Meet L. L. Madrid
Indie Author Spotlight
Welcome to Indie Author Spotlight where I interview talented writers who have valuable insights to share on their writing process, publication, and what it means to be an indie author.
As a child, L.L. Madrid wasn’t allowed to watch R-rated movies. However, her library visits were unsupervised, so she spent her summers reading Anne Rice and Stephen King.
Nowadays, she lives in Tucson with her family. When she’s not pretending to be a mild-manner office worker, she writes dark, moody stories about misfits.
L.L. is a member of the Horror Writers Association and a past recipient of the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship. She is proud to be part of the Bi+ Book Gang, a Pitch Wars alum, and is an Odyssey grad. Her short stories are scattered across the internet.
Most recently, her piece, The Ruby Level, landed in the September issue of Flash Fiction Online.
My Lips, Her Voice is her debut novel.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I didn’t admit to wanting to be a writer until my early twenties, but I always loved books and enjoyed making things up. When I was a kid, my dad got stationed in Germany, and we lived in a tiny village far from the base. There were no other kids and no English television. I started checking out tons of books at the library. I was obsessed with Harriet the Spy. In the book, she invents a town and its inhabitants by writing their stories in a notebook. I was a bored kid, so I copied Harriet, and I loved being a creator of my own world. That’s where my author dreams started.
Tell us about your debut My Lips, Her Voice.
My Lips, Her Voice is a new adult, cozy horror story. Like Twin Peaks, it features a supernatural murder mystery in a quirky small town. The book centers on Audrey, a shy introvert, who’s grieving the murder of her cousin, Mara who isn’t ready to accept her death and returns to possess Audrey. Mara is hellbent on vengeance and also getting back together with her girlfriend, Zadie.
I couldn’t find Copper City, the ghost town in your story. Is it based on a real place?
Copper City is based on three Arizona towns that I cobbled together. I took the Wild West tourist trap bits from Tombstone, the quirky, artsy hillside buildings from Bisbee, and the wicked feel of Jerome, a town known for its asylum and cement made with literal human bones, and created Copper City.
What do you love about gothic horror?
For me, gothic horror is all about atmosphere and creeping dread.
Who are your greatest influences? Favorite authors/books?
As a kid, I was obsessed with R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike books. I moved on to Anne Rice and Stephen King by middle school. As an adult, I read widely across genres and am always discovering new authors to admire. Most recently, I’ve been learning a lot from reading authors like Nova Ren Suma, N.K. Jemisin, Alexis Henderson, and Alisa Alering. I love it when books somehow imprint on my brain. For instance, I read Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, almost a year ago, and I’m still thinking about the ending.
You’re publishing through a boutique press, Creature Publishing. Can you tell us about the traditional publishing route you chose?
In terms of the process, Creature works much like other traditional presses in that they pay advances/royalties and don’t charge authors for services. One of the cool things about Creature is that they accept unagented or unsolicited submissions, which the big five publishers don’t. While small presses may not have the same resources as the big houses, they are known for being innovative with the work they select. Indie press editors are often the owners and are free to pursue books that they are passionate about without having to convince an entire editorial board to take on a potential risk.
As for timelines, we signed the contract in April 2024 and the book comes out in October 2025, which seems like a long time but is pretty standard in traditional publishing.
Do you have any creative rituals or writing routines?
I’m a mom who works full-time, so I got into the habit of getting up a couple of hours earlier than the rest of my family so I can get my words in before the daily chaos. I write a lot on the weekends and enjoy write-ins, both in real life and virtual sprints.
My rituals include putting on a writing music playlist (instrumental only—lyrics are too distracting), and I light a candle when the mood strikes. I also have a collection of crystals around my desk, not for magical reasons, but because I like pretty rocks and I enjoy fidgeting with them when I’m stuck on a scene.
As for snacks, I’m addicted to ginger chews and seltzer. If the writing isn’t going well, I add Sour Patch Kids and dark chocolate to the mix.
What criticism have you received that has helped you become a better writer?
The most useful criticism I've received was that a plot I wrote didn’t have a strong causal chain. While the story had interesting beats and turns, they simply didn’t feel inevitable. My mentor shared their method of testing a story's plot by jotting down its beats and connecting them with 'therefore,' 'but,' or 'because.' If you find a spot where only 'and then' fits, that's likely a weak link in the causal chain. Essentially, this is a check to ensure that the story unfolds logically and intentionally, rather than becoming just a string of events. Now, when I outline, I’m always hunting for ‘and thens’ to eliminate.
How would you define success as an indie author?
That’s a tricky one. While my ultimate dream is to one day quit the day job and pay all my bills from my scribbles, I can’t discount the pure joy I get from learning that a stranger read and loved my book—that feels like success.
What marketing strategies seem to have the most impact for you so far?
As an introvert, marketing can feel pretty daunting. While I don’t know that it’s done much to move the needle, I’ve become more active on social media and have been connecting with other writers, readers, and booksellers. I’ve enjoyed meeting these folks and have had a couple of people mention they’ve preordered the book, which is very sweet.
My book is currently available on NetGalley, a site that offers eARCs for early reviews, and I’ve noticed a decent uptick in Goodreads adds since MLHV was listed.
What are you working on now?
I recently completed The Odyssey Writers’ Workshop and have been cleaning up and submitting short stories I wrote during the class. I’m polishing up the final one, and once I get it on submission, I’ll be writing a novel. I have a few ideas rattling around in my head and need to settle on one. Whatever I choose, it’ll be a little dark, a little weird, and likely angsty.
Where can readers find you?
I'm mainly on Instagram at @llmadridwrites, and folks can contact me through my website at www.llmadridwrites.com.
My Lips, Her Voice is available on October 14, 2025. Here are a few ways you can support this indie author:
Thanks so much for interviewing me! It was great talking shop!