Author Interview With Melody Pendlebury
Hello friends and lovers!
Today I have a special post for you. It is my first ever author interview post where I will be interviewing author, Melody Pendlebury, and she will dish her journey and upcoming book release!
Lets Talk About Your Journey
Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was in elementary school I wrote my first book, What Part of Princess Don't You Understand. I got a journal that had this sassy 90s saying on the cover and decided to write a book based on this title (I still am writing books based on titles I come up with).
It was absolutely horrible, but I knew then that I loved writing. I was never the 'smart' kid and always struggled with spelling (I still struggle with this). My friends used to make fun of my Myspace captions that always had an embarrassing typo, and I always had a hard time getting out the words I was thinking.
Whenever I wrote papers for school my teachers were always complimentary, but I never thought of it as my skill. When I got to college I started a fun little blog about my travels, fitness, and getting married young. I had a lot of people interested in what I was writing but this was more of just a hobby.
Then, I started teaching and one of my favorite things to do was storytelling. I decided that I wanted to bring one of my stories to life and that is where my first book, The Prince and the Pupper came from. I have taught the same class for the past 4 years so I feel like I am still writing books for them. I always knew I wanted to write a novel, but that just seemed so impossible for someone like me.
A Girl Called Ruthless really came out of nowhere and I still can't believe I wrote the whole thing. So I guess, to sum up this long-winded response, I can't really pinpoint when I knew I wanted to be a writer. I feel like it's been a sneaky, constant journey.
Q: How long does it take you to write a book?
The first draft of A Girl Called Ruthless took me 5 months. It took me about two more months to finish the other drafts and hear back from beta readers. The book that I am writing right now, I started in May and I'm about halfway done so I think it might take a bit longer. I thought my first book was going to take me the longest since it was my first time writing a novel. Now I am finding there are so many other things that come with being an author and that writing just might take a little longer. Which is okay! There is no rush in the creative process.
Q: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I am a teacher, so during the summer, I try to get all the writing done. However, I actually find that when I have more free time I have a harder time writing. I think this has to do with my less rigid schedule and my mindset is, "I have all the time in the world. I can just do this later."
During the school year, I try to write 1,000 words a day and that usually happens after school, right before I go to bed. I can write 1,000 words in 30 minutes, so in theory, I should get a lot more done than I do, but you know, life.
Q: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I guess my writing annoying habit is that I LOVE to write filler words subconsciously. 'Had' and 'that' are my achilleas heels! For a more positive quirk, I would say I love reading my writing out loud. I think that is my favorite part about writing a book in general.
Q: How did you begin your journey toward publishing?
I started writing and self-publishing children's books about three years ago. I knew that I always wanted to write a novel but never dreamed I could actually come up with an idea and write it. I started writing A Girl Called Ruthless in July of 2020. I decided I wanted to traditionally publish this book because I wanted to get a different experience and have help with putting out such a big project. I also wanted to not have to pay to publish my book for a change.
Q: Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
The idea for A Girl Called Ruthless came to me all at once and randomly, which I am so thankful for. I had to do some research for the book such as, states that have no age requirement to run for mayor, length of imprisonment for improper disposal of a body, different news outlets in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and distances from different places. A lot of my inspiration for this book came from movies such as Moonrise Kingdom, or Jojo Rabbit. I love a quirky little kid with adult-like tendencies.
Q: When did you write your first book and how old were you?
My first real book was The Prince and the Pupper which I wrote in 2018. I was 23 years old when I wrote it. As I said before, I wrote What Part of Princess Don't you Understand when I was young, but I don't think I ever actually finished that one. Thank god.
Q: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I think it's pretty predictable that I love to read when I'm not writing. I also love working out. I know that sounds weird but it's just part of my life now. I also love traveling and planning trips.
Q: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
When I started writing A Girl Called Ruthless, it was hard to imagine writing a 60,000ish word book and following through the end. I think I was so surprised how effortlessly the story just told itself. Although it was not easy to write, it was easier for the story to tell itself than I thought it would be.
Q: How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?
I have written three children's picture books, one coffee table book about dogs, one silly book that I barely call a book called, The Covid Canine, and my latest novel, A Girl Called Ruthless. My latest book is 100% my favorite for many reasons. I think the first being how much time it took me to create. It also is a book that I would read if I saw it at the bookstore so that makes it really special. I think there is a big difference between writing an illustrated book to a novel. Because I am not an illustrator, all of my other books required help from other people, and this one feels more like my own. Of course, I didn't write this book all on my own, I had editors, critique partners, and a whole bunch of other people who help bring this to life, but this feels like my story and everything came to life from my brain.
Q: Do you have any suggestions on which path is best to take whether it be traditional or self published? If so, what are they?
Since my book is not officially traditionally published yet (my release date isAugust 21st) it's hard to say at this point. I can say that with the amount of work that it took to get picked up by a publisher, the feeling of all my hard work coming to fruition is a dream come true. It is nice to have a team of people that are working on your book and believe in your story. It also is A LOT cheaper than self-publishing. I didn't have to pay for a cover designer or an editor. I will have to share my royalties so I am not sure what is going to be more profitable in the long run.
For this book, I am not too worried about making a lot of money. This book was my passion project so I am just thankful to be able to share it with the world and have the experience of being published traditionally.
Q: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
For my previous children's books, I do hear from readers through Amazon reviews and through people I know. Everyone usually says that my books are, "so cute," or "they loved it," which is nice. For A Girl Called Ruthless, I have only heard from advanced readers so far. I've heard all good things which is awesome, but I know once it goes out in the real world I will have various opinions. I usually hear that it's funny or that people were not expecting the end at all. I have a lot of short, whimsical tales throughout the book, and readers usually enjoy those.
Q: What do you think makes a good story?
To me, what makes a good story is something that engages the reader from beginning to end. Although I love beautiful, descriptive writing, I need a page-turner. I need something going on on every page and I need surprises.
Q: As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I had plenty of jobs I wanted to be when I grew up. Of course, I wanted to be a writer and a teacher, but I think the thing I wanted to be most was a veterinarian. I really loved animals as a kid. I had horses, guinea pigs, snakes, birds, you name it. I used to write a journal about all the new animal facts I learned. I don't think I really understood what vets did though. I thought it was all fun and being able to play with different animals but in reality, vets have to do some hard stuff for animals. I don't think I could ever really stomach it. I am more than content with being a teacher and an author!
Q: Do you have any final comments or advice for aspiring writers?
My biggest advice would be to write fast and not think too much. I think if you second guess every word you write or every plot point in your story at first, it is going to hard to keep yourself motivated and finish the book. Every weird thing can be fixed in editing, but you can't edit nothing. My entire process of my latest book has been very fast and I am so thankful for that because if it wasn't, I think I would have given up along the way. Which leads me to my next advice; never give up! Although it may seem impossible, keep writing, keep growing, keep receiving feedback, and keep chasing your dreams.
Let’s Talk About Your Book!
Q: When can we expect A Girl Called Ruthless?
A Girl Called Ruthless' official release date is August 21st, but it is currently available for pre-orders!
Q: What is A Girl Called Ruthless about?
A Girl Called Ruthless is about a girl name Ruthless who will do whatever she can to live up to her name. In true Ruthless fashion, she claims the title of student body president, but her aspirations are cut short after getting in trouble. Not letting that stand in her way, she runs for Mayor with the help of her incredibly strong best friend, Owen. Her town of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has no age requirement to run for the post. The chances of a child winning are slim, to say the least, so Ruthless and Owen disguise themselves as an adult with the good old ‘two kids in a trench coat’ ruse. This seemingly harmless scheme has grave consequences that invite the turmoil of her mother’s past back to haunt her. When the dangers of the adult world come crashing down on Ruthless, she must learn how to live with her new reality, and ultimately use it to turn her life into a success story – and live up to her name.
Q: Where can readers purchase, A Girl Called Ruthless?
Readers can purchase A Girl Called Ruthless on amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Called-Ruthless-moving-coming-ebook/dp/B098X3ZW54/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+girl+called+ruthless&qid=1628554057&sr=8-1
Or you can ask any local bookstore to order it.
About the Author
Melody firmly believes that one should never completely grow up. That is why she has chosen to spend her days writing for a younger audience. Melody resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her beloved corgi Gatsby, and her husband Dylan. She started her writing career with children’s picture books and has now pivoted to middle-grade novels. She believes that children are eager for more books with strong-willed characters that deal with darker and interesting topics. Her debut novel, A Girl Called Ruthless, is inspired by the fiery girls in her fourth-grade class. When Melody is not writing or teaching kids how to write, she can be found planning her next big trip to some magical place she has never been to.