Christine Edwards interviews Melissa Foster

Right now I’m reading one of my favorite authors, Diane Chamberlain. I’m reading HER MOTHER’S SHADOW. I love Diane’s books because they’re easy reads, not too stressful, but enough of a hook to keep you riveted to the pages and enjoying your escape.2. Tell us a little bit about COME BACK TO ME.

It’s funny, I thought COME BACK TO ME was a contemporary fiction book, but when it was picked up by USA Today’s book blog as a romance, suddenly it struck a chord with romantic suspense readers. I think that is a well-suited genre for the story, but I will warn readers that I do not write typical happily ever after endings, so beware if you’re a romance reader–you’ve been forewarned.

COME BACK TO ME is a very emotionally and suspenseful story that I came up with the summer before my husband left for Iraq, then researched and wrote when he was in Iraq. It’s the story of a young couple, Tess and Beau. Beau is a photographer who accepts an overseas assignment in order to gain international attention for his work. Beau’s helicopter is shot down, and Tess is notified that he did not survive. Meanwhile, Tess finds out she’s pregnant, and tries to put her life back together, while Beau, found alive in the desert by two Iraqi women who are escaping honor killings, makes his way across the desert and back to the US. No spoilers here. That’s about all I can say without ruining the story for those who have yet to read:-)

3. Which one of your characters is your favorite and why?

I adored Suha. She was such a surprise character for me. I had never written a character like her before, and her strength, and even her stand-off attitude were endearing to me.

4. Do you prefer to write or edit?

Are there really authors who prefer to edit over writing?

5. What did you do to pass the time while waiting for your very first manuscript to be accepted?I wrote another book and went very gray. I’m always writing another book.

6. What is the most nerve-racking part of the publishing process?I think the most nerve-racking is reading the reviews. Even now, I cringe when I take a moment to read them. There are some that make no sense, then there are others that are constructively critical, and others that are glowing. I love them all, but the mean-spirited reviews do sting.

7. What is your favorite free author resource or blog?

My favorite resource is Twitter. You can gain access to just about anything you need via social media these days. I can connect with readers, authors, cover artists, learn new writing techniques–just about anything I need or want can be found via Twitter.

8. If you could only give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be?

Write, write, write, then polish, polish, polish.

9. Can you tell us about your next project? Word is you have three novels coming out very soon.Yes, this was a very busy year! I finished three novels and the next one to be released is TRACES OF KARA, coming in early 2013.

For my thriller loving readers, TRACES OF KARA is a much darker book than any of my previous books. TRACES OF KARA is a psychological thriller, or dark women’s suspense novel. Author Rachelle Ayala describes it as “Hannibal Lector, Freddie Kruger and the Tami Hoag villains combined with the emotional bond of Jody Picoult, Jane Fitch, and Steel Magnolia.” Yes, it’s that dark, so be ready for a wild ride!