Reading by Deb: INTERVIEW with MELONY ANN

I want to thank Melony Ann for taking the time for this interview!

BIO:

Melony Ann began writing short stories and poetry as a child. She continued honing her craft over the years until she took the plunge and began publishing her work, despite having severe anxiety.

Melony writes contemporary romance stories that are full of suspense and a lot of steam.

When she isn’t writing, she is loving her family and working to make her life something she deserves.

Melony believes that if her writing can inspire just one person, then all of her hard work is worth it.

Her hope is that her writing allows each and every one of her readers to escape for a little while. To dive into a different world one book at a time.

When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I have been writing romance since I was like 7 or 8.

My first “book” was about a girl who falls for Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Jonathan Brandis and has to choose between them. After finding out there was some poisoning going on, she trapses off with her one true love.

Did you have any influencing writers growing up?

I loved Francine Pascal. I still do. The Sweet Valley Kids series was what started my love of reading and writing. I followed the Wakefield twins all the way through college. I even read the adult series she came out with.

Secretly, I always hoped Jessica would end up with Bruce Patman and Elizabeth would stay with Todd forever.

I also got into Nora Roberts. I devour everything she comes out with. I love her as J.D. Robb just as much! I think they have shaped me as a writer. Very character driven.

Are any of your characters based on people in real life?

All of my characters are based on people in real life. My females are me and my girlfriend. The males are all men I know, love, and respect.

Where do you draw your book inspirations from?

Honestly, dreams. I will dream of a character or storyline and have to write it down.

Or my girlfriend will come up with something. She just decided that I am doing a fairytale inspired series because she wants the fairytales to go a different way.

A bit of sneak peek? What if Captain Hook was in love with Peter Pan?

Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?

Both. I start out with a basic outline, meaning I really just write down my idea so I don’t forget it.

Then, I let the characters lead the way. Because if I don’t, I get writer’s block. Like it doesn’t feel right or something and I can’t write until I listen to the characters.

When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?

I don’t. Some of my characters just are people, and I can’t picture anyone else.

Like, Ryan Crane, of the Crane Family Series was and always will be Daniel Rengering. Luke Massena, also of the Crane Family Series will always be Volodymyr Pielikh.

Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?

Reading and writing. I love Garry Michaels. I love Natalie Parker. I love Logan Chance. There are so many that I love and who are inspirations and even friends.

Who are your favorite current authors to read?

Logan Chance, Garry Michaels, Lorelei Johnson, Michael Robert, Havana Wilder, Tracy Lorraine, Anneke Boschoff, Ayana Lisbet, KC Savage, Natalie Parker, April Wilson, Melissa Foster… There are so many. Such a long list!

What are your favorite books by others?

I love Logan Chance’s The Taken series. Anything that he or April Wilson puts out is an automatic one-click.

Natalie Parker came out with a book not long ago called Somewhere in Between that I am so in love with.

Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?

In my Beautiful Dream Series, Gainesville, Florida, is home. In Dangerously Forbidden Love of The Crane Family Series, Hawaii is my favorite vacation place.

Do you write in single or multiple POV?

I write in multiple POV. A couple books are more than two. Most are two.

What do you find to be your best research tool?

Mostly it’s friends. But I use Google a lot. Pretty sure the FBI is watching me!

Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?

I write under Melony Ann. It is a pen name.

What genre do you write and why is this your preference?

Romance. Because I believe we all deserve to escape into a world with a fantasy boyfriend for a while.

Truth is, so many women and men out there don’t know how they are supposed to be treated in a relationship. I had a very good friend of mine pick up one of my books and tell me that what I write about seems like a total unreachable fantasy. My response? Well, I think everyone should be treated with respect and like they are Kings or Queens in the eyes of their significant other.

It’s very sad that so many men and women in our world have never been in a relationship where they are wanted, respected, loved, and treated like they are the most sacred and precious thing in the world.

Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?

I am very driven, but I have seriously high anxiety.

I have a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor’s in Legal Studies, an A.S. in Law Enforcement, and a diploma in Broadcasting. I thought when I was younger that I could get a career in a field I admired.

But two things happened. One, I was following the dreams of my family. Not me. And two, my anxiety is so over the top high that I can barely leave my house. Barely. And when I do? I can be out there for an hour or two and can only do it once or maybe twice a week.

It’s impossible to work with that kind of anxiety. Even at home writing is hard for me because my mind runs away with me and it’s hard to focus. I once had a full-time home job. I worked on medical claims. I loved it. Unfortunately, my anxiety did not. It’s difficult to meet metrics when you can’t focus 90% of the time.

If you are a duo writing team, how do you share the writing process?

Just me!

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Just do it.

Don’t ever think you can’t. Don’t write for anyone else. Write what you feel, how you feel, and listen to your heart and characters.

Don’t ever think you can’t do it just because some jerk says you can’t. You can. There’s lots of us who will support you even if no one in your physical world does.

How do you deal and process negative book reviews?

I look at what they say and take what I can from it to improve as a writer. But sometimes, that just isn’t possible.

I have reviews from people that don’t make sense at all. And I have reviews from people who just don’t like something so it ruins the book for them.

I once had someone tell me that she one-stared the book because she doesn’t understand how a woman with anxiety can be wanted by three men. Well, to me, that was hurtful because a woman who has anxiety is very capable of being loved by three men. Just because she has anxiety doesn’t make her any less of a human.

Regardless, every person is entitled to their opinion. Reviews hurt. There are people behind those books that ya’ll read.

Most people are very respectful and cognizant of the fact that the author is human. Those that aren’t? Well, I shake it off and move on because I have to. If I didn’t, I’d cry all the time.

What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

Listening to my characters.

I have a vision for all of my books. I don’t like straying from my vision. And even though I know better, sometimes, I fight them and try to make the book what I want, not what they want.

That never works. I never win. It always goes much smoother when I listen to them.

What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?

My headphones, my mountain dew, my wrist brace, my playlist, and Google chat open in docs so I can talk to my girl and feel close to her. I would never be able to do what I do without her.

What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?

Mountain dew is definitely an indulgence. I am not a fan of sweets or chocolate so I don’t often indulge on that.

But perhaps maybe I should indulge in a pair of those naughty panties with vibrators attached. It could get me through those steamy moments… Ha!!!

READING BY DEB - I am dying here laughing 😂

If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?

Oh God. That’s hard, but I think I’d choose Logan Chance.

The guy is seriously so good at writing romance. I’ve never read another guy, unless they write MM romance, who is so incredibly good at writing female emotions, feelings, and sensations as well as he does. I want to know how and where he gets his inspiration!

What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?

When I sit down to write, I sometimes don’t. Sometimes, I can’t focus and talk to my girlfriend or play a game on my phone or read instead.

But when I am able to start writing, she often has to tell me to eat or take my pills because I forget. Often times, I get so lost, she has to remind to go to the bathroom.

I do need to have Mountain Dew. I sometimes have jerky. I like teriyaki. I also like Gardettos, but just the original flavored rye chips.

Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?

I do listen to music. It depends on the book.

I can go from listening to love songs from the 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy to listening to something like Linkin Park or Disturbed. It depends what I’m writing and the scene I’m working on.

I am working right now on Kade’s Redemption of The Deimos Trilogy. The battle scenes? I will listen to Zombie by Peyton Parrish, his version of it, on repeat while I write.

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?

No pets!

What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?

Honestly? I’m not sure.

Having anxiety, a thunderstorm can ruin it for me. But I think the biggest thing? It’s the TV. I don’t really watch a lot of TV, but if someone I live with turns it on? It’s difficult to concentrate.

Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?

I did. I hated every single solitary second of it, though.

It was absolutely necessary to the storyline, but I cried for three days after I did it. I felt terrible about it. I loved them as much as my readers.