Author Interview - Maddie Caser

February 01, 2022

Author Interview - Maddie Caser

Maddie Caser is the author of the newly released book, Ordinem Legacy: Part 1 - Becoming. Born and raised in France, Maddie has travelled to and lived in England and Cambodia, and has now settled back in Paris with her partner. She started working full-time on Ordinem Legacy 2020 and loved the experience of writing it. Visit www.ordinemlegacy.com to discover more about Maddie Caser and Ordinem Legacy.

Genre: Low Fantasy/Adventure

Q&A:

Q1: What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

I have been working intensively on Ordinem Legacy, Part 1: Becoming for the past year. I drafted the first couple of chapters years ago and left them aside. At the time, it was simply for my personal enjoyment and I certainly didn’t think it would turn out to be the premise of my writing journey. Back in 2017, I decided to review those chapters and rewrote them, which inspired me to write more. One of my friends read my chapters and loved the story, so I decided to finish it. In 2020, when Covid hit, it jeopardised my professional plans and I decided I could use this time to finish my story (at this point, I did not use the word ‘book’). I worked on it every day, all day and absolutely loved it. I was so into it – it was a revelation! The more I wrote, the more inspired I was. Even if the plotline was more or less clear in my head, some of the subplots came to me as I was writing. Some days, I felt almost possessed by the need to get the story ‘out of me’. I remember one specific scene of the book that got my heart beating so fast, as if I was living the scene myself. I actually had to walk away from my computer for ten minutes to get my head straight again.

Ordinem Legacy blends many genres such as low-fantasy, adventure but also a bit of romance. I would say my inspiration comes from my own observations of the world, my past experiences, my surroundings, my people and also my hopes.

Cover design by Hélène Rozenberg: @helenerozenberg

Q2: What advice would you give to help others create plotlines?

I guess everyone has their own way of creating plotlines. Personally, being organised helps me – big time! I have a ‘master file’ on excel that is basically the bible of the WIP. I keep track of everything such as plots and subplots, how they developed throughout the whole story. For example, the first sheet details every chapter with the characters present, location, summary, timeline and the number of words. The other sheets follow up on the clues, locations, timeline, references, events calendar and general notes. I also keep track of the elements that start or are mentioned in the first part of the book series and how they will develop in the second or third part of the trilogy.

I would also recommend a white board to organise your ideas, when they turn up / force their way in unexpectedly. ;)

Q3: What authors, or books have influenced you?

At the risk of disappointing some people, I am not such a big book reader. I watch many shows and truly enjoy quality screen-writing. I read every day, mostly articles, but I don’t read many books. Recently, I have started Sapiens, but I have been so busy working on self-publishing Ordinem Legacy that I haven’t finished it yet.

I do love reading though and I really enjoyed being hooked on a good book!

Q4: What is your schedule like when you’re writing a book?

I usually write all day. I wake up, get ready as if I would go to work and then settle in front of my laptop. I usually write from 10ish – sometimes earlier – until the end of the day around 7. Some days can be a bit less productive than others, but when I don’t feel inspired to write, I do research instead and it usually triggers my imagination.

Q5: Does writing energize or exhaust you? Or both?

I would say both. At the end of a satisfying day, I am beat. However, writing makes me so happy that it does energise me and motivates me every day.

Q6: What is the best writing advice you have ever heard?

I don’t recall any advice about writing, as at first I didn’t want to tell anyone before it was finished. Consequently, I found everything ‘the hard way’. For example, I had no idea how time consuming some tasks could be. For example, it surprised me that the editing process was longer than the actual writing of the story.

Getting on Twitter was interesting though, as I read loads of advice that I thought were precious and smart. Plus, I was relieved to see that most authors seem to go through the same lengthy editing process.

Q7: How do you come up with character names for your stories?

Well, some of them come to me naturally when there are no ‘specifics’. Then, if a character comes from another time or place, I search names accordingly and pick the one I like the most.

Q8: What do you think is the best way to improve writing skills?

Keep writing and editing. Of course, reading also helps. When I edit, I like to work with English grammar specialists such as English teachers to discuss the semantics.

Cover design by Hélène Rozenberg: @helenerozenberg

Q9: What are you working on now?

I am currently not an author but a publisher. I have just released Ordinem Legacy, Part 1: Becoming, on the 28th January 2022, after working on my marketing plan for a few months. I am designing and managing my campaigns and ideally will soon go back to writing the second part of the book series.

Q10: What are you currently reading?

I have to finish Sapiens before I write the second part of Ordinem Legacy. There is a book I would really love to read in the upcoming months: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. I have had my eyes on it for a while, but there are so many others that look great too – I would love to start a new epic fantasy book or book series.

The first Chapter of The Ordinem Legacy: Part 1 - Becoming is available to read at www.ordinemlegacy.com .