Interview with Author Nancy Madore

 

What is your current book and tell us a little about it?

The Hidden Ones:  As CEO of her own thriving company, Nadia Adeire is flush with success, but a secret society dating back to the Essenes believes her to be one of the ancient djinn—a notorious demoness from Hebrew legend called Lilith. What’s more, they think she’s plotting a devastating attack on the world. Nadia is snatched from her ‘perfect’ life and trapped in a maze between a present day disaster and legends that date back to ancient Mesopotamia. The only way out is to retrace the steps of her deceased grandmother, Helene, and unearth the secrets that were buried with her. The deeper Nadia delves into the past, the harder it becomes for her to emerge unscathed. But it’s the only way to stop the impending disaster that was set in motion five thousand years ago!

How did you come up with the title?

“The hidden ones” is actually the Arab meaning behind the word djinn. The word demon, which describes a similar entity, came later. The idea of such beings was widespread in the ancient world, though they each had different names for them. I’ve gone with the hidden ones because it’s one of the first names these creatures were given, and it describes them really well.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The story is meant to be thought provoking as well as entertaining. This is the first of six books in a series that takes the reader from ancient Mesopotamia to Armageddon (in the final book). The concept of corruption is a regular theme throughout, and is explored within every walk of life and in each of us individually. It isn’t incorporated into the story in a heavy handed manner, nor is it the central theme. But it’s there.

Are the experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

The idea for this series had been developing in the back of my mind for a very long time – most of my life in fact.  I grew up in an extremely religious household, which left me with a life long interest in theology, mythology and ancient civilizations.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part was making the story realistic and believable for all readers, regardless of their beliefs. This is harder than you might think when you’re writing about such events as the flood, and the claims made about ‘angels’ visiting the earth. I wanted the story to make sense to both the ‘believers’ and the ‘skeptics.’ I used all available records from that time, including the Bible, which tends to stir a certain level of derision from some readers. But whatever people (including me) may think of the opinions expressed in the Bible, it’s hard to argue that it’s the most comprehensive account we have for the period around 3,000 BC, which many consider the ‘dawn of our civilization.’ I have attempted to re-create that world in a way that will satisfy everyone – not an easy task.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

It started with a love of reading and worked it’s way, as it often does, into writing.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

This question always stumps me because I love such a wide variety of authors. Really it depends on my mood. Some of my all time favorites (I really am not capable of selecting only one) are Edgar Allen Poe, Charlotte Bronte, Oscar Wilde, Stephen King, Richard Russo, Lawrence Sanders and Pat Conroy. I believe I have read every single book from the above mentioned authors (several times)…even their essays and other writings.

What inspired you to write your first book?

By the time I began writing my first book I was really primed and ready to go. I was a single working mother for most of my early life, and as such I could never find the necessary time to contemplate such an endeavor. I always believed I would write when my children grew up.  In the meantime, I read every book I could get my hands on. I read books about writing. I read books about getting published. I read everything. Then, one day, when the kids were grown, just like I always believed I would, I sat down and started to write.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

(laughing) My laptop was stolen when the book was almost finished, so I already got that opportunity to ‘do it all over again.’ In addition, I have edited the thing to death (with the help of other editors). Yes, there are probably still things that could be made better. There always are. I have never read anything I’ve written and not found something to tweak. But at some point, you have to just ‘finish’ the project and move on.

 

You can find Nancy’s book, The Hidden Ones at Amazon and check her out at her website.