Dear Editor

Dear Publisher,

The Line That Divides looks amazing! Thank you.

Excitedly,
Melanie Mason

Dear Book Store,

I'm so glad you finally have my books on the shelves. They look so pretty all stacked there. I think I'll take a picture. :)

Cheese,
M Mason

Dear Storm,

Wow, I can't believe I have ignored you so completely. But don't fret, you've been on my mind and I will come and work with you some more real soon. Probably on the first, since I will be at a hotel with not much else to do. Yay!

Hopefully,
Author

Dear Laptop,

What is up with you? You have no business having any issues with typing and connecting and stuff like that. Stop it! I need to you to work. Now more than ever. (pause) Thank you. That's better.

Relieved,
Writer

Dear Romance Story in my head,

I know you've been pestering me and picking at my mind. I know you're in there and that you are just bursting at the seams to come out, but you'll just have to wait a little bit longer, I have other projects to finish and work on. Don't worry, we'll get to know each other really soon. 

Promises,
Romantic Author

Holiday Depression

So last week was really tough for me. I had to work all through Christmas for the fourth year in a row and I have to admit I was a little out of sorts for several of my flights. After some contemplation I decided why I was struggling so much with being "merry and bright." 

Usually I am fine working through the holiday because I get to see my family later, but this year was different. I did go home and visit, but instead of spending quality time with the family I was going, going, going the whole ten days I had off. Now that I stop and think about it, I don't think I really sat down and had a meal or even a conversation with all of my siblings. That thought made me sad. I love getting together with my family and seeing all my siblings, their spouses, and my 20 nieces and nephews. It is more than a party when we all converge, it is an event. I love that and this year I missed out on it completely.

Now this is enough to make anyone out of sorts, but I realized there were other things helping my slightly sour mood. My dad is finally selling his big house in Deweyville and moving. I actually helped with some of the move. This is actually a really great thing, but I discovered, as I pasted my fake smile on my face for my passengers, that I am sad that my childhood home will no longer be mine. I will always have the memories and the love that was shared in that home and I am so very grateful for that, but knowing that it will belong to someone else and that my children will never have those memories, is a little heart breaking.

Other things happened during this "time off" that also affected my mood. I said goodbye to my first bought car and now I get to look for a replacement. That never really makes someone happy, even if it is a major blessing in disguise. 

So you add all of this up and I discovered why I seemed to be less than cheerful while I worked. Now that I have recognized the problem and now that we are past the holiday I'm doing so much better. I know there will be many other Christmases with family and friends and every year I can look forward to better times. I am grateful for all the blessings I have been given and for a wonderful Christmas season that, though tough, was good.

So when it seems a little sad and you are wanting to "cry the day you take the tree down," just remember that we can keep the Christmas season with us all through the year by helping and serving others. And if you are on a

flight during the holidays and your flight attendant is less than cheerful, just remember that she might be missing out on the happiness and cheer that year. Cut her a bit of slack and she'll lighten up.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

My book is in Portland!

I'm so excited! My book has arrived at the Portland Deseret Book in Lake Oswego. It is so cool to see it on the shelf. I get so excited that I have to take a picture, and then I start talking with the people who are shopping in that area and then someone decides to buy it and I get even more excited. Then I get to sign the book and I get even more excited.

I'm not sure I can top this feeling...at least at the moment. Thanks everyone who has bought my book. I truly hope you enjoy it!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

A Book On A Shelf

The feeling I got when I saw the book on the shelf is nothing like I've experienced before. I can hardly believe my book is actually published. It is surreal.

Book Review: Pierced By Love by Laura L. Walker

So I had the opportunity to read Pierced By Love by Laura L. Walker.  What a fun book!

Noelle Jensen doesn’t want to like Pierce Logan. After her boyfriend breaks up with her for her sister, Noelle is done with love. Plus Pierce Logan has commitment issues because of his parents’ divorce and a strained relationship with his dad. But as Pierce and Noelle inadvertently help each other to open up their hearts, they also rediscover the importance of family and love.

 I have to admit that there were times that Noelle was much more saint like than I would have been in a similar situation, but it was enlightening to watch as she heroically worked through her struggles with her sister and her own feelings. If my sister had stolen my boyfriend, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to speak to her ever again. Noelle showed me that family relationships were more important that harboring hurt feelings.

Laura crafted a wonderful, realistic relationship between Pierce and Noelle. I was drawn into Pierce's trials and the strain between him and his father. Seeing him work on his own and with Noelle to overcome those struggles made me cheer even harder for his success. The way Pierce treated Noelle is the way any woman would want to be treated and though I ached for Noelle's pain in how her mother and sister treated her feelings, I warmed to how kindly Pierce soothed that pain.

The story carried me away from beginning to end. It is a must read for anyone who has struggled with family and personal relationships and who wants to find ways to strengthen their own ability to deal with difficult and seemingly unbearable trials.

A great read!

Book Signing Successful

 I had a wonderful book signing event on Wednesday, December 10th, at The Book Table in Logan, UT. So many amazing friends and family came to support me. It was wonderful to see everyone and to even talk to people in the store about The Line That Divides.

I'm so excited that this book is out there now for people to read. Thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this place in my life. I'm so grateful!!!

The Line That Divides Drawing

I am doing a drawing for a free signed copy of my book and a pen. Check out this link for how to enter:

Melanie Mason

Review of The Line That Divides by Joyce DiPastena

Check out the latest review of The Line That Divides by author Joyce DiPastena, author of Loving Luciana.

Amazon

Goodreads

The Seeress and the Stone

Here are the next three chapters. Enjoy!

The Seeress and the Stone 7

The Seeress and the Stone 8

The Seeress and the Stone 9

BOOK SIGNING!!!

Hey all you wonderful UT people who are interested in my book.

 Melanie Mason will be doing a book signing for The Line That Divides on December 10, 2014, 5-7pm at The Book Table. 

The Book Table
29 S Main St, Logan, UT 84321
5-7 pm

Please come and support this event if you can. Thank you!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a beautiful day! It may be raining outside, but inside it is warm and cozy filled with thanksgiving and peace. I hope we all take some time out today to show our gratitude to Heavenly Father for everything we've been given. It may not seem like a lot to us, but in the grand scheme of things he has given us everything we have even down to the very air we breathe. 

I am filled with gratitude on this day. I have been blessed with so much and I am going to do my best not to complain about anything today, but simply be grateful. I know this will be hard, especially at work, but if I try to focus on all the things I've been given then I will succeed.

I challenge everyone to only be thankful today. Even when the black Friday lines get long or the item you wanted is sold out. Be thankful for what you have, what you've been given, even the air you breathe. Be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Seeress and the Stone

As promised here are a few more chapters. I just love fantasy. 

The Seeress and the Stone 4

The Seeress and the Stone 5

The Seeress and the Stone 6

Review: The Awakening by Dorine White

The Awakening by Dorine White

Nightmares really do come true, and for fifteen-year-old Kyler Birkwood, they are just beginning. Raised on a farm by his Aunt Martha, Kyler has no clue about the magical heritage swimming through his blood. When he discovers evidence of a mythical creature, a terrifying beast thought only to exist in fairy tales, his safe world shatters.

Left at a school of magic to hunt for clues, he is overwhelmed and disbelieved. As loved ones begin disappearing and Orcs roam the land, Kyler must undergo a journey that takes him from the High Courts of the King to the unknown forests of the East. His magic just awakening, Kyler is the lone hope for a world that will not listen.

The Awakening is an action packed adventure from beginning to end. Dorine White has magically woven a tale with intriguing characters that delight and entertain. The story pulls you in and doesn't let go until the end.

When Kyler realizes the power he holds, there is no stopping him and he will do whatever it takes to protect his friends and family. He learns quickly, maybe a little too quickly, to harness the power inside him, yet the impetuousness of youth brings unexpected help and hindrance. Not every battle is a winning one, and he doesn't always save the day. It's nice to see a hero share the lime light with his companions. I also love that he doesn't take to fighting with a sword, but searches out other methods to fight and protect himself and his friends.

Darcy is a gem. Not your typical princess. With a hungering desire to prove herself in a world of swords and magic, she literally fights her way to the center of everything. She is independent and skilled with the determination to use her talents to protect her friends. She hates the very idea of anyone being worried about her because she is a girl and yet this can also be a weakness that endangers her friends. She is willing to fight to the death, hopefully not her own. This character is very real to me and yet a part of me hungers to see the feminine side of her. Women can be fierce, but there is always a softer side and I would have loved to see more of Darcy's softer side.

The loyal friend, Henry, becomes a hero in his own right, harnessing his own powers and offering the measure of deliverance to his friends that could actually turn the tide of evil. He is a bit of a third wheel to the trio of friends and yet he has valuable skills, some of which come to fruition just at the nick of time.  I like the friendship that develops between these three though it would be nice to see more growth as the story progresses. 

As a stand alone novel it was written very well, especially for the younger audience. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the reality of the characters personalities as they interacted with each other. By the time it ended I didn't want it to end. I felt like there could be more. There were times when the story moved so quickly that I wished it would slow down and yet I didn't want it to stop. Dorine White delivers twists and turns to the plot that will keep you turning the pages.

Review of The Line That Divides from Laura L. Walker

Check out the latest review posted for The Line That Divides.
Laura L. Walker - Review

Marsha Ward - Writer in the Pines: Fresh Book Friday - The Line That Divides

Marsha Ward - Writer in the Pines: Fresh Book Friday - The Line That Divides: Title: The Line That Divides Author: Melanie Mason Genre: Historical Romance (World War II) Publisher: Walnut Springs Press Date of Public...

Successful Book Launch Party

So I had an online FaceBook Book Launch party on Tuesday. It was awesome. I had so many friends attend and I was so happy to see so many people support me. We had prizes donated by several wonderful authors and musicians and even a Q&A session with me. I love surprising people with my methods of writing.

Some of the questions asked:

Q: Do you have the whole basis for your stories when they come to you and then you fill in the hundreds of pages? Or does the storyline come in bits and pieces with even a surprise ending for you too?

A: I usually have an idea of what I want to happen, but when I write it is like I am reading the book for the first time. It's just in my head. There have been many times when something that happens in the book surprises me.

Q:  I love the research you just fall into while looking for something else. Does that happen to you?

A:  That has happened to me. Not necessarily research, but reading other books and then getting ideas and suddenly I have a story. Another secret I have is dreams. I have several dreams that will someday be books.

Q:  Do you have any writing routines or quirks? Things you must have/do in order to write?

A:  Not really. I just sit at my computer and write. Sometimes I write when I have a break on the airplane and I pull out my notebook and write. I've also noticed that when I get really tired of writing I read and read and read and read. When I've read seven or eight or ten books by other people, then I'm ready to write again. I also try to follow the inspiration I get. Just to be on the level, I feel VERY blessed and VERY inspired by Heavenly Father. I truly believe He has blessed me with the books I've written.

Q:  How fast do you write?

A:  That depends on the book. I can usually finish a book in a few months. I actually wrote 45,000 words in four days last summer. Crazy stuff. Just remember I don't have children, only dogs. Sometimes I disappear into my room for days at a time.

Q:  Do you have any other books contracted to come out right now?

A:  Not yet, but there is some interest. I actually had another flight attendant that I was working with tell me to write a story set in Victorian London and my character had to have superpowers. I didn't think I could do it, but 60,000 words later, ta da, I have a mystery. That one is actually available to read on my www.wr1t3r.hubpages.com account. It's called The Shadow.

Q:  I know you like to write fantasy. What is your favorite genre to write?

A:  I'm doing pretty good in YA, but I love writing fantasy. At this point in time I have 19 completed novels, The Line That Divides is the first to get published. I have a fantasy trilogy and then two series of YA dystopian along with a few mysteries and a YA series about Dyrads in the modern world.

Q: How did you get the idea for The Line That Divides?

A:  I read another WW2 book and I hated how it ended, so I decided to do some research and write my own WW2 book. I think it turned out pretty good.

Q:  What's your favorite part of the writing process?

A:   Writing the ending and knowing that it is finished. It's just cool when you finish it to know that everything is done that was meant to be written...then the editing starts. :(

Q:  How did you do your research for your novel? What are your favorite methods?

A:   I did lots of online research and then I spent half a day at Hill Air Force Base Aerospace Museum talking to the gentleman in charge of the B-17 bombers. My brother also gave me a book about airplanes that I used as well. My favorite method is online research, but I loved being able to take pictures of the plane at the museum. I would love to actually go to Austria and see the places I google earthed.

The Seeress and the Stone

So I wanted to attach some links for the first few chapters of my fantasy novel. Enjoy! I will post more later.

The Seeress and the Stone Prologue

The Seeress and the Stone 2

The Seeress and the Stone 3

Lessons in Prayer and Gratitude

So I gave a lesson on prayer in church today during our Relief Society class. The lesson was a good one for me to read and learn from this month. My favorite quote from the lesson is from the first section:

"...the Lord can get along without our prayers. His work will go on just the same, whether we pray or whether we do not. ... Prayer is something that we need, not that the Lord needs. He knows just how to conduct His affairs and how to take care of them without any help from us. Our prayers are not for the purpose of telling Him how to run his business. If we have any such idea as that, then of course we have the wrong idea. Our prayers are uttered more for our sakes, to build us up and give us strength and courage, and to increase our faith in Him. ... Prayer is something that humbles the soul. It broadens our comprehension; it quickens the mind. It draws us nearer to our Father in heaven. We need His help; there is no question about that. We need the guidance of His Holy Spirit. We need to know what principles have been given to us by which we may come back into His presence. We need to have our minds quickened by the inspiration that comes from Him; and for these reasons we pray to Him, that He may help us to live so that we will know His truth and be able to walk in its light, that we may, through our faithfulness and our obedience, come back again into His presence."

I am so grateful for the power of prayer in my life. So many prayers have been answered. Sometimes the answer is no, but like Maria says in The Sound of Music, "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window." I have been very blessed in my life, that's a fact.

I wanted to post my handout as well, because I'm very proud of it. :)