Skip to main content

It's been a while!

How goes life? Mine? Well, since the last time I posted here, I have published lots of books, explored a few different genres, and in general, found my voice as an author. Great stuff! 

But since it's been a while, it makes sense to reintroduce myself to you. Or, give you a 2017 version of Melissa West. *cue smile*

My formal bio is this: 

USA TODAY bestselling author Melissa West is the author of more than fifteen novels, each set in the South and ready to steal a reader’s heart with Southern charm, sweet tea, and a whole mess of gossip. Her novels have received high praise and recognition from RT Book Reviews, Seventeen Magazine, Fresh Fiction, and Harlequin Junkie, among others. 

When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family in Georgia.

What do you think? Does that sound pro-ish? 

But my unofficial, less formal bio goes more like this: 

Wrangler of 2 little ones, coffee-drinker, WINE drinker, Pinterest-addict, lover of all things humorous. Pro-kindness. Pro-honesty. Pro-late nights reading until I fall asleep with the book in my hand. Oh...and author. 


So, as I dive back into this thing, I'll probably post a mix of things--book talk, current projects, and secret projects. Inspiration. Frustrations or hurdles I face. Recipes. Southern talk galore. And a mix of stuff that's all, well, me and my life. Sound good? Great! 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

YA Scavenger Hunt: Fall 2013!

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This tri-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team ! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours! Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are THREE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GOLD TEAM --but there is also a red team and a blue team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books! If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full li...
79 comments
Read more

HOVER has a cover!

I officially feel like Dr. Seuss with that blog title, but it's true all the same. :)   HOVER now has a cover, and I need your help spreading the word! The official reveal will be Monday, December 3rd, and signups for the reveal will stay open through Friday, November 30th.  Please leave your email address in the comments if you would like to participate in the reveal and be added to my list of super awesome people that I adore. The reveal will include a giveaway to add to the juicy fun!   Can't wait for ya'll to see it!
45 comments
Read more

Storytelling vs. Writing

Yesterday, I finished up a popular novel that I enjoyed for the storytelling, but realized early on that the writing wasn't stellar. All the traditional rules were broken, continuously. POV switches. Tense switches. Pages upon pages of backstory. Pages upon pages of dialogue. That sort of thing. But I still enjoyed the book because aside from the writerly things *we* writers notice, the author was a great storyteller. I think there is a difference between good writing and good storytelling. I've read books where the writing was so beautiful that I had to re-read passages again and again. But by story end I had no idea what the story was about. Now, the true geniuses (like C.S. Lewis) are the ones who can do both. How about you? Do you notice this difference and if so which do you prefer if you can only have one in a book -- captivating storytelling or beautiful writing? M.B.
9 comments
Read more