers?
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
I’ve been married for over thirty years. I absolutely love animals and have had many throughout my life. Right now we have three little doggies, and I love taking them everywhere with me. I split my time between Ireland and the US.
What is your day job if you have one?
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
What free time? (LOL.) Writing and the things that inspire my writing are so intertwined that there’s hardly a difference between them. But I do love going out for a long, lovely dinner with good company — the kind that lasts an entire evening. That’s probably why there are so many family dinners in The Madigan Chronicles.
Did you have a happy childhood?
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
I recently started a new book, which will be a standalone novel. After finishing The Madigan Chronicles, I felt a little lonely — those characters lived in my mind for more than ten years! It takes time to get to know new characters, but this story will follow a group of terraformers. I seem to love writing about groups of people. It leans more toward sci-fi, although I’ll definitely sprinkle in a little mysticism too. I simply can’t help myself!
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
What is your favorite music?
Share a secret with us 🙂
In my teens, I was the Dutch champion twirl, solo second division!