Melissa West

We've talked quite a bit about schedules for busy, working moms who also (crazily) attempt to throw in writing. There are lots of options that can help when it comes to finding time to write, but what do you do when you need a schedule in order to hit a deadline? I am in that very situation right now. I tend to be a very organic writer. There are days that 5K + words is nothing. Other days I struggle to put 300 words on the page. I typically close my Air on those days, because I know even if I pull together a thousand words, they will all suck. But now I find myself in a situation where I need to keep myself on track in order to hit a few deadlines. Basically, I need to complete two books before January. Yikes! you say. I know. There are some that have it worse, certainly, but with juggling two kids (one of which is an infant) and a day job, I find it necessary to set a schedule. So this is what I am looking at: Book 1: 25% complete  Word count goal: 70K Schedule: M-...

I have come to the most unsettling realization that I am apologetic about my work. I see a positive five star review and I'm thrilled, but deep down those never feel real. Then I read a one or two star and I nod along to the review. "Yes, it IS choppy." "Yes, I should have had Ari do X or Y or Z." "Yes, damn, I wish I could have fixed that." See, I hate one and two star reviews, but it's not because they make me mad. They make me sad for the reader. I hate that I didn't produce something that he or she enjoyed. I hate that they feel their time was wasted. But I can't control whether or not that person enjoys my books. See, I am not one of those writers that ever wants to lash out at a reviewer, good or bad, because I tend to think my books are still unfinished. And the truth is, they are. We are put on extreme deadlines in publishing. This means that I may have two weeks to edit something that should take two months. I may have hours to...

I have realized that I could really use some help getting word out about my series, but I didn't want to just ask people to join a group where we only talk about me and my books. I want a community environment, where we discuss books that we love, talk about upcoming releases, get excited about reading. I adore all things YA sci-fi and fantasy, so it made sense to make the group centered around that. For this reason, I created The R.E.S. spies. Description: R EADERS who E NJOY S CI-FI and fantasy = The R.E.S Spies! A group created for fans of Melissa West that have a passion for YA sci-fi and fantasy. Members will receive THE TAKING SERIES related prizes, as well as various opportunities for other YA sci-fi and fantasy novels, giftcards, and other fun giveaways. YA sci-fi and fantasy discussion, recommendations, and etc. are all welcome. If you love sci-fi and fantasy, you will love being a member of The R.E.S. Spies!  Doesn't this sound fun? So basically, join my group an...

I thought it might be fun to talk about what writing is to us individually. For me, it changes daily. There are days that I would complete the sentence with something like hard or lonely or gut-wrenching . LOL! But there are also days that it's exciting and fun and uplifting . So tell me, what is writing for you today? And for all of you that fill that blank with something negative, remember, we have all been there--often. Hugs, Melissa

To celebrate HOVER's release in just a few weeks, I am offering up an eARC! This book was a blast to write, and I can't wait to share it with all of you. :) For the giveaway, this is all you have to do: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8a539b3/ " rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’ve talked a bit on Twitter about my busy life and how I find time to write. I’ve decided to start blogging about writing when there is no time to write. Sound fun?  First, let me explain why I consider myself “busy.”   Right now I am the most exhausted I have ever been in my life. I have a five year old and a five month old. I have a full time day job. And I write. In addition to all of that, I had a fair of amount of complications with my 5 month old, and to avoid getting into the details, I will just say that I can no longer have children.   In the five months since I had my daughter and the two surgeries that occurred just after, I have written nearly 100,000 words. I have completed the second book in my series, HOVER. I have nearly completed a separate project, currently titled BROKEN WINTER. And I have begun another project that I will call YA historical sci-fi (it’s a mouthful, right?).  Again, I do not claim to be the busiest, but I...

Hi everyone, The winner of "The End Valentine's Day giveaway" is Diana Terrado! Thank you so much to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more giveaways as we get closer to HOVER's release! *hugs* Melissa