Erica Crouch - Madly, Deeply
Cover designed by: Erica Crouch
Pub Date: June 17, 2014
Genre: Paranormal historical romance
Publisher: Patchwork Press
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea...
Annaleigh Wells and William Calloway had a love even the angels envied. It was as if the universe spun them toward one another, like the stars crafted their souls to fit perfectly together.
With a wedding on the horizon, fate had a change of heart. Whispered warnings from phantoms and morbid nightmares darkened every night—but even visions of the future couldn’t save Annaleigh.
Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem Annabel Lee, Crouch’s period romance Madly, Deeply tells the tale of love so great, it cannot be contained in just one life.
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Interview with Erica Crouch
Mickey: Hey, Erica Crouch! Welcome to the blog! Thanks for being here today. Please introduce yourself.
Erica: Thanks so much for having me! I’m a young adult/new adult author from Baltimore, Maryland with now three books published — Ignite, Entice, and Madly Deeply. I’m also the cofounder of Patchwork Press, and a vlogger with the WordNerds.
Mickey: You have a new book out today. Madly, Deeply is very different than your other novels. Tell us a little bit about it.
Erica: I’m so excited for Madly, Deeply! It is a book that never would have happened without the encouragement of Kellie Sheridan. I originally wrote it for the PWP Anthology, but after some feedback, it became a standalone. Madly, Deeply is a paranormal romance based on Edgar Allan Poe’s poem ‘Annabel Lee.’ It’s broken into six parts, each introduced by a stanza of the poem. I’m hoping it’s beautiful and eerie — it’s definitely more romantically focused than my other writing.
Mickey: Where did the idea for Madly, Deeply initially sprout from? And how did this story unravel to you?
Erica: Being from Baltimore, I’ve been raised on Poe. I have a few favorite poems and short stories that I’ve studied in the past, but ‘Annabel Lee’ always stood out. When Kellie and I were discussing the theme of the anthology we were putting together, I knew I wanted to write a victorian ghost story, and I thought the poem would be the perfect source of inspiration.
The story unraveled with an image, taken from a few lines in the poem. There was a lot of imagery with the moon and the sea (though in my story, it’s a lake). I also loved the idea of angels envious of humans’ love. And of course, the line “We loved with a love that was more than love—,” really drove it home for me. Hopefully the imagery of the poetry finds its wings in Madly, Deeply.
Mickey: Madly, Deeply is actually written in third person and past tense, which is much different than the first person and present tense you use for the Ignite series. How different was that for you while writing this one?
Erica: It was really different, but it felt right. I don’t think I really made a conscious decision to write Madly, Deeply in third past… it just kind of happened. It made sense with the tone of the story and the style of writing I was going for. I did find myself accidentally slipping into first present every now and then, but for the most part, it was an easy transition. It also helped me keep the two stories separate in my mind, which can be especially difficult since I’m getting ready to write the conclusion of the Ignite series.
Mickey: If you could pick anyone, who would you choose to narrate the audio book of Madly, Deeply?
Erica: Natalie Dormer. I want Natalie Dormer to narrate my life, actually. Her voice is so spectacularly unique. She has this air about her that is dangerously beautiful, and I think hearing her read Madly, Deeply would add something amazing to the story.
Mickey: You were writing this for the Patchwork Press anthology that's coming out soon. Want to give us some info on that?
Erica: Of course! The Patchwork Press anthology should be coming out sometime in July, I think. It’s a young adult fantasy, with five stories all in different time periods. The thread between each story is a magical locket — which is why the anthology is titled The Lost Locket of Lahari. My story will be another victorian piece, though it will lean more toward seances and murders than romance and ghosts. We also have a story set in the 20’s, one set during WWII, present day, and a futuristic piece.
Mickey: I know your readers are waiting for the finale of your Ignite series (because I'm one of them). Any news on that?
Erica: I’ll be writing that as soon as I finish working on the anthology! I’m hoping Incite will be coming out this summer, or at the latest, this fall. It’s already all plotted out, and I’m really excited to dive into it — I’ve written a few chapters so far, and it’s much more intense than Ignite. There are a few new angels/demons we’ll meet, and it’s going to be told in dual POV (between Pen and Azael). I’ve also dropped this hint on my blog, but I think people are looking in the wrong direction regarding the true villain.
Mickey: You also have a lot of other projects in the works. Give us the scoop! :)
Erica: I know, I just can’t seem to take time off (and I wouldn’t have it any other way)! After Incite, I’ll be writing the first installment (Cut) in my new adult science fiction series. That series, titled the Undying series, should be five books long — three full lengths, and two novellas, coming out over the next few years. Then I also have a gender-bent Robin Hood retelling in the works, which will be a duology. I want to finish up my 1920’s heist novel (Canvas), which the first ten or so chapters are on Wattpad right now. And then I have even more projects on the back burner — some contemporary novels, a YA horror, a YA spy novel… Now I just have to find the time to write them all!
Mickey: Talk to us about Patchwork Press and what it is you do there.
Erica: Patchwork Press is an author-powered publisher of middle grade, young adult, and new adult titles. Right now, we have six authors and over twenty titles, which is crazy because we’ve just passed our one year anniversary this past April. Patchwork Press has also now gone international with our titles, and we’re excited for what possibilities that will open up.
At PWP, I head up editorial and design. Basically, I help our authors with their covers, try to guide the editorial work (as much as possible, while still working on my own title), work with NetGalley, oversee the interns with Kellie… I also manage our social media accounts, so if you’re talking to someone over the PWP Facebook or Twitter, you’re probably talking to me!
Mickey: A non-bookish question: What's your favorite vegetable
Erica: Corn, specifically the popped kind ;)
Mickey: Thanks so much for being here, Erica! Any parting thoughts?
Erica: Again, thank you so much for having me! I hope people enjoy Madly, Deeply. It’s a story I really believe in, and am proud of. It was a lot of fun to write, and hopefully it will be just as fun to read. :)
Erica Crouch is a young adult and new adult author from the colorful city of Baltimore, Maryland. Her debut novel, Ignite, was published June 2013, and its e-novella sequel, Entice, was released Nov. 2013. The final book in the Ignite series, Incite, is expected 2014. A compilation of the series will be released winter 2014.
Her first new adult novel -- Madly, Deeply, a paranormal romance based on Edgar Allan Poe's poem Annabel Lee -- arrives June 2014. She is working on a new adult science fiction series (Undying) due 2014, and a Robin Hood gender-swap retelling (Feathered series) due 2015.
Erica is the cofounder of Patchwork Press, an author-powered publisher of MG, YA, and NA titles. She is the head of editorial services and design, with more than ten projects to her name.
Currently, she is studying English and Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction at Southern New Hampshire University. She is a vlogger for the YAWordNerds with over 500 subscribers. When Erica isn't writing, she's reading an overwhelming stack of books, watching an obscene amount of Netflix, and procrastinating.
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