Melissa Bell Interview Published on: 08, Mar 2016
Short bio or SYNOPSIS here on writing as your passion.
I’m an author from Brisbane Australia. Writing is my passion not just my hobby. I thrive on taking an idea and growing it page by page to bring to life the characters in my books. When I write it is as though I am transferring a movie in my head onto paper as the plot and scenes unfold.
How long have you been writing and what inspired you to do it seriously?I have been writing for about three and half years now although it was something I always wanted to do but wasn’t game to try. I ended up writing ‘Destiny’s Fate’ and publishing it. I discovered that I could do what I had always dreamed about and I’ve been doing it ever since. There may not always be something to watch on T.V. but there is always something to watch inside my mind.
When choosing a name for your characters, what do you consider about them that determines what you finally call them?Honestly I’m not sure, other than hearing an interesting name and turning it into one of the characters in my books.
Did you have a collection in mind when you were writing them?Yes – I set out to do a series when I wrote and published Destiny’s Fate – Book #1 – Dutiful Gods Series Yes – I knew that my Five Brothers Series was going to have at least 6 books in the series when I wrote Houston – Book #1. I am currently finishing off the fifth one in the series now called ‘London.’ No - The Therapist – When I wrote ‘The Therapist’ I was only planning on having the one off/stand-alone novel. However when fans began to message me telling me they wanted more I decided to turn it into a trilogy.
How did you choose which stories to include and in what order?When I wrote ‘Compilation’ I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could write in a multitude of genres. So I wrote 4 short stories based on the genre. I decided to begin with ‘Lupe’ – (A Five Brothers Short Story) because my fans wanted to know what happened with Lupe one of the brothers. The story is a romantic m/m read, which is my first male/male novel. 2113 was a post-apocalyptic short story I wrote to raise money for a charity anthology. The anthology has since been unpublished and as I am planning on turning it into a dystopian trilogy I released it as part of this collection. ‘Playing Blind,’ is a contemporary love story with a little bit of steam. Again readers want more, but this was written as a short feel good romance. Finally I wrote a gothic novel called ‘EMBERS’ this is the first short story which I hope to turn into a series at a later date.
Do you have a “reader” in mind when you write stories?I write the stories that play in my mind, most are written to capture the minds of readers who like paranormal romance. Although each series is different so I hope there is a little something in them all for them to enjoy.
What do you do to get book reviews? What is the best review you ever got?I offer ARC’s to a select group of reviewers. Amazon Review for Destiny’s Fate this is just one of many I love. By Francesca - Mrs Kissmas! Fantastic Read! I absolutely loved this book! I could not put it down and read it all in one sitting. This is the first title in the Dutiful Gods Series and the first title that I have read by this incredibly talented author. But I guarantee that it will not be the last! This book is filled with passion, sexiness and humour. It’s a fantastic read that will have you hooked and wanting to keep turning the page from the very beginning. I loved the concept of the story as well. The different Gods and their realms and then the twists and turns throughout the tale of finding love. Brilliant! You are swept along on this amazing journey and I am already eager to read the next and the next. A really enjoyable read that I cannot recommend highly enough! I hope that you enjoyed this read as much as I did. Definitely going on my re -read list and recommendation one! Happy Reading!
What does the word “story” mean to you?The word story means the opening the cover of a book as though opening a door to a new world. It is the ability to take someone on a journey from the first to the last page.
What are you working on now?I am presently finishing up ‘London’ – Book #5 – Five Brothers Series I am then going to working on ‘Cosmo’s Universe’ – Book #5 – Dutiful Gods Series
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?I make the most of whatever time I can find to write. Some days I may be creative the entire day but then the next I may struggle to find an hour or two.
How do you promote your work? How Quotesrain helps you in your book promotions and sales, would you like to refer this platform to your author friends?I have a fan based mailing list. I do author take-overs and giveaways. I also have a number of social media accounts to help spread the word including my own webpage. Quotesrain helps to cover the outlets that I don’t have time to take care of such as twitter therefore reaching a market that I would otherwise miss out on.
Would you like to share something with your readers and fan?My partner J. Thiele (also an author) and I, will be working on a new novel later this year called – ‘SHANE’ Demon Hunters Series. So keep an eye out for that one along with other new releases coming in 2016.
