Today, we’re celebrating one of the authors who helped us make the Frasier Contest possible. Melanie Dickerson helped judge the Frasier, and her new book The Princess Spy, comes out November 4th!
Q: Melanie, can you give us a little blurb about your book?
In this Medieval romance based on The Frog Prince fairy tale … Margaretha has always been a romantic, and hopes her newest suitor, Lord Claybrook, is destined to be her one true love. But then an injured man is brought to Hagenheim Castle, claiming to be an English lord who was attacked by Claybrook and left for dead. And only Margaretha—one of the few who speaks his language—understands the wild story.
Margaretha finds herself unable to pass Colin’s message along to her father, the duke, and convinces herself “Lord Colin” is just an addled stranger. Then Colin retrieves an heirloom she lost in a well, and asks her to spy on Claybrook as repayment. Margaretha knows she could never be a spy—not only is she unable to keep anything secret, she’s sure Colin is completely wrong about her potential betrothed. Though when Margaretha overhears Claybrook one day, she discovers her romantic notions may have been clouding her judgment about not only Colin but Claybrook as well. It is up to her to save her father and Hagenheim itself from Claybrook’s wicked plot.
Q: What is one piece of writing advice you’d give the MyBookTherapy community?
Work hard, write as often as possible, and read all you can about writing better novels. I always suggest reading great blogs written by successful authors, as well as great books on the craft. Also, join supportive groups like ACFW and My Book Therapy. And of course, pray hard. God can make anything happen, and He is your best teacher, agent, and friend in this business—or any other business!
Q: What was the most emotional scene for you to write in your novel?
In The Princess Spy, I think the most emotional scene was when Colin was explaining to Margaretha that he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to her, and he fears that something WILL happen to her. And he talks about how devastated he felt when his best friend was killed and he was not able to save him.
Q: How did God change you through the course of writing your novel?
I realized that, just like my characters, I become even more anxious when I pray a certain way, when I word my prayers negatively. But when I pray with a positive, believing, trusting spirit, then I feel better, rather than worse, after I finish praying. My characters learned this also when they were fleeing from the villain and trying to reach help through many dangers and obstacles. So now I remember that when I’m praying, and it makes me much calmer.
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Melanie Dickerson is a two-time Christy Award finalist and author of The Healer’s Apprentice, winner of the National Readers Choice Award for Best First Book in 2010, and The Merchant’s Daughter, winner of the 2012 Carol Award for Young Adult fiction. She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama. She has taught children with special needs in Georgia and Tennessee, and taught English to adults in Germany and Ukraine. She spends her time writing romantic Medieval stories and fairy tale retellings at her home near Huntsville, Alabama, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Visit her at www.facebook.com/