Good morning everyone!

Today, I have the utter joy of kicking off a brand new series on my blog: author spolight!

The point of the author spotlight slots is to shine the spotlight on authors who inspire me, whose books I love and who I want to use this space to spread the love to!

It will come as absolutely no shock to any of you that my number 1 slot should go to my favourite author of ever: Melinda Salisbury. (I know, I can hear you being SHOOKETH).

Mel has taken time to pop along to my blog and answer just a few questions all about her new book, Her Dark Wings (which I reviewed a few days on my blog!)

Mel has written a whole host of incredible books, and if you’ve not read any, I recommend you get on them!

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What was your favourite part of writing the book/series?
In Her Dark Wings, it was being allowed to have a character be gloriously messy and angry and vengeful and still worthy of being loved – adored and cherished, even! I didn’t have to worry about making her likeable, or nice, or any of those things we’re conditioned to think girls/women should be in order to be “rewarded” with romance. Corey is furious and bitter and still gets the hot guy, and I got to really lean into that darkness, which, during the pandemic, feeling so angry and helpless myself, was also really cathartic!

Which character would you love to write another story from?
Steph, I know this is a leading question and you want me to say Luvian from State/Song of Sorrow, but I will not be tricked. From Her Dark Wings I think it would be super interesting to write Bree’s story, and how she comes to terms with what she’s seen and done, or even something else set in the Underworld, so we see Corey and Hades and the Furies again, but the story isn’t directly about them. There is also a really great myth about a guy called Pirithous, who decides to kidnap Persephone from Hades with his equally awful pal, Theseus. While in the Underworld on their way to steal Hades’ WIFE, they sit on a rock to rest and when they try to leave, they can’t, and the Furies come for them and then there’s a whole thing about Pirithous maybe being fed to Cerberus, and Theseus’s ass maybe getting stuck to the rock and then torn off when he’s finally freed – it’s wild! But I think that would make a better short than a novel – who wants to read about two idiots being idiots?

Is there a scene/character you had to edit out of the book that you wish people could see?
No! Every single thing I wanted to include is in there. Not even a single one of my swearwords got cut!

What advice do you have for budding writers?
Finish the story! It doesn’t matter if the first draft is terrible (and it will be). Just finish it! You can fix it later. And also read a lot – reading fiction will teach you more about writing than any craft book ever can.

What’s next from you?
Nice try, my friend. Wait and see xx

Can you recommend a book you’ve read recently that people will love?
The book I want to recommend is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, which instantly became my joint-favourite book when I first read it. It’s about love and art and play and family and loss and beginning again. I love it so, so much

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A massive thanks to Mel for taking the time to answer my questions! If you want to check out my reviews of Mel’s books, you’ll find links below:

The Sin Eater’s Daughter trilogy

State of Sorrow

Song of Sorrow

Floored

Hold Back the Tide

Her Dark Wings

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Have you read any of Mel’s books?
Which one is your favourite?
Which of Mel’s characters would you most like to meet?

Talk to me in the comments – I’d love to know that there are other Mel superfans out there too!!

Also: if there’s any authors who you really associate with me and you think I should feature on my blog, please please shout! I have a few lined up, but I’d love more lined up!

S x