Q: How were you inspired to start your business?
I am the typical cliché of a newbie author! In that I have always, my whole life, wanted to write books. I was awarded the ‘English Literature’ cup at my primary school and loved stories. But like many people I got diverted. The lure of a ‘safer’ life working in business got me. That is until 2014. I had a Soul-Purpose session, and during the meditations that this involved, I was told that I would write a story about a unicorn. Well I was rather irked about that! I didn’t want to write about rainbows and fairy sparkle unicorns! But my husband challenged me to think about what my unicorn would look and feel like. Five minutes later I had sketched out the story of the book that is now published, called The Point of Me. It took me 3 years to write and it felt like a return to home.
Q: How much do you love what you do?
Absolutely an emphatic yes! I feel the most ‘me’ when I am writing. I am in the zone. Time flies past and the words in my head are drawn across the page by my frantic fingertips on the keyboard. The crafting of the story, the creation of new worlds and new people, the indulgence of being able to explore themes and emotions, to ‘artificially’ highlight and lowlight them in order to make the story rise and fall. This is a magical process for me. I feel inspired – by which I mean in-spirit – when I am writing. It is a lovely thing for me to do.
Q: If you could go back to a point in your life when you were facing a challenge, what inspirational advice would you give yourself?
I would probably go back to my younger self as I held the certificate for that English literature cup award in my youthful hands and whisper in my ear that no matter what I should not let the next English teacher that I would have (at secondary school) put me off the wonder of storytelling quite as much as I actually did!
But having said that I do believe that everything happens for a reason. So perhaps it would be better for me to whisper to my former self to maintain faith and keep thinking about and observing life so that as I grew up I wouldn’t have suffered quite so many doubts and fears around my soul’s purpose and perhaps I would have been faster to recognize when I was ready to start writing. But like I say, I do believe that everything happens at the time that it is meant to.
Telling myself not to spend quite so much money on designer clobber when I was young and fancy-free and to save it to pay the bills for when I am a full-time writer might be more practical thing, but I know I would not have listened to that advice!
Q: Tell us how your book inspires your readers!
I tried to write a fictional story that was magical and beautiful. One that would possibly open the reader’s heart to the power of love and forgiveness (as well as being a really interesting and enjoyable read!).
Perhaps it would be helpful at this point for me to briefly describe what the story of The Point of Me is. The main character, James, is a young man with a terminal illness, and a family that is falling apart because of it. Apart from having to deal with his own mortality, James also has to cope with a father who is running away from reality by withdrawing from his son, a mother who is constantly fearful, and a sister who sees more than she should. When James meets Marcham, a mystical beast who takes him on a series of powerful spiritual journeys, James begins to understand the meaning of life, death and family
So, to come back to your question, I guess for an accurate view you’d need to ask the readers really.
The book has been described by one reviewer as a “tender fantasy about learning to love yourself despite the tragedy surrounding you”. Another reviewer said that I had painted “… an iridescent portrait filled with sorrow and hope, … [detailing] one boy’s struggles in learning to live in a life of cruelties”.
A couple of other readers’ comments have focused upon the shamanic and spiritual-healing aspects that have inspired much of the story’s basis and how the characters’ various afflictions are carried energetically before manifesting physically (a lesson to us all, perhaps). Others have remarked upon the big messages about the purpose of life – the book is called The Point of Me because the main character is searching for the answer to that question. Happily, despite the potentially weighty subject of the book most readers have observed that they felt peaceful and uplifted by the end of it!
Q: Knowing you aren’t alone in something and that there is light at the end of the tunnel means a lot when you are feeling low. Tell us about a time in which this has resonated for you?
I’m going to answer this question from the point of view of being an author, alone with my story ideas and the daily struggle to get the latest story written and/or the finished book out there into the world.
Firstly, the biggest ‘problem’ or challenge is to get words written onto the blank page. Well, the solution to this is firstly about having the discipline to sit my butt down on the chair daily and write! There’s a quote by Louis L’ Amour which goes, “Start writing no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on”. So, I get my writing environment set up (inspirational music on, comfy seat, my little dog snuggled next to me if she’s in the mood and the incense burning) and I simply write. I don’t worry too much about crafting the ‘perfect’ sentence or do too much self-editing or reading back over what I’m doing as I type along. I try to just concentrate on the emotion that I’m taking the character(s) through and keep pushing towards that emotion. There’s another quote (this one by the great and esteemed Ernest Hemingway) which is “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” That’s what I try to aim for – finding the detail of the emotion’s ‘truth’ and writing in as much ‘colour’ and light as I can to illuminate it.
Secondly, the biggest ‘problem’ I face is once the story is finished and ready to be sold. As a self-published author I’m responsible for all the publishing, distribution, marketing and promotion of the book. I am just one voice in a massive market of thousands, nay millions, of other authors and stories. It is a daunting prospect to be honest. But once again, the ‘light’ at the end of this particular tunnel is to do some promotional work every day, hunting down every opportunity for me to talk about my book and to make contact with as many potential readers as possible. It’s why I’m very grateful for this opportunity Ces ? Also, I would just like to say that in the face of this problem I reassure myself with my belief and faith that if I remain authentic to the truth of the story I feel called to write, then the readership will find it no matter what. It might take a long time of course, but ultimately the story will find its own way (me working like a mad whirling dervish in the background also helps!)
Q: As people we are always evolving and learning things on our life journey. Where do you find inspiration?
I am naturally curious and inspired by everything so that comes through in my work. Literally everything can inspire me to think up a pendulum command. Usually I’m in the middle of something have have to grab my notebook to write it down. I see energy everywhere, ideas, commands get downloaded all the time. Someone recently said to me, “Mel does your creativity never end, I’d love to be in your head”, yes my head is a pretty busy place.
Q: We are always evolving… what are you inspired to do next?
Inspiration for my writing comes from lots of places. My husband Steve is a particularly good ‘resource’ as he is a powerful Spiritual Healer and Shaman. His work with Spirit and energy is particularly inspiring. But I also gain a lot of inspiration from the natural world (animals, plants, weather) and by observing the human-condition. I also gain a lot of inspiration from exploring my own fears. I try to face these, look into their eyes, so to speak, ask them what messages they have for me, find responses to my fears. These often provide the starting points for what I want to make my characters ‘suffer’ and grow-through.
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