Writing as M.A. Wardell, Lambda Literary Award nominee Matt writes spicy, heartfelt gay romance. His latest series, Love at Labyrinth Solutions, is a spicy, laugh-out-loud queer monster romance series in which the main couples navigate office chaos, fated attraction, and unexpected love in a workplace where the chemistry is anything but strictly professional.
He’s passionate about telling adult queer love stories featuring flawed, messy men who deserve big feelings, real growth, and a happily ever after. Matt grew up craving more queer representation in the media, so now he writes the stories he always wanted to experience.
We spoke with the author about finding inspiration in monster romance, celebrating queer joy, and embracing imperfect characters who deserve love.
What was the original spark behind the Love at Labyrinth Solutions series, and when did you realize that a supernatural workplace would be a fun setting for romance?
I’ve been a monster romance reader for some time, but I prefer more sweet and cute monsters than scary and violent ones. I’ve always wanted to write a queer modern retelling of the movie Working Girl, and I kept thinking this would be the perfect place to take the dive into monster romance. Meetings with the Minotaur was born, and the idea that this could be an office where many monsters and humans pair off was too tempting to not keep the series going.
What themes or tropes do you love exploring in your own writing, and which ones do you gravitate toward as a reader?
I’m a sucker for grumpy/sunshine and hurt/comfort. If I could write those in every single book, I’d be very happy. But of course, variety is the spice of life, and turns out it helps with writing. I love a challenge, and I've written a few tropes specifically to push myself as a writer (including secret baby). One I’ve never done is rivals to lovers, simply because I’m not confrontational by nature. But the next Love at Labyrinth Solutions book will be rivals to lovers, and I’m excited to try something new.
How would you describe your creative process over the course of writing this series?
What I’ve loved about this series most is how each book has helped push my creativity. As I created the staff of Labyrinth Solutions, it became very obvious who would be getting their own books (many are yet to come). But what surprised me most was how random monsters I introduced would leap off the page and demand they get a book—and in the case of one, demand he be next. I’m just going with the flow and enjoying every moment.
What does writing a monster romance allow you to explore that a contemporary human romance might not? And why do you think the subgenre of monster romance is having such a big moment in popularity right now?
At its heart, monster romance is about acceptance, and who doesn’t want that? It’s about finding someone you might not expect to have anything in common with and learning you might actually be more alike than you first thought. There’s also some of the tropes people love in contemporary, but pushed further.
The size difference between two humans can never compare to the size difference between a monster and a human. There’s a reason Beauty and the Beast is most people’s favorite animated film. Belle was fully ready to stay and be with the Beast before she ever knew he would revert back to his human form.
Without giving away spoilers, what can you share about the emotional or romantic territory you wanted to explore in your third installment Clang & Circumstance? How does this book expand the world or challenge something you established in the earlier stories?
Clang is my first (but hopefully not my last) completely made-up monster. I wanted to really create something from scratch, and that took a lot more work because there was no lore to fall back on like with established monsters. I actually worked with an amazing concept artist to help really visualize him before I got too far into the draft. I wanted to craft a monster who isn’t quite aware of how special he is. To show how what makes him stand out might be the thing that someone actually falls for.
Ready to clock in for a little workplace romance, monster-sized chemistry, and happily-ever-afters? Dive into M.A. Wardell’s Love at Labyrinth Solutions series and find your next supernatural obsession!
You've talked about wanting to write the queer representation you wished you'd seen growing up. How has that motivation evolved as your career has grown, and do you find yourself writing different kinds of stories now than you imagined you would when you started?
Well, I never imagined writing an entire series of monster romance! One thing I’ve been purposeful about in my writing is focusing on queer joy. So many queer stories center trauma, being closeted, and coming out. There’s clearly a need and space for those stories, but I’m much more interested in telling stories about folks where their queerness isn’t the focus of the conflict in the story.
Your characters can be messy, insecure, and flawed. Why is it important to you that they get to experience love and happiness without having to become perfect first?
The media is constantly giving us messages about who deserves a love story. If you look at your favorite romance books and movies, you won’t see many people who aren’t young, thin, and conventionally attractive. Of course, there’s a reason for that… They sell. But everyone deserves to see themselves represented in a love story. And I’m doing my little part to show that.
What advice do you have for aspiring romance authors?
Not to be too cliché, but just do it. Write the book. Know it will be messy, confusing, and one of the most challenging things you’ve done. But still do it. Push through. Becoming an author has taught me I can do really hard things.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Do you gravitate toward content similar to what you write or something completely different?
I do enjoy romance and read quite a bit of it, but you might be surprised to learn I also love non-fiction. Reading about the real world, learning about something I know very little about is where I spend most of my time in books.
What would you tell another author who is considering self-publishing through IngramSpark?
IngramSpark is the best way to push your books into spaces you might not be able to access on your own: mainly bookstores and libraries. Having your books in those places opens your stories to an entirely new audience. I’ve had a wonderful experience with IngramSpark. It has truly helped get my books in front of many more readers.
What's one misconception people have about indie publishing today?
I think many folks think indie books are lower quality, that anyone can do it. To which I say, then do it! See how ‘easy’ it is. Indie authors do it all. It’s incredibly difficult, but rewarding. Some of my favorite authors are indie authors. Indie authors are the ones taking risks, because there’s no gate-keeping. There’s nobody telling you what you can or can’t do. You're running the show. It’s no coincidence traditional publishers are taking notice and scooping up successful indie authors.
