Toledo romance author to sign books at Ukazoo on Saturday

Toledo native and resident Madeline Hampton has five published books and is working on two others to be released later this year

Madeline Hampton has been fascinated with romance novels since she was a pre-teen.

A frequent visitor to the library, Mrs. Hampton would borrow the books in droves. “I would check them out 10 to 15 at a time,” Mrs. Hampton said.

“As a teen, I would write short stories and sell them to my friends for $3,” she said with a laugh. “It was what I loved to do, and I just wanted to stick with it.”

Now an author, the Toledo native has five published books and is working on two others to be released later this year.

On Saturday, she will sign copies of four of her novels from 4 to 7 p.m. at Ukazoo Bookstore, 830 N. Westwood Ave. in Toledo.

“I think the ball is rolling for me,” said Mrs. Hampton, 38. “I’ve been presented with a lot of great opportunities and I’m really excited about what’s to come.”

A life-long Toledo resident, Mrs. Hampton graduated from Rogers High School in 1993. After high-school she joined the Army where she served as a flight operations specialist for three years. She works as a nursing assistant and lives in the city with her husband.

In December, she released Skye’s the Limit 2: New Awakenings. The third installment in the series, Skye’s the Limit 3: Turbulent Waters, will be released early this spring.

While most of her novels are romance related, Mrs. Hampton said she likes to add a little mystery to her work to keep her readers guessing.

“I’m into suspense and mystery, so I try to add that touch to my novels. There’s always something more going on than just the romance that I hope the readers pick up on.”

Her most recent novel story Mr. and Mrs. Love Jones, released in February, features actor Brian J. White on the cover. Mr. White, a film and television actor and model, has starred in Stump the Yard, Good Deeds, and The Cabin in the Woods. His television credits include CSI: Miami, The Shield, and Men of a Certain Age.

Mrs. Hampton describes Mr. and Mrs. Love Jones as a romance/murder mystery. She credits local court and police department employees for helping her with the research.

“I went to the courtroom for six weeks to just listen to the attorneys. I spoke with the city coroner and the ballistics officers,” she said. “I didn’t want to write a novel and not know anything. I wanted to have my facts straight.”

Now that she’s established as an adult fiction writer, Mrs. Hampton hopes to dabble in children’s books.

“Often times when people go into the stores to buy my books, they’re also looking for books for their kids,” Mrs. Hampton said. “And when I was a kid, I loved reading. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Mrs. Hampton’s books can be purchased at Ukazoo and online at amazon.com, bn.com, and onekarmapublishing.com.

Contact RoNeisha Mullen at: rmullen@theblade.com or 419-724-6133.