Real Life Police Officer Stacy Eaton Interviews Madison Knight

What Detective Knight says about women:  "We're a Triple Threat"

Character Interview*

SE:  Welcome Madison - Tell us about you!

My name is Madison Knight, but you can call me Detective Knight.  I’ve been a cop for ten years and in Major Crimes for over seven.  My first priority in life is finding justice for the victims, and providing closure for the loved ones left behind.  A distant second is a personal life which normally only happens when I’m run down with a case and it’s either keep going or collapse.

SE:  Detective Knight you sound a lot like me, I work that way too! 

My greatest inspiration in life is my grandmother, Rose.  She believed in me and even encouraged me to become part of the brotherhood of blue.  I lost her two years ago when a cancerous brain tumor claimed her but there’s rarely a day that goes by when I don’t think of her.  She understood what it was like to have career goals and a determined mindset.  She would tell me, we’ve got it over men in three ways remember that.  Endurance, mental focus and we’ve got the looks.  We’re a triple threat. 

SE:  Your grandmother was a very smart woman.  

My mother would have simply preferred I got married and churned out babies.  Needless to say we don’t see eye to eye.  In fact, it’s a good thing at least my younger sister Cheslea did all those things – at least both of her girls weren’t a disappointment.

SE:  hahaha... I can totally understand that! 

My partner Terry Grant is married and has two beagles who he named Todd and Bailey – who names their dogs people names anyhow?  I don’t get it, and can’t say I really understand the need to have a pet and I don’t really have the time for one, but who knows, maybe one day? 

Terry’s been working through some martial issues lately, and because of it he is distracted.  It only reinforces my decision to stay clear of the ‘married and baby thing’.  But it’s not like I’ve always hated the idea of marriage…let’s just say I had my eyes opened early on.  Now I like to say I’m married to my career.

SE:  If I ever get divorced... I'll take the vows with my job anyday!  Detective, before you take off can you answer a few questions?  We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish your creator had done differently with you?

Come on, really?  I can’t think of something I’d like to change.  It’s not that I’m perfect the way I am…how does a person say ‘oh yeah, I’d change this?’.  And to pick one thing?

By the way you’re looking at me I know you’re not going to let me off without answering the question.  And I’ve used the solid eye contact and silent card before…

SE:  Sorry forgot who I was interviewing... hazard of the job...  

Okay, maybe I’d change my hair.  And before you start thinking I’m a girlie girl, think again.  It might just be nice to pull it back into a pony tail sometimes or wear it down.  As you can see it’s short, a wake-up and go style as I term it.  I suppose it’s easy to maintain with my line of work.

SE:  Mine's not permed, but I keep it short like you for just that reason. If you could have added something to the story, and your creator would have let you, what would that have been? 

Nothing’s coming to mind here.  I’m a private person and she respected that.  She told you as much as you need to know about me right now.  You’ll find out there’s a cold case that I want resolved, but I’m not obsessed over it, I just want the guilty held accountable.

SE:  Don't we all... What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?

No one is telling me how it is, I’m telling them.  I’m hard headed and sometimes impulsive.  Terry always gives me a hard time when I follow what he terms a hunch – they are founded on fact by the way.  But it’s a rush sometimes wondering if my instincts are leading me the right way.  The truth of the matter is I have a lot to prove, and sometimes I wonder if it’s more to myself than to other people.

Least of all, I hate the fact I can’t stomach the sight of blood.  You’re probably thinking very strange for a detective who is around dead bodies and crime scenes.  The distaste for it dates back to childhood, but that’s a story for another book.  Either way, I push through because it’s what I do.  I want to make a difference.  In fact, I need to make a difference to have purpose in my life.

SE:  I can understand that.  What part of the book was the hardest for you and your creator to work through? 

When I went to a bar, the Weathered Rose, to question them about the first victim - Laura Saunders was her name by the way.  I like to keep them personal by using their names even though we’re advised against it.  But anyhow there were a lot of people and it was a struggle to keep everyone straight.

SE:  Is there a sequel for this book? If so, what do you want to accomplish in the next book.  If not, do you wish you could continue your story? 

I believe you’ll be hearing a lot more from me actually.  As for what I’m going to accomplish, it would be nice to put an end to this one cold case.  I hate unsolved cases.

SE:  If you liked what Detective Knight said - you can purchase her books here:

TIES THAT BIND

JUSTIFIED

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*This character interview was first shared on Stacy Eaton's blog as part of the WLC Mystery Launch that took place Dec 13th-15th 2011.  Stacy Eaton is the author of MY BLOOD RUNS BLUE series available on Amazon.