#lovestories – Melissa Algood- Author/ Poet

Some of you might not know this, but I spend a lot of time coming up for a playlist for each novel. It could have been the beat, the title, lyrics, or just the way the song made me feel as I was writing ‘Everything That Counts’.

Granted some of them might not be my taste, but as a writer you have no control what’s going on in your head, nor what your characters like to listen to at a party. On the other hand I did majorly fall in love with Rivers Cuomo and Weezer. At this point I’ve listened to so much of their music for such an extended amount of time that I know all the lyrics to pretty much every song (well from before 2005). Needless to say I owe a huge thank you to Weezer who really helped shape Blake, when I first started writing him I couldn’t connect with him until I found a band that really encapsulated him. I thought, ‘What would a geek listen to?’ and I thought of Weezer first. After listening to their songs I noticed that their album ‘Make Believe’ really worked well with my story, and fatefully enough it was released in time to make sense for my novel which is set in 2004-2005. It’s almost as if they wanted to be included in Blake’s story…

Many of the songs are now eternally linked to a specific scene in the book i.e. whenever I hear ‘Milkshake’ by Kelis I think of a specific party that Blake attended. Ironically a pivotal point of the novel. Those songs are denoted with a (+).

Some songs are mentioned by a character, or referenced in the prose. Those songs are italicized. A few have a location real or ficitous- the geography is in (parenthesis like this).

I highly recommend you check out all the music that influenced ‘Everything That Counts’ which will be released in August, 2017. Stay tuned for more details.

‘Everything That Counts’ from award-winning author Melissa Algood

I’d been treating life like a chess game, forgetting to live in the moment when I had a chance. I had to change all that.

Blake Morgan is the biggest geek in all the graduating class of 2004, possibly in all of Annapolis, maybe even the entire world.

He decides that talking to a girl, doing something unexpected, getting something other than an A+, and do something brave during his senior year will make him into a whole other person. Maybe even cool.

Yet each time he checks something off the list he hurts the few people who love him just the way he is. A loser.

Is he able to repair the damage? Is changing who you are worth it? Can Blake be an astrophysicist and have a supermodel as a girlfriend?

He’s stupid enough to wreck his life, but is he smart enough to put it back together?

And now for the official playlist for ‘Everything That Counts’

Chapter 1-August 2003

Imitation of Life by R.E.M +
Caring is Creepy by The Shins
Green Grass of Tunnel by mum + (Magothy River)
For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is)[Remastered] by Pete Yorn
Cause = Time by Broken Social Scene
What You Waiting For? By Gwen Stefani
The Way We Get By by Spoon
Strict Machine by Goldfarp +
Somewhere Only We Know by Keane + (a white oak in front of Blake’s house)

Chapter 2-September 2003

Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet +
Think I’m Paranoid by Garbage
Black Rooster by The Kills (Cape St. Claire High School)
We’re Going To Be Friends by The White Stripes+
Buddy Holly by Weezer +
Doin’ the Cockroach by Modest Mouse
Undone (The Sweater Song) by Weezer
Can’t Hold Us Down (feat. Lil’ Kim) by Christina Aguilera (Annapolis Mall
In Da Wind by Trick Daddy (Cape St. Claire High School)

Chapter 3- October 2003

A Lack of Color by Death Cab for Cutie
If You Find Yourself Caught In Love by Belle and Sebastian
Here I Dreamt I was an Architect by The Decemberists
Do You Realize?? By The Flaming Lips
The Scientist (Live) by Aimee Mann +
Exit Music (For A Film) by Radiohead +
Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz (St. Margrets)
Upward Over the Mountain by Iron & Wine +

Chapter 4-November 2003

Roses by Outkast
Stronger by Britney Spears + (Zoe’s favorite song)
12:51 by The Strokes

Chapter 5-December 2003

Photobooth by Death Cab for Cutie +
Stay Together for The Kids by Blink-182
Hate It Here by Wilco +
Christmas All Over Again by Tom Petty & The Heatbreakers (Ego Alley)
A Perfect Sonnet by Bright Eyes + (Magothy River)
Swan Lake composed by Tchaikovsky
Pyramid Song by Radiohead
Radio Number 1 by Air
Mad World (feat. Gary Jules) by Michael Andrews +

Chapter 6- January 2004

Gretchen Ross by Michael Andrews + (Sophie)
#1 Crush by Garbage+
The Sweat Descends by Les Savy Fav
You Were Meant for Me by Jewel
Poupée de cire, poupée de son by France Gall (Lily)

Chapter 7- February 2004

Weak and Powerless by A Perfect Circle
Dark Moon, High Tide by Afro Celt Sound System
Hey Jupiter by Tori Amos +
2 + 2 = 5 by Radiohead
Teenage FBI by Guided By Voices

Chapter 8-March 2004

Come On Let’s Go by Broadcast +
Step to My Girl by Souls of Mischief
Change Your Mind by The Killers
Milkshake by Kelis +
Hate to Say I Told You So by The Hives
Porcelain by Moby
Save Me by Aimee Man (Sophie’s favorite song)
Get Over It by Ok Go

Chapter 9-April 2004

D.I.D.A.S. by Killer Mike & Big Boi
Star Guitar by The Chemical Brothers
The Way You Move (feat. Sleep Brown)[Club Mix] by Outkast
The Power Is On by The Go! Team
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 by The Flaming Lips
She’s Got Issues by The Offspring
Maybe I’m Amazed by Paul McCartney +
No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age
Lost Cause by Beck +
Just Because by Jane’s Addiction
Superstar by Sonic Youth

Chapter 10-May 2004

Can’t Get Used to Losing You by Andy Williams +
My Boo by Usher & Alicia Keys + (Downtown Annapolis)
Till Kingdom Come by Coldplay
We’re Going To Be Friends by The White Stripes
If She Wants Me by Belle and Sebastian
Creep by Radiohead
Only In Dreams by Weezer +
Crystal by New Order
Pictures of You by The Cure
Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams
In the Backseat by Arcade Fire
Beverly Hills by Weezer
Clocks by Coldplay
Simple Things, Pt. 2 by Dirty Vegas
Perfect Situation by Weezer
My Best Friend by Weezer
Falling Away from Me by Korn
Here Comes Your Man by Pixies
Pardon Me by Weezer
Wonderwall by Oasis

Chapter 11- June 2004

Something About Us by Daft Punk
The Damage In Your Heart by Weezer
Center of the Universe by Built to Spill
Uptight (Everything’s Alright) by Stevie Wonder
Ocean Breathes Salty by Modest Mouse
Haunt You Every Day by Weezer
Cherry Blossom Girl by Air
Everything Hits At Once by Spoon
Golden by My Morning Jacket
Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

Chapter 12-July 2004

Black Dog by Led Zeppelin (Blake’s House)
Just Like Heaven
Kissing the Lipless by The Shins

Chapter 13-August 2004

Susanne (Single Version) by Weezer
Hard to Explain by The Strokes
Cybele’s Reverie by Sterolab +
Fade Into You by Mazzy Star +
Sunrise by Pulp
(Girl We Got A) Good Thing by Weezer +*

20 Questions With..., pictures

20 Questions with…Gay Yellen

June 1, 2017May 8, 2017 melalgood

She’s an actress, assistant director, journalist, an award winning novelist-and she’s also a dear friend. Gay Yellen has a shrewd eye for detail, in fact I wanted to hire her as my editor, she didn’t have time (I mean look at her credentials she’s a busy lady) but encouraged me to really go through my manuscript.

Later I still had to hire an editor, but at least my tenses were correct, and without Gay encouraging me to tackle my greatest writing fear-editing- I wouldn’t be as strong as a writer as I am.

I’ve had the pleasure of having my poetry published along with hers in the collection IN THE QUESTIONS from Spider Road Press and we were in the same critique circle for several years which was educational and fun. I highly recommend her Samantha Newman mystery series (her Samantha is much different from my Samantha Locke in ‘Blood On The Potomac’ in which we joked often during cc) not only does it keep you on the edge of your seat, but Yellen’s descriptive quality, especially with food, is so precise that your mouth begins to water. Needless to say I think that she needs to come out with a cookbook.

And now I’m going to introduce you to the woman who’s done it all, and now is sharing her stories with the world, thankfully I had the chance to live during the same time as her thus able to meet her characters.

Twenty Questions with Gay Yellen

Every writer has that one book that made him or her want to be a writer, what’s yours? I can’t really pick one. Writing seemed to be a natural extension of reading, and as a child, I read voraciously. Family lore has it that when I was a toddler, I would turn magazine pages and babble words as if I were reading them.
How old where you when you started writing? In my baby book, my mother recorded a poem that she swears I made up at the age of three.
Name four authors that you’d love to have lunch with. Anthony Doerr. Hank Phillippi Ryan. James Michener. Theodore Geisel.
What would you eat? Fries. Vanilla malts. Maybe Green Eggs and Ham.
How do you plot out your work? I’m not much of a plotter, except for the bare-bones structure. Once I have the main characters and what the story is about, the rest more or less falls into place, although it takes quite a while to get to The End.
Do you write in the morning or evening? I start in the morning and work as long as I can.
Is there music on? Not for my mysteries. I’m also working on a historical fiction, and I use music of that period to help immerse me in what is otherwise a distant and underexplored era.
What inspired your last story? After The Body Business was published, I regretted cutting the ending short, leaving readers hanging. I wrote The Body Next Door to continue the story. Now that it’s won the international Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem Award, I’m glad I made that decision.
Name three books so good you wish you wrote them. All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson. The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak.
What television shows, movies, or albums do you believe are written well? TV has some of the best writing ever. Veep, Silicon Valley, Life in Pieces, Better Call Saul come to mind.
Which actor would you cast in the protagonist role of your most recent piece? Emma Stone would be a perfect Samantha Newman.
Which of your pieces was the hardest to write? The next one.
Which was the easiest? The Body Business. I’d just helped the author of an international thriller polish his book, Five Minutes to Midnight, which did very well, according to The New York Times. That success led me to try writing one of my own.
Which of your pieces did readers ‘get’ when they told you their thoughts on it? I love to hear from readers, whether they leave a question for me on my website, or I get to meet them in person at a book club or other public appearance. It’s a thrill for a writer to learn how the characters on the page come alive in a reader’s imagination.
What are you working on now? Book 3 of The Samantha Newman Series.
What story do you have to write before you die? The historical fiction has been in my heart for years. I started it years ago before my first mystery was published. The opening chapters actually won Best Historical Fiction in a Houston Writers Guild contest in 2013.
What’s your best fan story? I love meeting new fans who tell me that my book brightened a few hours of their lives. And when a long-ago friend discovers my books and reconnects with me, it’s a plus I hadn’t counted on, and I love it. That’s a long way of saying I have no best fan story, just a lot of wonderful encounters with readers.
What sentence have you written that you feel encapsulates your style? Here’s one from The Body Next Door. Samantha is talking about the little girl she’d befriended a few days earlier: Anyone but Lizzie would have annoyed me beyond endurance, but somehow, we vibrated at the same frequency.
Have you ever based characters off of real people? A writer’s head is filled with experiences, some we’re conscious of and some that seem to bubble up from nowhere. I’ve never consciously based an entire character on any real person, but some character traits may resemble those of people I’ve observed.
Who’s your favorite character? Lizzie, from The Body Next Door. That sad, lonely little girl in need of a friend. I have no idea where she sprang from, but I fell in love with her at first sight, as did Samantha Newman. I think that relationship helped define Samantha in a good way. I still think about Lizzie. She’ll definitely be in Book 3.

You can find out more about the author on her website: http://www.GayYellen.com and purchase her work from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or your favorite indie bookstore.

Everything That Counts, novel, pictures

When setting ‘takes over’

May 28, 2017May 28, 2017 melalgood

My debut YA novel ‘Everything That Counts’ will be released this August. It’s been a difficult but highly rewarding journey, but I know that the best is still yet to come.

Last September I visited my parents in Annapolis, Maryland and was reminded of the beauty that is the city. I attended high school there thus found it a natural place to set Blake’s story. I found myself weaving a detailed tapestry of background when it came to the Maryland that Blake resides. Hopefully when you read the novel you’ll also be transported to a place you might never would have envisioned would be beautifully mesmerizing, yet it is.

Until August I decided to share with you some pictures I took last September while in downtown Annapolis and Eastport.

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I’ll keep you updated on the novel and share the cover of ‘Everything That Counts’

soon.

novel, pictures, Signing Events

Comicpalooza Part 1

May 22, 2017 melalgood

As usual I had the best time at Comicpalooza, and not just because I met Felicia Day (that will be another blog post all together) but because I got to see old friends, dress up, and meet new readers.

I love meeting readers and I hope that they love reading my work as much as I loved creating it-be sure to leave a review on Amazon, and THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for supporting local/indie authors.

I also had the pleasure of picking up some reading material for myself including D.L. Young’s newest book ‘Indigo Dark Republic Book Two’ ‘Chrysalis and Clan’ by Jae Mazer (who I had the pleasure of sharing a table along with Chantell Renee and Jessica Raney) and ‘Soul Chambers’ by Paul Vader and Dominic Dames.

It was the most wonderful time of the year when I had the chance to go to Comicpalooza-I look forward to seeing you next year (I’m going to join a panel which I’ll talk more about later) until then here are some more pics of the amazing cosplay at Houston Comicpalooza 2017

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20 Questions With..., pictures, short stories

20 Questions with Jas T. Ward

May 1, 2017April 18, 2017 melalgood

Maybe I’ve said it before, but I’m a real big fan of Jas T. Ward. She is known for her romance but I love her shorter pieces. A collection called ‘Bits and Pieces: Tales and Sonnets’ is by far my favorite, although Ward admits that some of the stories are ‘rejects’ I find them illuminating.

Ward has had literally and figuratively every punch thrown at her, and yet she comes back strong in her writing. Her characters share her resilience, lust for life, and are truly unforgettable. She has over eight titles available for you guys to check out, as well as a coloring book that lets you tap into your own artistic abilities.

Jas is a dear friend, and I’m proud to be one of her stalkers. Now it’s time for you to hear from her….

20 Questions with Jas T. Ward

Every writer has that one book that made him or her want to be a writer, what’s yours? You may find this odd, but it was the children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit. Something about it pulls me in today. It has a low word count actually, but the emotions behind the words. Amazing. I wanted to do that. I wanted to put emotions behind the words, draw a picture without having to be artistic, and have people feel. With words.
How old where you when you started writing? I wrote my first story when I was about 8 years old. Pictures and everything. I spent days gluing those notebook paper pages together. It was not a work of art. LOL. But I’ve always written and I don’t see that changing. Sure, the audience may change and the scope, but no. I’ll probably write my goodbye on my death bed.
Name four authors that you’d love to have lunch with. Well, I’ve already met you and would love to have eats with you again. But four I haven’t met to share the meal. Hmmm… Amy Tan, Ken Follett, Penelope Reid and Colleen Hoover.
What would you eat? Has to be a Chinese food with huge trays of food made for the masses. I think you can tell a lot about what choices creative people when it comes to a selection of food. For me? Sushi, dumplings and coconut shrimp. Oh, and spring rolls. 🙂
How do you plot out your work? I don’t. I have tried to use all the tactics – outline, story boarding. But none of it worked. Or it just went unused. The only two things I do is know my beginning and my ending. Then, the challenge is to make them meet up with what ever flows in the middle. Otherwise, I just start writing without a clue how that’s going to happen.
Do you write in the morning or evening? I am inconsistent as all get-out. Some days it’s one and other days it’s the other. I think it has to do with my brain just goes on overdrive without warning. It’s a curse and a blessing so I’m not complaining.
Is there music on? Not usually. I do have a movie or TV playing as white noise for the side of my nature that balks at having to write. But every now and then there is a soundtrack needed and when there is, it’s usually Linkin Park.
What inspired your last story? That’s a complicated question to answer. My upcoming book releasing 06/13 – Soul Bound: The Warrior was inspired by real life events of my own. Some dark tragedy and loss. I still can’t really talk about it personally, but I was able to tap into it to write this fictional story. I see that as progress and it actually brought about some closure. Though I’m not really sure I’ll ever completely have that. But it’s nice to know I can go there… if only a little bit.
Name three books so good you wish you wrote them. Oh wow, that’s a toughie… hmm. Any of the Pillars of the Earth books by Ken Follett. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and The Dark Tower by Stephen King.
What television shows, movies, or albums do you believe are written well? I was just having this conversation with a author friend of mine. I don’t know if you or any of your followers remember a show called ‘The Red Shoe Diaries’, but that show was amazing in how it told a different story every week from the view of one man reflecting on love. Another one that I think is incredibly well written and produced is ‘The Story of Us’. Also, the limited series ‘Big Little Lies’ was AMAZING. It needs every award there is for acting, directing and story. Movies? I love big budget movies. Deadpool was genius. Different, a thrill ride, dark elements and sex. It remembered me of my books. 😀
Which actor would you cast in the protagonist role of your most recent piece? My reader club had this discussion. They all saw a younger Gerard Butler when discussing Jace Camden from Soul Bound. Brooding and intense with a soul you wanted to know, but it wasn’t going to be easy.
Which of your pieces was the hardest to write? Soul Bound, without a doubt. It was just so personal. And there’s some scenes in the book that are not fiction. They happened. I’ll leave it up to the readers to decide which.
Which was the easiest? Partly because his foundation had already been solidified in the first books of the series but also because he was just so much fun to step into the skin of. I had a lot of fun writing that book even though it was a paranormal, thriler book. Jess Bailey is something else.
Which of your pieces did readers ‘get’ when they told you their thoughts on it? Madness, pretty much. The main character, Reno is so flawed. But he’s so good natured with a big heart. And mental special – he has a split personality and a much darker side. And he’s driven from forces beyond his control, literally and figuratively. I think the people that have gotten to know me, know I’m the same in a lot of ways.
What are you working on now? Now that Soul Bound is at the formatting stage, I’m working on another ‘Romance – The Ward Way’ titled – ‘A Little Pill Called Love’. Which means it’s quirky, fun, has some love and intimacy but some series twists in it, but also takes on social issues in a background way. The reader goes in and realizes they learned something or found something in themselves without it being preached or lectured about within the pages. The characters took them there without even realizing it. This book will deal with severe bi-polar disorder and love.
What story do you have to write before you die? My own. And considering how slow it is getting it out and on paper, I better live a LONG time. But I think I’m getting closer to being able to it. Soul Bound proved I could go there. I just hope it continues.
What’s your best fan story? Ah, I have so many. The readers are amazing and how they have come to love the characters, many who have actual, interacting profiles on social media thanks to people who wanted to fan-fic/role play them, they love them even more. But I made the mistake of killing off Reno. And meant for it to be for good. Bad idea… They went ballistic! They sent me hate mail and inboxes of anger. They went on my wall and posted the meanest memes. Some they even created of “Bring Our Candyman Back!” And others threatened to boycott me and my books. Heck, there was a petition started with thousands of signatures. I was FLOORED. But, due to that love the Shadow-Keepers series was born and I am so grateful for that. I think that’s when I realized that not only are the voices of our characters rattling in our heads real to us in a way, they are also the same for our readers. It’s something we should always keep in mind. We want our readers to believe the escape we’re giving them—and the people that live there.
What sentence have you written that you feel encapsulates your style? .. that’s a hard one and I would probably spend days in all my books to find the very best one. I think, if I have to have one sentence it would be – Don’t judge me or the world I’m showing you until the ride is over. Then, you’ll understand. If not, sorry, no refunds. 🙂
Have you ever based characters off of real people? Not yet. But when I write my real story? Oh yeah, They’re in there.
Who’s your favorite character? Easy and the fans would revolt if I didn’t say it – Reno Sundown. I love that character so much. My inner child given life. As a hot badass doesn’t hurt.

You can find out more about the author on their Facebook Author Page-Jas T Ward and purchase their work from Amazon.

novel, pictures, Signing Events

Where I’ll be, and what to do until then.

April 10, 2017 melalgood

First off I’m very happy to announce that I along with a few dear author friends will have a booth at Comicpalooza in Houston, Texas from May 12-17, 2017. I would love for all of you to attend as I’ll have copies of my work that you can check out and even get me to sign it.

I always have a great time at Comicpalooza where I can meet up with friends, other authors, and fans all while were dressed as their ‘alter-ego’. Speaking of which I will be meeting Felicia Day (Charlie from Supernatural) so if you see me on Saturday I will be cosplaying as her!

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I really hope to see you there!

Next I’m happy to announce that a fellow award winning author/horror fan Kreepy Keelay narrated my story ‘Hair Dying’. He did a phenomenal job (it’s almost as if he crawled into my head…) and I implore you to listen to a story that is far more horrifying than brassy highlights-click here for Scary Story Time ‘Hair Dying’.

Finally I’d like to tell you how much I throughly enjoyed the novel ’13 Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher, so much in fact that I was worried the story would be ruined when brought to the small screen. I was wrong-although the story is different, the show brought to you by Netflix has more characters, it holds true the theme that Asher wanted the audience to understand once they were done with Hannah and Clay’s life.

I had the pleasure of meeting New York Times Bestselling author Jay Asher when he spoke at the HWG Spring Conference-he even signed my copy of his books. I throughly enjoyed ’13 Reasons Why’ and think that everyone should read it (not just Madame Bijou who’s pictured with the novel). Asher’s work along with ‘All The Rage’ by Courtney Summers should be mandatory reading especially for young adults.

So after you listen to the narration of my story ‘Hair Dying’, but before you see me at Comicpalooza be sure to read then watch ’13 Reasons Why’-it’s a story that deserves to stick with you forever.

Contests, Flash Fiction, pictures, Signing Events

We can’t do it alone (women writers unite)

March 13, 2017March 13, 2017 melalgood

As Women’s History Month is upon us I couldn’t help but think of all the women who’ve helped me through my writing career.

I’ll highlight some of them, but this by no means includes all of the powerful women that I’ve come across since I’ve joined the writing community. They know who they are, even if I do carelessly forget to mention them, they will forever be a part of my life, and I’ll forever be grateful for you.

I’ll begin with ‘the dream team’ as we often call ourselves which includes Andrea Barbosa, Chantell Renee, and myself. We’re all award winning authors, and have sometimes placed in the same contest thus giving us another opportunity to be together. Throughout the years we’ve worked on anthologies together including ‘Hair Raising Tales of Horror’ that Chantell and I published together.

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Next of course would be Fern Brady who’s not only my publisher Inklings Publishing, sometime writing partner, but a dear friend. Without her my debut romantic thriller Blood On The Potomac wouldn’t exist. She helped shape me into the writer that has a fan page.

Next is the amazingly talented Patricia Flaherty Pagan who founded Spider Road Press which has published work from all the before mentioned authors. She’s a fantastic author in her own right, highly intelligent, and a highly dedicated mom. Patty is not just a strong female writer, she’s a life goal achiever.

Finally I’d like to highlight, Rebecca Nolan, an author I was a fan of before we worked together on my upcoming YA novel ‘Everything That Counts’. She’s been an amazing mentor to me and has given me the drive to work harder than I ever have before.

Thank you to all the female authors I know and love including Gay Yellen, Pamela Fagan Hutchins, Courtney Summers, and Taylor Stevens (only two of which I’ve had the pleasure of actually meeting.

Women everywhere need to stand together-that’s the only way we’ll make it in the end-if we support each other. Let’s work on making this world better for the women of the future.

Don’t miss a chance to read these amazing women’s work-simply click on their name to check out some stories that will stay with you long after you put the book down.

Everything That Counts, novel, pictures

A treat from ‘The Bakery Assistant’

November 24, 2016November 21, 2016 melalgood

A few days ago a friend came into the salon (I’m a hairstylist in ‘real’ life) and we were both discussing our works in progress.

I’ve been spending a lot of time with the latest undertaking ‘Wintergull Lane‘ which I’ve been pecking away at for NaNoWritMo (you can check out my progress here). But she reminded me of another piece which I call my albatross. ‘The Bakery Assistant’ is the story of the tragically broken Claire Fischer who is doomed to be a perpetual teenager until she meets someone that shows her that living life is worth it. That’s the elevator pitch, but in actuality I’m projecting there to be a book two, ‘The Fighter’, which will conclude Claire Fischer’s story as far as I can tell…

Either way now that I’m doing the finishing touches for ‘Everything That Counts’ (take a peek at the novel here) so ‘The Bakery Assistant‘ will be on deck. Until then here’s a morsel from chapter two of

After I pulled the fresh loaves and rolls from the ovens, and passed them off to the day shift, we trekked three blocks to a corner diner that had been a destination appreciated by locals who loved ‘kitsch’. The waitress set a glossy menu in front of me, and Aaron. The booth only had room for two, but apparently not for two people that each hovered around six feet tall. As we situated ourselves like acrobats in the booth his knee hit mine.

“Sorry,” Aaron mumbled.

“It’s okay.”

His lone dimple winked at me. “Are you blushing?”

“No!”

He chuckled. “Well if you weren’t before then you are now.”

I concentrated on the paisley pattern on the bench Aaron sat on in the hopes it would cause the blood to evacuate from my cheeks.

“I’m starving,” he flipped open the picture laden menu.

“I thought it was just coffee.”

“You don’t mind do you? I’ll pay for you if you want.”

I shook my head and pressed my hands into my lap. “I’d prefer to pay for myself.”

“Okay.” His curly black hair, strong Roman God-like features including a jaw carved from marble, and delicious looking lips hid behind the menu again. I tilted my head down, reading the options, but continued to hold my posture as if I were attending a luncheon for beauty queens. Before I could get past the first page of artery clogging items, Aaron sighed, and set his menu back down. “So what do I have to do to take you out on a real date, Claire?”

Apparently I didn’t need to eat anything before my heart stopped pumping blood.

“I’m serious.” He leaned back into the booth upholstered in retro paisley fabrics. The dozen booths were either bright orange, or avocado green, and each had a jukebox that you could feed and hear your song of choice. He’d picked ‘I Fall to Pieces’ the second we sat down, but it had only begun to play now. It made me wonder how long he’d planned this dinner.

“Should I get formal stationery, and mail you my official wish to take you on a date?” He took off his flannel lined, corduroy jacket, squeezed it between him and the rust colored wall the booth bench was anchored to. Then he folded his hands together underneath his chin.

Instead of answering I stared at the edge of a rosebush tattooed from mid-forearm to above the elbow. I couldn’t see his shoulder through his t-shirt, but I assumed it was decorated in the same pattern of permanent ink. Each red petal was outlined in black, while each individual rose was the size of the coffee cup in front of me that the waitress filled before she hurried to the next table. I knew there had to be a story behind the blossoming flowers bound together with dark green vines and thorns that adorned his perfectly tanned olive skin, but it didn’t feel right to ask. He dressed like a hipster with dark jeans, a gray shirt with the word ‘RIOT’ printed in bold black along his chest. A knit beanie that matched the ebony color of his hair so perfectly it was hard to tell where the material began and his curls ended.

Aaron tilted his head to the side. “Maybe you could give me your father’s number and I can ask him?”

“That would be difficult.” I hadn’t realized I’d spoken until the words had already escaped my mouth.

He leaned forward, and furrowed his brow. “Why?”

I don’t know why I told him the truth, considering only Edie and Mario knew exactly what happened. For the remainder of the meal it was as if I watched us interact from above, or in a movie. But there wasn’t an actress willing to play the most boring woman in D.C., and Dylan O’Brien refused to take the part of her love interest because he was too homely to impersonate Aaron. Thankfully I didn’t go into explicit detail during my out of body experience when I confessed.

“My father’s dead.”

From ‘The Bakery Assistant’ by Melissa Algood

Flash Fiction, pictures, Uncategorized

‘All the Men I loved’ a poem

November 20, 2016 melalgood

I spoke with an author who told me that he’s falling in love. It instantly made me think (and say aloud) “Oh it will be wonderful when you die, and years from now, when someone reads your poems to her, your love will live on in your words.”

Hopefully that reads less awkward then it sounded.

Either way the end result was this poem, a genre I haven’t written in since high school when I pledged to write a poem everyday. The ten journals full of prose will be the handprint I leave for the future to enjoy, and long after I’m gone the love stories I lived will become immortal.

All the Men I loved

All the Men I loved

           Were lucky




            Not just because they had me

Nor that they could touch the edges of the flame inside of me

            But because I loved them through prose




            Each of them differed

Like leaves on a tree

            Changing in color from

            Green, yellow, orange, a hint of blue

            But it started the color of coal




            With the first I was uneasy  stilted

Stuttered

            Sha

ken

            In

            My

                        Words

            So I forgive him

            How was he to understand that I’d take his pain?

            And make it my own if I could

            When I couldn’t find the words myself?




            But the rest of them didn’t get me

Not really

            Never truly understood the passion in my belly

            Or how it would continue to bubble

            Until my fingers began their work

            That whether it was ink to paper

            Or typing on a screen

            It was really my blood on the page




            All the Men I loved

Live on in my work

            As does our story

            Those tatterd and worn sheets

Torn out of my notebook

            Which I handed them in-between classes

            Ended up

            Shoved in the bottom of their backpack

            Forgetten




            They took my words for granted

Didn’t bother to deeply understand

            The way I let words tell me

            Where

            To

            Put

            Them







            All the Men I loved

Never knew how fervently I loved them

            How I could see through their skin

            Past their smiles which were brighter than the sun

            Deep into the color of their eyes

            Blue like the sea, green like 
            freshly cut grass, darker than the night sky

            Even alternating, with no reason, like 
            a broken mood ring.




            All the Men I loved

Were never carried away by my words

            Never wrapped in the warmth of my tone




            All the Men I loved

Left my poems in a crumpled mess

            Torn and mismatched like they left my heart




All the Men I loved

            Never really loved me

novel, pictures, short stories, Signing Events

Amazing Comic Con 2016 Pictures

September 12, 2016September 28, 2016 melalgood

Let’s just say that the highlight of Amazing Houston Comic Con was that I did a podcast for bfe podcast.

Basically incredible because I got real for the interview.

Also terrifying because I got real for the interview.

It should drop on Monday September 12…so be sure to check out bfe podcast

It is always a joy when I meet someone that loves my work, therefore it’s awesome when I can find a new reader.

Without each of them I wouldn’t keep writing, much less get to do all the cool things I get to do on a regular basis. Like meeting cool people…

It’s always a pleasure to do these events with good friends, like D. Marie Prokop and Chantell Renee, and by making new ones.

It was a pleasure meeting everyone! Thanks to everyone that is so supportive of me-love to all of you. This month has been a wild ride-later I plan on posting some pictures from my vacation back home on the east coast.

Please remember to leave an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads of anything you ever read-especially my work.

	melalgood on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	melalgood on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Gay Yellen on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Gay Yellen on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Hank Phillippi Ryan on 20 Questions with…Gay…

	melalgood on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	melalgood on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Gay Yellen on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Gay Yellen on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Hank Phillippi Ryan on 20 Questions with…Gay…

	melalgood on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	melalgood on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Gay Yellen on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Gay Yellen on 20 Questions with…Gay…
	Hank Phillippi Ryan on 20 Questions with…Gay…

Some of you might not know this, but I spend a lot of time coming up for a playlist for each novel. It could have been the beat, the title, lyrics, or just the way the song made me feel as I was writing ‘Everything That Counts’.

Many of the songs are now eternally linked to a specific scene in the book i.e. whenever I hear ‘Milkshake’ by Kelis I think of a specific party that Blake attended. Ironically a pivotal point of the novel. Those songs are denoted with a (+).

Some songs are mentioned by a character, or referenced in the prose. Those songs are italicized. A few have a location real or ficitous- the geography is in (parenthesis like this).

I highly recommend you check out all the music that influenced ‘Everything That Counts’ which will be released in August, 2017. Stay tuned for more details.

I’d been treating life like a chess game, forgetting to live in the moment when I had a chance. I had to change all that.

Blake Morgan is the biggest geek in all the graduating class of 2004, possibly in all of Annapolis, maybe even the entire world.

He decides that talking to a girl, doing something unexpected, getting something other than an A+, and do something brave during his senior year will make him into a whole other person. Maybe even cool.

Yet each time he checks something off the list he hurts the few people who love him just the way he is. A loser.

Is he able to repair the damage? Is changing who you are worth it? Can Blake be an astrophysicist and have a supermodel as a girlfriend?

He’s stupid enough to wreck his life, but is he smart enough to put it back together?

And now for the official playlist for ‘Everything That Counts’

Later I still had to hire an editor, but at least my tenses were correct, and without Gay encouraging me to tackle my greatest writing fear-editing- I wouldn’t be as strong as a writer as I am.

And now I’m going to introduce you to the woman who’s done it all, and now is sharing her stories with the world, thankfully I had the chance to live during the same time as her thus able to meet her characters.

Twenty Questions with Gay Yellen

How old where you when you started writing? In my baby book, my mother recorded a poem that she swears I made up at the age of three.

Name four authors that you’d love to have lunch with. Anthony Doerr. Hank Phillippi Ryan. James Michener. Theodore Geisel.

What would you eat? Fries. Vanilla malts. Maybe Green Eggs and Ham.

How do you plot out your work? I’m not much of a plotter, except for the bare-bones structure. Once I have the main characters and what the story is about, the rest more or less falls into place, although it takes quite a while to get to The End.

Do you write in the morning or evening? I start in the morning and work as long as I can.

Is there music on? Not for my mysteries. I’m also working on a historical fiction, and I use music of that period to help immerse me in what is otherwise a distant and underexplored era.

What inspired your last story? After The Body Business was published, I regretted cutting the ending short, leaving readers hanging. I wrote The Body Next Door to continue the story. Now that it’s won the international Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem Award, I’m glad I made that decision.

Name three books so good you wish you wrote them. All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson. The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak.

What television shows, movies, or albums do you believe are written well? TV has some of the best writing ever. Veep, Silicon Valley, Life in Pieces, Better Call Saul come to mind.

Which actor would you cast in the protagonist role of your most recent piece? Emma Stone would be a perfect Samantha Newman.

Which of your pieces was the hardest to write? The next one.

Which was the easiest? The Body Business. I’d just helped the author of an international thriller polish his book, Five Minutes to Midnight, which did very well, according to The New York Times. That success led me to try writing one of my own.

What are you working on now? Book 3 of The Samantha Newman Series.

What story do you have to write before you die? The historical fiction has been in my heart for years. I started it years ago before my first mystery was published. The opening chapters actually won Best Historical Fiction in a Houston Writers Guild contest in 2013.

What sentence have you written that you feel encapsulates your style? Here’s one from The Body Next Door. Samantha is talking about the little girl she’d befriended a few days earlier: Anyone but Lizzie would have annoyed me beyond endurance, but somehow, we vibrated at the same frequency.

You can find out more about the author on her website: http://www.GayYellen.com and purchase her work from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or your favorite indie bookstore.

20 Questions with Jas T. Ward

Finally I’d like to highlight, Rebecca Nolan, an author I was a fan of before we worked together on my upcoming YA novel ‘Everything That Counts’. She’s been an amazing mentor to me and has given me the drive to work harder than I ever have before.

Thank you to all the female authors I know and love including Gay Yellen, Pamela Fagan Hutchins, Courtney Summers, and Taylor Stevens (only two of which I’ve had the pleasure of actually meeting.

Women everywhere need to stand together-that’s the only way we’ll make it in the end-if we support each other. Let’s work on making this world better for the women of the future.

Don’t miss a chance to read these amazing women’s work-simply click on their name to check out some stories that will stay with you long after you put the book down.

I spoke with an author who told me that he’s falling in love. It instantly made me think (and say aloud) “Oh it will be wonderful when you die, and years from now, when someone reads your poems to her, your love will live on in your words.”

Hopefully that reads less awkward then it sounded.

Either way the end result was this poem, a genre I haven’t written in since high school when I pledged to write a poem everyday. The ten journals full of prose will be the handprint I leave for the future to enjoy, and long after I’m gone the love stories I lived will become immortal.