Way back in 2020/2021, I was pitching lots of middle grade graphic novel ideas to publishers. Although none of them worked out in the end, some of them actually got pretty far through the process- contracts drawn up, acquisition meetings held etc.
One which got absolutely nowhere was a project called... The Museum of Everything. The main character was a girl called Smudge, a nickname she borrowed from her pet cat which had died (this made sense in context. Possibly. Or possibly not, I think there are various reasons why no publisher wanted this thing) who ended up spending her Summer working as an intern doing odd-jobs at a giant space museum, befriended something/someone who may or may not be the Mona Lisa.
When I was thinking up project ideas after completing The Beekeeper's Picnic, I returned back to the project and realised that if I created a new, more mature protagonist, the plot would make a GREAT adventure game.
And I tried to think of a name for my new protagonist that sounded a bit like Smudge, but which suited an older lady better. It immediately hit me... Madge! Perfect! Same last three letters and everything!
Now, friends... I am having to have a long hard think about why the name 'Madge' was in my brain, why I was able to call it to mind so easily.
This whole post a long way of saying that my Madge might have accidentally sort of been inspired by @224bbaker Madge, I can't rule that out. But I hope that more sleuthin' Madges in the world can't be a bad thing.
