"Disability representation in lit advocate and Founding Member of Disability in Publishing."
From an early age, Madison Parrotta was paranoid that she’d never be able to read. When she was proven wrong, she devoured as many books as she could. As Madison grew older and continued to read, she noticed the lack of people like herself (i.e. that were disabled). At this point, she knew she wanted to work with books that were written by disabled writers or were about disability in a way that dismantled ableism.
Madison Parrotta is a freelance dramaturg and editor interested in making the worlds of theatre and publishing a place where disability is welcomed and accessibility is the norm. Currently she is the senior editor for Includas Publishing and a literary intern at The Seymour Agency. She’s also an avid reader and book collector.
Madison’s favorite genre is YA, but she’s open to reading anything.
Sensitivity / Expert
- Italian
- Bisexual
- Disabled
- Wheelchair user
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Disability in Theater
- Surgery
- Ableist Physician Experiences
- Adaptive Technology
- Physical Therapy
- Medication
- Alcoholism
- Disabled Sexuality
Preferred Genres
Romcom YA and MG (contemporary Fantasy thriller graphic novels magical realism) historical fiction General adult fiction horror thriller literary fiction
Avoided Genres
None!
What Clients Say
Madison did a sensitivity read for relevant excerpted material, and provided helpful pointers on places for improvement in representation.
Everyone at Salt & Sage was so helpful and professional in the process of querying, getting a quote, scheduling, and dealing with my sensitivity read. The read itself was through, kind, incisive, clear, and very helpful. Madison pinpointed areas I’d done well and, more importantly, areas she felt needed work, especially regarding my character’s internalized ablism and his family’s infantilization of him. She gave me resources, as well as specific quotes from my book that showed where I was portraying the issues she was educating me about. It truly helped me view his journey in another light and, I hope, helped me revise him into a character who better represents a person with a congenital limb difference.