Author Interview with Melissa Foster

Today, I have the pleasure of having Melissa Foster here for a Q&A. I'm so happy she agreed to share some of her time with me and my readers. Melissa, since she isn't going to brag herself, is the award winning and bestselling author of CHASING AMANDA, MEGAN'S WAY, and COME BACK TO ME. One lucky poster will win a copy of CHASING AMANDA.

 Just in case you're curious, I met Melissa via her World Literary Cafe. I followed her on Twitter, and it didn't take me long to realize that she was not only a great author, but a very kind lady as well. The WLC is a wonderful site for both readers and writers. I highly recommend joining. Links to the site are below our interview.

 Be sure to check my other blog, Books2LoveReviews.blogspot.com for my review of CHASING AMANDA this week!

Where are you from?

I grew up in the wild metropolis of Rockville, Maryland, where huskies and tigers abound.

Do you have a specific writing style?

This is a great question, because there are so many interpretations for answers. I’d say I’m a very emotional writer, and I dig deep for my readers. I want them to become introspective and think about if they could or would do what my main character’s do.

 What book are you reading now?

I am lucky to be an advanced reader for Kathleen Shoop’s After The Fog.  

What are your current projects?

Oh gosh, I think I always have about ten projects going at one. I’ll pick three to share Work-wise we’re doing a complete overhaul of the World Literary Café (WLC), and adding a fully integrated social side to the site to make cross-promotions and connections with readers even easier and more fulfilling. I’m launching a new business in a few weeks called Fostering Success, which is really an arm of WLC that will offer training for authors on all levels of self-publishing and marketing. On the writing front, I’m diving into two new manuscripts—one deals with past life regression and the other deals with a decision no mother should ever have to make.

 Do you see writing as a career?

Absolutely, and I know how lucky I am to have a career that I love and crave.

Tell us your latest news?

I’ve just wrapped up my fourth manuscript, titled Traces of Kara, a psychological thriller, and I hope my readers enjoy the genre. Event-wise, I’m heading to the Gaithersburg, MD Book Festival in May 19 as a featured speaker, and to Books Without Borders in Yonkers, June 9th, where I am also a featured speaker. I hope many readers and writers will come out and say hello

.Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

 I will tell you and you will think I’m nutty. I put my now twenty-one-year old son down for a nap when he was about a year and half old, and I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to write. I can’t explain it, but it nagged at me until I grabbed my IBM Thinkpad (remember those!?), a yellow legal pad and pen, and began writing.

 Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I find many areas of writing challenging. The desire to show and not tell, the threading of themes through the book, coming up with relatable characters that are real and fleshed out, it’s all challenging, but in a good way. I love the way I have to test myself and my skills on a daily basis.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No. I think my readers are saddened by the ending of Come Back to Me, but they also recognize that the ending was true to the story.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

This is a very difficult question for me. I don’t have favorite authors, just favorite books. For example, A Thousand Splendid Suns is one of my favorite books because the descriptions are so vibrant, the nature of trouble the characters face is very real, and in general, I think Khalid Hosseini went to a very difficult place with that story, and I was thrilled with the outcome.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

I’m not a big traveler, so no, I don’t have to do much traveling, but I do have to do extensive research with people both native and visiting the locations that I write about.  

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Yes! Write! Don’t worry about how the story will come out or who will read it. Write your best story, then don’t rush to publish it. Take your time, put it down for a week or two and return to it for a fresh read of a hard copy. Have your work professionally edited and covered. Never short change the reader, even if you choose to make your book free, readers deserve well-written, polished work.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I have so much gratitude for my readers that it’s hard to put it into words. I’m overwhelmed by the positive response to my books, and thankful that many readers reach out directly to me. I’m always delighted to talk, Skype, or email with readers. Social media has opened a whole new world of connections with readers, and to someone like me, who truly loves chatting with just about everyone, it’s a dream come true.  

Anything missing from your life?

I am so blessed with a loving, supportive family, wonderful friends, and the ability to write full-time, that I never feel like anything is missing. I’m a big believer in creating your life, not waiting for it to happen, and I’ve always worked toward my personal and familial goals. While there’s nothing missing, I hope to continue sharing what I’ve learned with aspiring and established authors. I want to help others find their paths to fulfill their writing dreams—continuing to pay-it-forward makes it all worthwhile.

 Thanks so much for joining me today, Melissa. It's been an enjoyable chat!

 Thank you so much, Hope! I’ve really enjoyed our chat, and I appreciate you having me on your blog today :)  

You can reach Melissa at the following sites: Melissa's Books On Amazon
Melissa's Website Follow her on: Facebook,
 Twitter,
Facebook Fanpage
Chat with her on The Women's Nest
 The World Literary Cafe, Where readers and authors unite!

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