May 30, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Madeline was on her way to becoming a published author before she completed her MFA. She shares how writing her debut novel, The Golden Season, became a form of liberation for her navigating the intersection of queerness and faith. and how her forthcoming novel, Today, Tonight, Forever, showed the lessons she learned on becoming traditionally published, how she freed herself through writing, and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community personally and artistically. Recorded on March 22, 2023.
Transcript: Season 6, Episode 3
Madeline Kay Sneed
Georgette Pierre:
What does it mean to make it big? Well, it depends on who you ask, and we did. Welcome to Making it Big in 30 Minutes, a podcast for, by, and about the Emerson community. You're about to meet an Emersonian who's making it, making a living, making a difference, and sometimes making it up as they go. I'm your host and alum Georgette Pierre. If you like what you hear, subscribe and share with your friends, and meet me and other Emersonians over on Emerge, the only digital platform exclusive to the Emerson community. Go to emerge.emerson.edu for more.
Georgette Pierre:
Madeline Kay Sneed is a fiction writer from Houston, Texas. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Baylor University, and her master of Fine Arts and fiction from Emerson College. Through the publishing of her first novel, the Golden Season, Madeline's writing really became a form of liberation for her navigating the intersection of queerness and faith. With her forthcoming novel, Today, Tonight, Forever, on its way, Madeline showed lessons she learned on becoming traditionally published, how she freed herself through writing, and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community personally and artistically. Here is Madeline Kay Sneed on making it as a fiction writer. Madeline, thanks for joining me today.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Thanks so much for having me.
Georgette Pierre:
Lighthearted, quirkiest way to describe your profession.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
My side hustle is stories.
Georgette Pierre:
I like that. I like that. Now, reading up about you, I saw that you are a fiction writer. You actually have a book out now. Can you talk about what led you to fiction writing and becoming published?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yeah, so I just, basically from the time I have a cognizant memory, wanted to be either a writer, or a superstar, or a Mia Hamm type soccer player, and nothing else panned out. So we went into fiction writing. And I went to Baylor University for my undergrad, and I majored in English literature, and I dabbled in the creative writing there. They were just getting that creative writing program up and running, and I realized that I could do this, I could write stories. It was something that was a viable option. And then I learned about MFA programs, and for some reason I was like, "I want to move to Boston." It wasn't like this New York fantasy or something. I was in Texas. I wanted to go to Northeast, and for some reason Boston was just always calling to me. And then I read up on Emerson, and I was like, "I think this is where I want to go."
Applied to the MFA program, got in. And then through those workshops and just that community that I built there, I was able to write my first novel. That was my thesis, actually, at Emerson. And so I had a lot of support writing that. And it was one of those things where I was like, this is the book I want to write. This is the first book I want to write. If I never get to write another book, I want it to be this book. This is my mark that I want to leave, at least. And so, I just went full steam ahead with it. After I graduated, I revised everything. I started querying agents, got my agent, and then went on from there.
Georgette Pierre:
So the book that's out, it's on Harper Collins, called The Golden Season. Can you talk about ... So you went to Baylor. That is known to be a very religious college, right?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yes.
Georgette Pierre:
You tell stories at the intersection of queerness and faith. Can you talk a little bit about that as far as going to Baylor and still connecting to some sense of religion and just faith with some contradictions in religion with queerness, and just that mindset, or perspective, or that lifestyle?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yeah, for sure. I think for me, it's just like, yes, Baylor is a religious university. It is the largest Baptist university in the world. It is a very not super fun place to go if you're a queer person. And at the time, I was super closeted. And so, I think for me, writing, and faith, and queerness, and all of that came out of this seeking. I think always I was taught in the Christian faith, and so you're always supposed to be seeking more, seeking more. And I was so confused about what I was supposed to be seeking because I didn't quite know who I was myself. And so through my writing, I was trying to navigate. When I was at Baylor, I was writing lots of faith, religious things and all that because I thought that's what enlightenment was. And then as I went to Emerson, and I was coming out, and all that stuff, I realized the searching I was seeking outside of myself was actually an excavation I had to do internally.
And so once I was able to dive deep within myself, I was able to recognize how impacted I had been by Texas, by institutions like Baylor, and how much it had affected who I was. And they had so much to say about my own worthiness, and about who I was, and queerness. And I wanted to counter that with, "Well, what I've learned from this religion, Christianity, is that love is the only thing that matters." Love, and kindness, and faithfulness, and all of that stuff, being a good person, and being a loving person. And I wanted to show that you can be a lesbian and still have faith. You don't have to be cast out. You don't have to choose between your queerness and your faith.
And I think for me, religion is a tricky thing because I don't know if I'd call myself a religious person, but I am an extremely spiritual person, and that's really central to who I am and central to my writing. I'm really grateful for the professors and my peers at Emerson for not dissuading me from writing that because I know it's not everyone's favorite topic, really, especially when we talk about queerness, and there's just a lot of trauma there and a lot of hurt. But I was like, there's so much to say here, and people aren't saying it, and I want to write the story because I haven't read it yet. So, there we go.
Georgette Pierre:
They always say that you should write the story that you want to read. And so, it makes me think about as far as spirituality, as well. I connect with that, too. I grew up in Catholic school, and I was like, "This doesn't feel like me." I feel really connected to a higher power. And so I'm curious if your writing was liberation for you, in a sense. Connected to, also, the environment of Emerson. Because when I think about Emerson, it's such a free place within a conservative city. So if you could talk about the connection between your writing being liberation, but also going to a school like Emerson being liberation, as well.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Oh, for sure. Writing, I think ... I've always felt really safe when I was writing. I think I'm a really good person at just putting up a front, and I can be very pleasant in any conversation, Texas, Southern, whatever. I know how to smile and just be very palatable to people. And I think when I was writing, though, I could dig into places that scared me. And the more I started to dig into the places that scared me, the better my writing became. Because I think to make good art, you have to confront your fear, which is obviously very scary. But I think I remember going to Emerson and just being on the campus, and I saw ... I think it was gender-neutral bathrooms or something where it was just such not a big deal. And I was like, wow, which is such a silly thing to be stunned by.
But I had been at Baylor and it was like everything was an argument and everything was so like, "This is not right." You had to have an argument for your existence. And at Emerson, it was just like, "Oh, what are your pronouns? Oh, you're a lesbian? Cool. I'm bi." Everyone was a little queer, and I think ... or at least an ally in some way. And I think that was just such a necessary thing for me. I keep saying I couldn't have written this book or become who I am if I hadn't gone to Boston, gone to Emerson, and I'm so grateful just for those professors for that environment.
And then I was a teacher for a bit there, and I had the best students who also opened up my mind, and accepted me, and just were amazing. And so I think I owe so much to that environment. When I think about it, I get stunned because I'm just like, wow, I'm so grateful that this opportunity came along, and I was able to be here, and just have my mentors, and have my peers who are still my best friends to this day. It was a great opportunity.
Georgette Pierre:
I love that. I love that. Promo for Emerson.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yes, I know. I was like ... I will do it all day, every day.
Georgette Pierre:
What surprises you most about the work you're doing now?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
That I get to do it. I think it's like I never thought I'd get to write a novel, let alone have a second one on the way. And then, I do have a full-time job that's not novel writing, which I actually love, which I never thought would happen. So it's like I'm getting to do all of these things, and it doesn't feel like I'm having to sacrifice creativity because it's imbued in every section of my life. And I find that absolutely shocking in the best way because I'm like, wow, I'm where I wanted to be when I was 15.
Georgette Pierre:
That's amazing. Now, if you can go back in time to your Emerson self, what would you say?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Don't be so scared. Everyone's nice. I think I was really shy when I first came, and I think I would just tell myself, keep going. Go through it. Take it all in. It's supposed to be hard, and it's supposed to be good. And the storm of feelings you're feeling are very valid, and they're going to serve you well. Take notes. I wish I could literally copy everything that Mako Yoshikawa said in all her classes. So I'm just like, transcribe everything she says. Yeah, just pay attention, be present, and know that it's going to pay off.
Georgette Pierre:
Interesting things stick out in our minds from school, some useful, some not, and yet we can't seem to forget them. Is there anything you learned at Emerson that you didn't deem relevant or important at the time, but turned out to be?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
I will be honest. I was taking every piece of advice I could get and clinging to it. So I feel like anything my teacher said, I was like, okay, I have to do this to a T. So I would tell myself maybe, okay, calm down. You can't replicate everyone's story. Just take it in as it comes, and don't feel so stressed to follow everyone else's experience. Honestly, I would just tell myself to calm down. But I got so much good advice that I did take in, so it was just honestly great experience all around.
Georgette Pierre:
You mentioned that you have a second novel. I always selfishly, because I am putting it out into the universe, I'm going to write a book of essays, autobiographical essays. You talked about querying agents, and then you're working on your second novel. For those that are interested in becoming author, nonfiction or fiction, what can you debunk around that process, and what was scary for you? What were some things that weren't as scary, or things that you know realized weren't as hard or scary as you thought it was when you were going through the process of becoming published and working on your second novel?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Well, there's so much mystery around it. So I think that that's the thing. I'm really grateful to Kim McLaren at Emerson because she was in charge of our novel workshop class, my last workshop I took at Emerson. And she had just a 45-minute session where she was like, "This is how you query an agent. This is what it's going to look like," had the step-by-step kind of thing. But I think because not a lot of people have that, it is such this mystery. And I would say the hardest thing is getting the agent. I think that's the first thing you have to do, and it's the hardest thing. Because once you have the agent, they're such your advocate, and they're doing a lot of the in between stuff for you. But you have to really sell yourself initially to the agent process.
And I think the scariest thing about that is honestly just the rejection and the silence. I think I sent out probably at close to 120 queries before I got Amy Elizabeth Bishop, who's my agent, and she's wonderful. But I think it's just stealing yourself, just telling yourself, "I am going to get rejected probably a lot, but I believe in this story and I think it does have a home. I just need to find the person who sees it, too." Because with your agent, it's all about visions clicking and personalities, to some extent, clicking so that you can communicate in an effective way. And I think that's the biggest thing. And the hardest thing is just getting the agent who can really represent you and your work.
And then after Amy and I came to our agreement and we had that, it was really pretty smooth sailing because it was like I got my agent, we did six months of revision, she put it on submission, and then I had my book deal. And so, it was a very quick process, which doesn't always happen. I do want to put that out there, but I think-
Georgette Pierre:
Let's be clear, y'all, everyone's process and journey is different.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yes. We're all on this journey. But because Amy knew my personality and what I wanted for my book and my career, she was able to hone in on a good list of editors that she thought would be a good fit for the golden season. And we're at Grayden House books, which is awesome. My second book is being published with them, as well. So I was able to get a good relationship with that house, and I like the way that they're a little bit ... a smaller imprint within a larger house. So I feel like there's a lot of attention to my work and to me as an author. So I think it's all about just, really, really want to stress, getting the right agent. That, I think, is the first step, the hardest step. And then everything else is annoying and hard still, but it's not quite as hard as that first step.
Georgette Pierre:
I love that. And it's happening, I think it's flowing naturally, that everything that you're connecting the dots to still ladders into Emerson. Any insight for those that may feel like they're not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel or are just new? What can you offer them.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
I think I also could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. So I think that is a universal experience. And I think you are in a bubble at Emerson in this place, and especially in the MFA program. You have your cohort, you have your professors, and I would say take advantage of that because that's a really direct community that you have. And I still am in touch with my professors and my peers. You can really build a community through the people that you're with right now.
And that's my biggest piece of advice. I know everyone wants to get that first novel, or collection, or everything. But I think focus on where you are now, and the resources that are available to you, and the relationships you can build. Because I don't think I could have done anything that I've done without my friends reading my work and being like, "Madeline, this is ridiculous. Cut this," or, "Madeline, this is really good go forward." And then my professors and my mentors that really poured into me, and spent a lot of time with me just looking over my book, and being like, "Okay, this plot makes sense, but this doesn't lead to this." Just those simple things.
So I think my biggest piece of advice is embrace the uncertainty of where you are now, cultivate that community, and then as you're working towards something, help them help you, essentially. Don't say that you have to go in this alone. Writing is such an isolated profession, but it doesn't ... And nothing happens without collaboration. I think it's such a big deal for me to have people I trust read my work because I'm pretty ... I play everything pretty close, but I do send it to the people I trust. And I think it's important to have those people in your corner. And not that I'm doing more PR for Emerson, but those people for me did come from Emerson.
Georgette Pierre:
They love the PR, right? I think that's the whole point of really being able to commune with alums to share their experience. I love that it still ladders back into community. Community is so important. So of course, we graduate, we're looking for jobs, and people think, "I'm just going to be this published author when I come out of school." But there's jobs that ... or things that we have to do before we get to that big thing. Was there ever a job that made you question your abilities, your skills, if you were on the right path? And if so, what did you do about it?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
So I graduated from Baylor in 2016. And then for that year in between, before I went to Emerson, I was working at this tutoring company in Houston. And it was one of those things that I would go to work every day and be like, "My mind is being wasted. This is very depressing to me." I think that I needed that opportunity, I'll call it an opportunity, to tell me that I was on the not right path, that I did want to go into writing, that I did want to go into a creative field, and just go forward with it. Because I was thinking about going to law school for a while. I was like, "Oh, I don't need to write. I need to do something practical, and go to law school, and do all of that, and I have to be on this very practical path, and nothing can come of writing."
I had talked myself down into this steep place of sadness, and then I think I needed this job to be like, "Wait, no, I can't do this thing where I'm just putting away my desire, and talent, and stuff in the name of practicality. I have to take a risk." And I was not a risk-taker before that. And so I was like, "I think I got to get out of Texas. I got to get into an MFA program, and I got to just give this a go. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I have to try." And I think that was the job that told me, "You're not trying and you need to try."
Georgette Pierre:
You and I are both grad students or alums of Emerson. Can you talk about your experience in the grad program?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yeah, it was such a wonderful experience. If you do love writing, and you love reading, and you love literature, it was this place where I got to be immersed in craft, reading books for craft's sake, which was really helpful for me to just read a novel, break it down, see what an author is doing, look about structure, sentence structure, everything like that, and get to sit in a room and discuss it with people who are equally nerdy and excited as me. So it's like every week you have all these classes where everyone is coming together to share their work and to share their thoughts.
And for me, that was this real haven, and I wanted this place of rich conversation and rich learning opportunity. And I constantly felt like my mind was expanding because I was surrounded by people who were so much smarter than me. And I was reading works by all these great writers. And my professors were just brilliant, and encouraging, and just incisive in their criticism in such a way that was helpful.
And so I think for me, I had come into Emerson ... My writing was fine, but my focus wasn't there. I was just so up here with my focus. And then I come into grad school, I come into Emerson, and everyone takes it so seriously. And that gives you permission to take it seriously, to say, "This does matter to me. I am caring about this. I'm going to work at this." And I think for me, it was just that elevation of my writing, my style, and my thinking that I couldn't have gotten if I hadn't gone to grad school.
Georgette Pierre:
What's one mistake that you're glad you made?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Oh my goodness. So many mistakes. I think just a general glob of any time I sent work that wasn't ready yet and got rejected. I think sometimes sending things out before they're ready is such a natural inclination, but I think consistently doing that in grad school and a little bit after taught me, okay, wait, let's pause a moment. Let's revise and take revision really seriously, and then we can move forward. So I think sending things out too soon, and the constant rejection that came from it, taught me the necessity of revision, and just waiting for a second, and not to be so impulsive with my work because it is my work, and there's some care that should be taken with that. So I think especially in undergrad, I was sending things out willy-nilly, and then in grad school, too. But I think just learning to pause for a second, take time with your work, think about where you wanted to go, what place will treat it well, all that stuff, I think, was a lesson I learned from it.
Georgette Pierre:
I always think about writers, even from the TV writing standpoint, as well. I think I read a quote by Toni Morrison, but it makes me think about just writing in general where you write, and then you walk away from it sometimes. You just got to let it breathe, right? So that's what made me think about that when you were saying that you were just so impulsive on sending your stuff out. Now, do you just do ... How do you know when it's ready? Do you literally sit, walk away, come back, revisit, revise?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yeah, I think that's a good question. The novel, I think, lends itself to a walkaway because, especially in the first draft, so many things are going to go wrong, and it's going to collapse in on itself so many times that you, out of pure frustration, take a week off and just say, "I can't look at this anymore." And then when you come back to it, you have more fresh eyes. And it's harder to rush a novel the way I do it, because I write it so piecemealed. I don't start top to bottom. So I think for me, it ... Yeah, it's just like you have to take your time with it. Let the thing come, let the first draft be terrible. And then I was working with my editor on the second book, so it's like, okay, send the draft to the editor, and then she sends it back to me with all these notes, and then we do it again.
It's almost a meditative process because it's a routine. You have to do it every day, you have to grind through it, and you take your time, you step back, you come back to. It takes about a month or two to get a draft done. So I think within that pocket of time, there's a lot of space to just sit back and be like, okay, what am I trying to say here? Who are these characters? What are they doing? And then plotting it out because I don't always plot things, and that gets me into trouble. But ...
Georgette Pierre:
Yes. Name a catalyst that happened to you, personally or professionally, that made you change the way you saw your work.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
That's a good question. I think the first time ... I'll tell an Emerson story. I was in my first semester at Emerson. I was in Steve Yarborough's workshop. And I had turned in the short story that was the first queer story I'd ever written. So I was feeling very vulnerable and very scared. And it was really just this reflection of ... The seeds of my first novel were felt in this. But nothing really happened in the story. It was really just a girl sitting and thinking. And Steve Yarborough, during the class, he was like, "There is such thing as a sitting and thinking story. Sometimes there are stories where lots of things happen, and then there are some stories where the character just sits and thinks. And this is a character that's just sitting and thinking." And he was like, "I think this could do with a little action, a little motion forward."
And I was like, "That's so true." Before, I had just been writing stories where people were just honestly sitting and thinking things because what I was doing in my life was sitting, and thinking, and reflecting. And so I didn't send my character into any action. I just had them in reflection. And for me, that was such a turning point because I was like, "Oh, that's true. I can make my characters make choices and decisions in a moment so the reader can follow along with it." And I think that completely shifted my approach to story, and plot, and all of that stuff. And I was like, oh, this reflection can happen in the pros, but our characters can still find themselves with inaction. So I was like, that's a good approach. And I think it was helpful advice.
Georgette Pierre:
Now Emerson students and grads were known for speaking up, advocating, voicing our opinions. I have an idea what you may lean into for this, but what's one thing that you have a real strong opinion about, and how often do you share it, and with whom?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Well, I think my biggest advocacy comes for queer people, trans people, people in marginalized communities. I'm like, let's just treat everyone equally and advocate for the equal rights. And especially right now with everything going on in the world, especially in the south, it's more present than ever that I speak up constantly and to everyone about it. And so, I think that's just always on the forefront of my mind in terms of just my existence and where I exist. I'm still in Texas and just wanting to advocate for a better world because I see the potential for it, especially in the south. But there's a lot of barriers coming up, especially for my trans friends. How do you appropriately advocate for these beautiful, wonderful humans who are just existing? And I don't have all the answers, but I do know it's to oppose these real terrible laws that are being proposed, and, in some places, enacted.
Georgette Pierre:
It feels like these laws are being created out of fear, out of just not knowing. And it's like-
Madeline Kay Sneed:
It's just a boogeyman syndrome of we don't want anything to change, so we will say that these people are going to bring about chaos and whatever, when it's really just an authentic rising of people accepting themselves, having the language to define themselves, having the opportunities to become who they've always known they are. And I think anytime you're squashing authenticity, it's because you're afraid of what it can bring about. And what it can bring about is change and something better.
Georgette Pierre:
In true Emersonian fashion, let people fucking live.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yes.
Georgette Pierre:
Okay?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Amen.
Georgette Pierre:
Mind your business, drink your water, and let people fucking live. Okay?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Put that on a billboard, honestly.
Georgette Pierre:
Okay? With this journey of being a creative, of being an artist, of fill in the blank, how do you keep the momentum going? How do you keep the momentum going during the times you don't always feel strong, motivated, or inspired?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
I think for me, that's always such an interesting question because I think, and I want to just say on the onset, I have a very neurotypical brain. My brain chemistry is very focused naturally. I think that does contribute to a lot of focus stuff and motivation stuff. So I just want to say that at the onset because there is no prescription for how to focus and motivate yourself. But for me, it's literally just routine. I grew up playing sports, so it was like, even if you feel bad, you're going to get up, and you're going to go, and you're going to practice, and you're going to get better. And I think I just have that hardwired into me.
So I just have an hour every day where I have to sit down and I have to write, even if it's just five words, but I have to do it every day. It's a meditative practice. And I'm just a routine oriented person, and if I have a routine in place, I'm going to follow it. So it's just, for me, it's routine. And don't depend on that sudden seductive strike of inspiration. Let it be even when you're just feeling terrible, and awful, and you can't write a single word, you got to forge forward and just get something on the page. And you're going to probably delete it later anyway. But just be unselfconscious in those moments, and let them be moments for yourself. Be present, be silent, be with yourself and your work, and just see what's on the page. And then put it away, go to work, do your thing, and then come back and do it again tomorrow.
Georgette Pierre:
I love the triple S, sudden seductive strike of inspiration. Do not wait for that. It's funny. I learned recently, because I didn't have language for it, that I lean into being neurodivergent, and it explained so many different things about why I was so specific around routines, as you mentioned, and my process of doing things because of my brain's neurodiversity. So I definitely connect with that a lot, for sure.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yep.
Georgette Pierre:
For sure, for sure. No matter what you do now, your experience at Emerson has influenced who you are today. Every institution leaves its fingerprint on us, whether we use it, acknowledge it, or not. What mark did Emerson leave on you?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Oh, so such a big one, I feel like, as I've been saying.
Georgette Pierre:
If you couldn't tell during this interview, Madeline absolutely loved Emerson.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
She had a good experience. I think it's just the number one feeling I associate with Emerson is revelation, and transformation, and excitement. And that, to me, is the same thing as creativity. The buzzing creativity of being around people who care about the same things you care about and are working towards the same things you're working toward, I think that, to me, was ... We talked a little bit about how I had grown up in such a religious environment, and that, to me, was like what all of those people had been talking about before, was this buzzing, hive mind sort of creativity. Something connects you to something bigger. And for us, the something bigger was writing, and creativity, and storytelling, and craft. And that was so exciting to me. And I think that's imbued itself into my DNA.
When I sit down to work on a new project, I want to talk to my friends about it from Emerson, and I think I want my professors to read my work. There's just that connection. I think it's just this feeling of community, and connection, and really just, I owe so much to Emerson in terms of giving me the space to just become who I always was, and to come out in a really quiet way. Whereas in Texas, I had to come out in such a loud, terrible, annoying way. And Emerson gave me this space to just say, "Okay, yeah, I'm a lesbian. Cool," and we're going to go forward, and, "Okay, what are you reading? I don't really need to hear anymore about that. I don't need explanations. I don't need defenses." So I think for me, that was really important to have just this one little pocket that let me be myself and let me care about what I was working on. And yeah, I'm always going to be grateful for that. And I think it was just such a great experience.
Georgette Pierre:
Can you give us a brief synopsis of the Golden Season, your first novel that's out now, and if you can share a little bit about your novel, your second novel that you're working on?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yeah, for sure. So the Golden Season is a story that takes place in a small town in west Texas. It focuses on a daughter whose name is Emmy, and her father, whose name is Steve, navigating the wake of Emmy coming out as a lesbian. Steve is a high school football coach, which is akin to God in west Texas. And so he has to navigate the political implications of having a daughter who's gay in a town that's Southern Baptist and doesn't accept her. And Emmy has to learn how to live her life in this free way and navigate her first relationship with a woman who is a little toxic and a little manipulative, but she's so in love for the first time. And she has to learn that coming out is just the first step. You have to live your life after that. So it's just this novel about coming out, and coming together, and coming away from what you've always known to forge your own path.
And then my second novel is coming out in November. It's called Today, Tonight, Forever. It's the story of a wedding weekend, and it's told from, I think, seven points of view. And it's just this wedding chaos that's ensuing. It's an ensemble cast, and it's all about just how we're all thinking about something other than the wedding while we're at a wedding. And the past comes up, and there's tension, and heartbreak, and longing, and destructive habits, and a lot of chaos. It's a lot of fun. And it's just a 24-hour time period. Yeah. So that's Today, Tonight, Forever.
Georgette Pierre:
That sounds exciting. It's almost giving ... What is the movie with the three guys, and there's the three part ... Oh gosh. Where they get drunk and Mike Tyson was in it.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yes. Oh yes. Yes, yes.
Georgette Pierre:
That's what I'm hearing. Oh my gosh. I am sad that that is slipping my mind, but it's Bradley Cooper in it. But, yes. But that sounds fun. I'm excited for you. Congratulations on that.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Thank you.
Georgette Pierre:
That's amazing. What's one thing you'd like to try next, and why haven't you tried it yet?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
I really want to write a detective novel, and just a really genre ... whatever genre, thriller, just more commercial book. And I think I didn't write it before because I was like, "Oh, I have to be very mysterious and literary." But I think now I'm just like, "I want to write what I want to write," and I do want to write a detective novel. So I'm manifesting that into the world that it will happen.
Georgette Pierre:
It's called The Hangover, by the way.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Hangover, yes.
Georgette Pierre:
It's called The Hangover. But yes, come on, detective novel.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
That's that detective.
Georgette Pierre:
I was being a detective.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
This is my new novel.
Georgette Pierre:
I love it. Lastly, Madeline, what does it mean for you to make it, and how will you know when you get there?
Madeline Kay Sneed:
I think for me to make it, it's to be writing a little bit every day, spending time with the people I love, spending time outside, getting the sun on my face, and just getting to have these conversations. I think I'm a very simple woman. I don't need a lot in life. For me, making it is just the opportunity to write, and the lucky opportunity that people might read my writing, and just being able to chill and share it with the people I love.
Georgette Pierre:
Amazing. Madeline, thank you so much.
Madeline Kay Sneed:
Yeah, thank you.
Georgette Pierre:
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