Check Out Madeleine Holly-Rosing’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeleine Holly-Rosing.

Hi Madeleine, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been writing stories since I learned how to write, but it wasn’t until I attended UCLA and got my masters in screenwriting that everything came together. While I was there, I wrote a TV pilot called Boston Metaphysical Society. It was about an ex-Pinkerton detective, a spirit photographer, and a genius scientist who battled supernatural forces in late 1800s Boston. The research for the story came from a biopic I wrote about the astronomer Mina Fleming called, Stargazer. (It was set in Boston during the same time period and won the Sloan Fellowship.) The TV pilot did okay in competitions and was read by various production companies, but it never found a home. A friend of mine suggested I turn it into a graphic novel to use as marketing material to sell back to Hollywood. But a funny thing happened during this journey. I discovered I loved writing comics and being a part of the indie comic creator community. So I stayed. It really annoys me that I came into indie comics late in life as there are so many terrific stories out there.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never smooth. Comics are expensive to produce, so we struggled to fund the first three issues on our own until Kickstarter came along. I don’t think they had been in business long when we attempted our first crowdfunding campaign, which failed spectacularly, by the way. 🙂 But that’s not unusual. We restrategized and launched again a couple of months later and were funded in 24 hours. Though every campaign has been successful since then, there are always hiccups along the way. (Such as production and printer delays, pandemics, etc.)

I also used to do up to twenty (20) conventions a year when I first started. It was necessary to build a fan base. It worked, but wow, I’ve spent many a night in crappy hotels. Fortunately, I’ve been able to cut back on conventions and stay at slightly better hotels now. Ten years of work paid off.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m not only a writer of comics but also novels, short prose, and an audio drama called Boston Metaphysical Society: The Ghost Ship, which I produced as well. I’m known for writing comics, but I’m proud of not only the many anthologies I’ve been a part of but writing the audio drama as well. (I’d like to shout out to my awesome production team of Eddie Louise and Chip Michael as well as our amazing cast.)

I think the thing that sets me apart is the ability to translate the Boston Metaphysical universe into different mediums.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The importance of self-care. It was a very stressful time for everyone, but you had to learn to take care of yourself before you could take care of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.queenofmercia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcholly1/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BostonMetaphysicalSocietyComic/
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mhollyrosing

Image Credits
#1 – Cover art of The Ghost Ship by Gwynn Tavares #2 – Boston Metaphysical Society Vol. 2 Cover Art by Marguerite Sauvage; Int. Art by Gwynn Tavares #3 – Panel from “The Meeting” in Vol. 2 Art by Roberta Ingranata #4 – Boston Metaphysical Society Vol. 1 Cover Art by Roberta Ingranata; Int. Art by Emily Hu #5 – Panel from “Hunter-Killer” in Vol. 1. Art by Emily Hu