Passionate Pursuits

August 13, 2016 by Melissa Rea 1 Comment

Melissa Rea Author Book Signing at Copperfield's — Signing at Copperfield’s Books Sebastopol, CA

What do these three pictures have in common? It is passion. The two gentleman in the picture, Prince and Giacomo Casanova were lucky enough to learn their great passions early in life. The lady, me, was not as fortunate. Prince performed and wrote great music before he was twenty. Casanova discovered his life’s purpose, the pursuit of love, at a very early age as well. I am the only living member of the pictured trio and am a slow learner.

Moving from one hobby to the next creative hobby in some attempt to find the passion inside me, I struggled. Photography, gardening, painting, none done very well, held my attention for a few years at a time. Way down inside me a little voice would say, “Write, Stupid.” It took a while, but I finally listened. My passion finally bloomed in some wonderfully inspiring continuing education courses at the community college.

Always before, as I went about my pursuits, at a certain point the disappointment would set in. Some of my photos were pretty good. I learned to grow orchids and cover my yard with blooms. I would occasionally paint a decent water color, but I always moved on. When I wrote stories, the quality didn’t really matter to me. I just had to write. There is certainly disappointment with the quality of my writing once in a while. This is not enough to put out the fire of passion thank goodness. The difference is I couldn’t stop writing now if I wanted to. I have found the doorway into the passion in my soul. Do you dare to find yours?

Wouldn’t it be fun to read about an ER doc’s lessons in passion from and 18th century libertine?

The perfect beach read...frothy yet satisfying like a good ice cream soda — The perfect beach read…frothy yet satisfying like a good ice cream soda

Let’s Just Escape

July 23, 2016 by Melissa Rea 2 Comments

It is hot. People are screaming and slamming the other side’s political beliefs on national television. I binged up all my favorite Netflix shows and will have to wait another year for new episodes. My favorite jeans are too tight and the air conditioner is making a scary noise. What to do? It’s the perfect time for the real escapes of vacation, or the very simple escape of a good book.

Venice, Rome, Paris, Vienna, California’s wine country, all worthy destinations to recharge one’s soul. If you can’t ride a gondola, climb the Eiffel tower, or look up at the Sistine chapel ceiling, you can still make a break for it. Just download or pick up a new book and run away.

I have to admit, I often choose a book by its cover. That’s probably why I chose the one I did for Conjuring Casanova. It looks like a Venetian fairy tale and it really is. ER doc Lizzy Hillman escapes to Venice and Paris with an eighteenth-century libertine. How much fun would that be to read after a long day?

You Are Your Dreams

July 2, 2016 by Melissa Rea 2 Comments

It ain’t always fun and it ain’t always easy, but you can’t give up on your dreams. Wiser folks than me have said this in much better ways. I just want to take a little time, this holiday weekend to remind you of something you probably already know. Our dreams are the best of us after all. Sometimes, our dreams become impossible for many reasons. What to do? Reach right up and grab another one. Is there anything more exciting than a new dream? ER doc Elizabeth Hillman dreams of the perfect lover in Conjuring Casanova. If you know me at all, you know I dream up stories and want to share them. I would love to hear about your dreams. Tell me what is the dream that feeds your soul?

So You Wrote a Book!

June 25, 2016 by Melissa Rea 3 Comments

Signing books at Left Bank Books launch party.

As people say this to me they seem very impressed. I will agree that writing a book is certainly an accomplishment. To set out on the road with an idea and some sketchy characters in your head and end up someplace holding an entire book in your hand, is a wonder. I think the most wonderful thing is that no matter what you plan, the final result is a surprise. Somehow, in your head, the characters take on a life of their own and do their own bidding. Your friends, family, and early readers weigh in and things change. But once the writing is finished, which may be well after you expect it to be, a totally new and arduous journey begins. You have to get it published take it to market.

Finding a publisher, deciding to go it alone, or something in between is much harder than the creating. The publishing industry is in transition and seems to chase the next new thing only from known writers. They are not willing or financially able to take a chance on a newbie with a story that maybe doesn’t quite fit any genre label and is written by a name no one knows. If you do succeed in getting published you can hardly stand at the pinnacle with pride yet.

Your precious words are now a product and must be sold to have any value. The artistic temperament is often not very compatible with sales. It feels a little like selling a child. Yes, you think it is beautiful because it is part of you, but will anyone else like it? Even if you have written the best of all possible books, you have to post, tweet, and blog your ass off. Not to mention read, and sign, and beg. I happen to be depraved enough to think this part is fun. It is not at all easy, though. A book that no one reads can be the saddest story of all. Thankfully, A little magic may happen when you get a good review. Someone with impeccable good taste may rave about your creation and for a moment your spirit soars. Just for a minute and then you trek on. The truth is the good reviews are not why you do it. They are just gravy on the stale and crusty biscuit of hard work. You write because you have to write. You publish and sell because, once you write it, you have to share it. You share it so someone can look you in the eye and say,”So you wrote a book.”

What is Love, Really?

June 21, 2016 by Melissa Rea 1 Comment

That is a question that fascinates us all. Does it happen when a little chubby imp shoots you with arrow? Probably not. It can be defined as a strong feeling we have for one another. We think love comes in many flavors. There is love between mother and child. There is love for friends and even love of one’s football team, but it is romantic love that sparks the most interest. Is romantic love is the deep-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach longing that fuels the work of so many writers? Or can it be two octogenarians holding hands on a park bench? This question is one that fascinates me as well.

In Histoire de Ma Vie, Giacomo Casanova talks of love endlessly. He seems never to separate the intense feeling from physical longing. Love and sex were the same to him. I read and reread his words trying to find evidence that he had any concept of platonic love. He did stop writing his memoir at the age of 49, but always his brand of love involved a desire to consummate his love. Today we speak of romantic feelings as having two parts. We use the word love to express the emotional component and sex as the word for the purely physical. To Casanova he only knew he felt love. No separation into distinct parts, just love. In Conjuring Casanova, Monsieur Casanova is horrified when he discovers that, Lizzy, a modern woman, separates his most sacred of pursuits into into two parts. Was he so wrong or are we? In the end does it matter?

What’s In Name?…Conjuring Casanova.

June 11, 2016 by Melissa Rea 3 Comments

If your are going to borrow, borrow from the best, I always say. TodayI borrow The Bard’s wit to shed light on the title of my book, Conjuring Casanova. Obviously, I love alliteration, but my title has two meanings. In Conjuring Casanova, Lizzy Hillman, frazzled and lonely ER doc, conjures Giacomo Casanova from 1774 to 2016. I conjure him by using the words from his memoir, Histore de Ma Vie. He didn’t write about the internet, Food TV, or White Castle sliders, of course, which he discovered in 2016, albeit fictionally. In 3700 words he did discuss nearly every other aspect of 18th century life. It seemed important to me in this age where women still struggle with equality, to introduce modern women to a man who believed women were the superior sex….in 1774! I wanted to represent him fairly using his words.

He was far from perfect. His reputation as a womanizer is all most people know of him. There was much more to this famous libertine. I wanted to conjure him for my readers as faithfully as possible. In, Conjuring Casanova, Casanova is still Casanova even in 2016. He sleeps with Lizzy’s friends, manages to get shot asking for directions, and never gives up trying to seduce his hostess. Doesn’t that sound like smart, sexy fun?