Discover the magic and romance in Lauren Bianca Maduray's self-published novels
At 27, self-published author Lauren Bianca Maduray, who is from Chatsworth, Durban, is making a name for herself in the literary world.
With an impressive array of works under her belt, including the “The Shadower” comic book, and, most recently, her two fantasy romance novels, Maduray's storytelling is as diverse as her interests.
“The Shadower”, which was released in 2021, features actual people transformed into characters, each embodying their own superhero.
Following its publication, Maduray delved into the world of fantasy romance, debuting “His Wolf Her Horse” and “Bring It All Back” earlier this year.
“His Wolf Her Horse” is a tale that combines elements of fantasy and romance.
The narrative revolves around Vallery and Carsen, who are drawn together through the intertwining destinies of fantastical creatures — a wolf and a horse, both with special powers.
Meanwhile, “Bring It All Back” follows a young woman in London, who works in a bookstore and receives a mysterious call that unearths memories of her parents.
Her journey intersects with Mr Kentley, a character from a realm called Downbelow.
Their romance shifts dramatically when she loses her memory, prompting Kentley to help her recall their times together.
Maduray’s love for books began at a young age.
“As a child, I was a bookworm. My favourite novel is ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen and, recently, I found out about Anna Wong.
“I also love, love stories, fantasy and Disney so my imagination runs wild. I’m always thinking about new stories ...
“My day-to-day interactions with people, their characters and cultures are fascinating to me,” said Maduray.
Although Maduray has no formal training in writing, her BA in psychology has allowed her to develop a profound understanding of human behaviour, greatly enhancing her character development.
“Doing psychology taught me things like anthropology and culture, how to understand different people and their characteristics, so when I am writing it plays a role, especially when I come across a good character that I can expand on and put into the book,” she said.
But it’s not only books that inspire her; her past experiences in the cosplay community, especially her portrayals of Marvel characters, have added another layer to her creative expression.
While she has moved on from the cosplay scene, the memories of her characters such as Black Widow and Doctor Strange still influence her storytelling style.
“I love Marvel. I used to do cosplay for Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Wanda and Black Panther, so I think I ventured off into writing this way.
“The cosplay world is behind me now, because of time constraints, but I do carry a lot of fun memories,” she shared.
When she is not writing, Maduray dedicates time to various animal-related interests and is actively involved in her local church, Grace Community Centre.
“I work on weekdays and in the afternoons I help out at the church. On weekends I spend my time writing, so even if it means burning the midnight oil I will do it, just to achieve my goals.
Thus far her books have attracted much attention and she is currently working on getting them on online platforms.
“I sold my first 30 copies within the first month ... I think overseas publishers are fascinated that South African authors go to that extent in terms of writing, designing and even marketing their own books.”
Her advice for upcoming authors is to believe in themselves despite what people may say.
“Put God first because once you seek him, everything else follows ... If you have an idea, don’t ever be discouraged about it, even though it might just be one idea and people are telling you not to do it, if you put your mind to it, you will be able to do it.
“My uncle and my mother always say, ‘If you put R10 in, that’s what you going to get out, so always make sure you put in the right amount of dedication,” she ended.
With readers eager to see what her imagination conjures next, Maduray is undoubtedly a name to watch in the South African literary world.
∎ To purchase a copy of “His Wolf Her Horse” and/or “Bring It All Back”, contact Maduray on 067 223 0984 or email laurenbiancamarvel@gmail.com.