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Marieke Lexmond splits her time between New Orleans and Ireland. No other place in the world could be more fitting for the real-life witch and author of the popular multi-award-winning fantasy fiction book series, The Madigan Chronicles.
Lexmond says it was her attraction to nature and places with a magical history that brought her to both New Orleans and the West Coast of Ireland.
“As a pagan, I felt an instant connection to the land; it feeds my imagination and became the inspiration for the Madigan Chronicles.”
The popular fantasy series is about a family of witches and their struggle to work together to keep a centuries-old promise and stop a dark witch from claiming a powerful elemental object.
Looking back on the dozens of awards and honorable mentions for The Madigan Chronicles series in 2022, the author had this to say about the way the books have been received both by readers and by the literary community.
“I’m honored and humbled by the enormous success of “The Wand” the Madigan Chronicles #3 in 2022. It’s an author’s dream to receive such recognition. I’m grateful for such an exciting year, and I can’t wait to see what 2023 will bring.”
Those who know Lexmond well are not in the least surprised at her success. Her background in filmmaking enabled her to travel and live around the globe. Storytelling is in her blood, from saving her allowance from a very young age to buying books for her master’s degree from the Dutch Film Academy.
Entertainment Monthly News had the chance to sit down with Marieke for an exclusive Q and A as she was leaving New Orleans on her way back to Ireland.
Q: Tell us more about your sense of place – you write in Ireland and in New Orleans, and you have spoken of how they both inspire your work- what do these places mean to you?
A: New Orleans and Ireland feed different parts of my soul. When I’m in New Orleans, I like to absorb the vibe of the city. There’s always something going on, with lots of fascinating characters. Besides that, it’s a magical city that gives me loads of inspiration for my witches. When I turn around the bend in the Ma’am Valley in Ireland, I feel an instant belonging, and the land speaks to me. It talks to the part of me that longs to connect to nature, another big source of my inspiration. I have the best of both worlds.
Q: In addition to writing about witches in a fantasy series, you also identify as a witch in real life. What is a modern witch, and what about that most appeals to you?
A: For me, it’s not a religion but a way of life. I was simply born this way. Even though you can affiliate with certain groups or follow specific traditions, that’s not for me. I’ve picked and chosen from the things out there and made it my own. That’s also one of the things I appreciate about it. Generally, witches are open-minded, and the craft encourages you to be yourself. The modern witch doesn’t look like what you imagine. Although we love to have some fun with it, most of us look like everybody else. I follow the cycles of nature/seasons, and the moon; being connected to the things around you and your feelings is what embodies witchcraft for me.
Q: Did you expect the series to become as popular as it has, or did that surprise you?
A: Like everybody, I have a healthy dose of self-doubt. It’s wonderful to receive so much recognition this year for the series. I’m humbled by the awards! As a writer, you hope others will be drawn into your stories, and it’s awesome that people enjoy the Madigans as much as I do!
Q: You are known for your background in film – when do the Madigan witches hit the big screen?
A: That would be amazing! The Madigan’s story began as a screenplay, so if it came alive on screen, that would be a dream.”
The author says fantasy and science fiction are her favorites. In her own writing, she prefers to write “fun and mystical stories.”
The Madigan Chronicles certainly qualify for that description!
More about the award-winning book series:
This new mystical, magical, six-book series features three generations of powerful, headstrong witches from the Madigan Family and their struggle to work together to keep a centuries-old promise and stop a dark witch from claiming a powerful elemental object.
There are four magical objects in the world that rule the elements: earth, water, air, and fire. The Madigans guard the Wand of Wisdom, which governs the power of fire. When Lucy, Grandma Madigan’s evil twin, steals the Dagger of Consciousness, which governs the power of air, it sets off a rollercoaster of magical mayhem. Lucy wants to possess all four magical objects and be all-powerful. If the Madigans are going to stop her, they need to overcome their differences.
The exciting books have not only struck a chord with readers and magic fans – they have been repeatedly recognized by the literary world. The series continues to gather prestigious international awards.
Just some of those honors:
The BookFest Awards
FIRST PLACE in the category Supernatural Creatures & Beings. AND FIRST PLACE in the category Social Media-Instagram for @underthewitcheshat
The WINNER in the Genre-Based category of the London Book Festival
Awards 2022
FIRST PLACE in the category Urban Fantasy and Second Place in the category
Magical Realism 1st qtr 2022. Firebird Book Awards
“The Magical Tarot Deck” and “The Wand” won Award Winning Author for Books
in a Series in the International Impact Book Awards.
WINNER in Fantasy of the Maincrest Book Awards.
WINNER 2022 Urban & Paranormal Fantasy and Book Cover Design-fiction
WINNER in the Outstanding Creator Awards. 1st place in the category Myths and Legends, winner of the BEST BOOK COVER, 2nd place in Fantasy. And honorable mentions for MAEVE in Best Character & Hottest Character and MAB in Best Villain
WINNER of 2022 Best Book Cover -adults. The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
HONORABLE MENTION Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Fiction-
Magic/Wizardry
FINALIST in the Fantasy category of the Pacific Book Awards
FINALIST in the category Romance & Women’s Fiction of the Maxy Awards
HONORABLE MENTION Hollywood Book Festival 2022 in the Genre-Based category
FINALIST 2022 IAN (Independent Author Network) Book of the Year Awards Category-FANTASY
HONORABLE MENTION The Royal Dragon Fly Book Awards (Story Monster)
Science Fiction and Fantasy
5-STARS on Readers’ Favorite
Readers can find the books on Amazon – or among spells and other modern real-life witch things on the author’s website at: https://www.underthewitcheshat.com/
