Indie author M. J. Simms-Maddox, Ph.D., created 'The Priscilla Series, ' a unique novel series chronicling the coming of age and adventures of a modern-day, fiercely independent, self-assured Black American young woman. Her genres are mysteries and terrorism thrillers.The South Carolina native grew up in the Snowbelt of western New York. Her academic credentials include a Doctor of Philosophy degree in political science from Ohio State University. She has served as a legislative aide in the Ohio Senate, operated a PR firm, and taught political science for many years. Given her background, most plots in the novel series deal with political issues.The author is self-taught; she did not study creative writing in college. She began writing fiction in the late 1990s behind a recurring dream about a disturbing conversation with her father. Since the dream troubled her, she told a friend about it. Her friend recommended that she write it down; she has been writing ever since. As she penned her first novel, she did not even know she had written one, an editor told her. Then, she thought she was finished after publishing her first book, Priscilla Engaging in the Game of Politics. However, the next thing she knew, she was writing a trilogy. Mystery in Harare is the second book in what became a lengthier series. So, more is coming.After publishing four novels-one of which won 1st Place in the 2019 CIBAs for Mystery & Mayhem-and speaking at professional development sessions to empower women, colleagues encouraged her to share her advice about her writing and publishing experiences, hence A Handbook for Emerging and Seasoned Authors: An Insider's Step-by-Step Approach to Becoming a Successful Indie Book Author and Publisher. It won 1st Place in the 2022 CIBAs for Instruction & Insight How-To-Manuals.Simms-Maddox enjoys traveling and interacting with other writers and book fans. She has participated in the Bokmässan, the Harlem Book Fair, book clubs, and other venues. Like Edgar Allan Poe, she mostly believes, "To be appreciated, you must be read."
