Want to know more about Melanie Coles? Today, we ask Mel to tell us about her writing journey…

So Melanie, tell us about yourself in three sentences
I’m a wife, mum, Executive Assistant, author, foodie, bookworm and multi-tasker extraordinaire. I love action and romance films (but will confess to never having seen The Notebook – nor do I want to), white wine, country music and that boyishly cute guy from Suits. And I have a phobia of bugs that fly.

How long have you been writing?
The first story I ever remember writing was in early Primary School – it was about me rescuing the world whilst riding a flying unicorn, complete with colourful drawings. Then in Grade Four I won a school short story competition entitled ‘A Day In My Life’ which was published in a state-wide school magazine.

I suffered a lot of bullying whilst at school, so writing became a way to escape, but the truth was I loved it, and it was something I found I was good at. After high school, life got in the way and I didn’t return to writing for nearly twenty years, but since I picked it up again about four years ago I’ve rediscovered my passion for it. I haven’t looked back.

What genre do you write?
I mainly write small town or rural romance, though I write contemporary as well. My stories are sensual – there’s a bit of heat and yes, I write love scenes, but nothing sexually explicit. I leave that to some of the other Sabrists!

What draws you to this genre?
Truthfully? I have no idea. I actually read across a number of different genres, but for writing, I can’t seem to go past a good cowboy or farmer, or a small town where everyone knows everyone.

Where do you get your ideas?
I envy writers who never get stuck for a story idea, those ones who have fifteen all swirling around in their head at once. It would make finding them so much easier! For me, my ideas come when they come, and then I’ll toy with them for a little while before I get to writing. Vague, I know. But truth.

Tell us about your process. How do you get into a writing mindset?
I’m a ‘pantser’ – someone who doesn’t plan or plot out their story beforehand – so I don’t have a lot of hard and fast rules for writing. I know a lot of writers who write to music, but I need quiet. It cuts out the options on where I can write – no cafes, for example – but I work best when I’m not distracted. I have a desk at home, but I’ll more often be found stretched out on the couch or the bed with my laptop. Oh…and I need chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve just started work on a three (possibly four) book series set at an accommodation/retreat centre in the Dandenong Ranges where I live. It’s still in the early stages and I’m just getting to know the characters for book one, but I’m excited to see where it goes.

Which writers inspire/influence you?
Maisey Yates – She writes the best cowboys of anyone I’ve ever read – strong, flawed, and yet really likeable. When I read her stories, I’m completely lost in the pages, and finishing a book is like saying goodbye to old friends. She’s also one of the hardest working authors I’ve ever met, not to mention very sweet.

Jane Austen – She was such a keen observer of life, and her books were basically a social commentary on what she saw around her. She got people, and her characters were so engaging that her stories are still popular even after two centuries. And, well…Mr Darcy. Need I say more?

Janet Evanovich & Patricia Cornwall – Not really romance writers, but I admire these women so much because of their ability to write series. Cornwall’s Dr Kay Scarpetta is the heroine of 30 novels and Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum has 24, and the characters are extremely well written.

Why do you write romance?
There’s so much going on in the world that can burden us and weigh us down, but writing romance gives me the chance to make people happy and remind people that there is still joy to be found – even if it’s only for a little while.

What else about your writing journey should we know?
I felt a lot of pressure after Evan and Darcy was published to get a follow up book out as quickly as possible. That was hard, because my personal circumstances post-publication had changed significantly to what they were beforehand, and though I’ve desperately wanted to complete that follow up book, it just hasn’t been possible.

But this is a journey, and right now for me it’s one day at a time. I’ll keep writing when I can, and if that eventually gets me another published work, then fantastic. If not, I’ll still be grateful that people have been able to enjoy Evan and Darcy.

What is your favourite childhood book?
As a girl I loved Enid Blyton books – the Faraway Tree series, but also Mr Galliano’s Circus and The Children of Willow Farm. After that, I’m with fellow Sabrist Laura all the way – Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice. To this day I still read them all.

And finally, what is the best thing about being a Sabrist?
Writing can be a very solitary thing, so to be able to both give and receive support, encouragement and reassurance from like-minded people who ‘get you’ makes it easier to stay the journey when you feel like giving up. I’m so grateful to count these amazing, talented women as friends and know that we have each other’s backs, no matter what.

You can find Melanie on social media: FB: @melaniecolesauthor, T: melcolesauthor & I:melliec77