There is so much good, gooey things to say about Melissa Foster, I don’t know where to begin. Can you tell I’m a big fan? If you’re looking for a shining example of how to navigate this crazy business, or just life in general, you can find this award-winning author at her website, onfacebook, twitter, World Literary Cafe (which is where I first met her), The Women’s Nest, and her newest endeavor – Fostering Success, a place where authors can learn to find their way in the world of publishing. Please give a huge SJP welcome to Melissa Foster.
Melissa, tell us about your publishing journey.
It’s been a wild ride. I decided to self-publish MEGAN’S WAY in 2009, when being
self-published still held a very strong (and negative) stigma, but I held my head high and kept writing. I wanted to test the waters and see if my writing was even good enough that readers would wan to read it. My next book, CHASING AMANDA, was picked up by Solstice Publishing just 24 hours after submission, and it was very well received. I have an exclusive contract with KDP for the ebook of my third book,COME BACK TO ME, and I’m now working with an agent as I move forward. Time will tell which stories will be traditionally published (if any) and which ones will be independently published. I really like the control of self-publishing, and the speed of it, of course. It’s an exciting time to be an author and to be in the publishing field on any level. The industry changes on a dime, and we never really know what the next “big thing” will be, but I’m belted in and ready for the ride!
What’s the funniest thing to happen to you along your road to publication and what was the most exciting?
Funniest? When I asked Jodi Picoult how many pages I had to write to be published and she said around 300–I wrote 300 single spaced pages, 160,000 words! Way too many for any publisher to consider, lol. The most exciting was that Jodi actually answered my emails 
What has been the most challenging thing related to publishing you’ve had to deal with on your journey?
I think the most challenging aspect of being an author is that no matter how many books are published, each one begins anew. Marketing and promoting is ongoing, and there never seems to be enough time for that end of the business.
Who is your favorite author, and what are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading Sarah Pekannan’s THESE GIRLS, and really enjoying it. It’s a very light, relatable read. I’m not sure that I have a favorite author. I tend to gobble up authors that I enjoy, reading book after book until I can no longer stomach them, and then I move onto the next author. I learn from all books that I read, too, and for that purpose, there are so many great authors out there that stating one or two would be a disservice to the rest.
What’s coming up next for you?
I have one manuscript on submission, TRACES OF KARA(suspense), and one in the editing process, PETALS IN THE WIND (women’s fiction). Next in store for me is to enjoy my vacation with my family, finish the editing process for PETALS, and then…onto the next manuscript, which will likely be the YA/Women’s Fiction crossover I was writing before KARA came along. That manuscript was titled SHADES OF GRAY before FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY came out, so now I’m on a hunt for a new title.
Thank you so much for sharing your blog with me today. I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you!
Melissa Foster is a New York Time and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women's fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page.