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If You Can’t Say Something Good

January 23, 2017 by Melissa Rea 8 Comments

I think it may be time for Americans to grow up. Saying negative things about anyone hurts both the giver an the receiver of the negativity. This election season has wounded us all deeply and it is time for us to actively bring about healing. My candidate didn’t win but that is no reason to denigrate those whose choice is in the White House. The fear mongering has to stop. I attended The Women’s March and the experience was nothing but positive for me. It did make me feel hopeful that our president tweeted about the march.

“Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don’t always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.”

This was not widely reported. It seems positive things just aren’t news. Let’s change that. Because someone’s opinion is not mine, gives me no right to belittle or to denigrate them. My grandmother used to say, if you can’t say something good don’t say anything at all. That is how grown ups behave. The best way to make this country great is to work together to make it so.

What Comes Next

September 24, 2016 by Melissa Rea Leave a Comment

Last weekend I presented Conjuring Casanova to all present at the Brooklyn Book Festival. This was my last publicity event for this book. In Brooklyn, just like all my other events, I met wonderfully interesting people and celebrated books. This publicity phase has come to an end and I am very grateful for all the good that has come from it.

Last evening I finished another draft of Nights of Alice, my latest novel. It is the story of a female CEO whose company is on the brink of introducing a groundbreaking medical device. By day, she relishes the challenge of the business world. When the sun sets, Alice Hightower escapes. She dresses in clothes that appear each evening in her closet, and slides open her balcony door to other times and places. Of course she must be loosing her mind like her mother before her. She would much rather spend time with the delicious men in her fantasies than deal with the real and very flawed men in her real life. Her handsome and dangerous Vice President of sales and her intriguing male administrative assistant have other plans for her. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Today I sent this draft off to a wonderful copy editor who will remove all my mistakes. I am not sure where this road will lead, but I would be so happy to have you along for the ride.

The Age Of “Tell me what I want to hear”

September 3, 2016 by Melissa Rea 3 Comments

I have spent the week explaining to my patients why they still need to floss. The conclusion of a small study reported in Forbes magazine, was that there is no proof flossing helps reduce gum disease or decay. The point of the study if looked at from a scientific point of view, was that it was a small study and there are too many variables that cannot be controlled for to make it valid. The story was, however,picked up everywhere and could even be found on the news blurbs at the gas pump. Why? Because it is what people want to hear. Most people do not floss, and are only too happy to hear that they no longer have to.

This is indeed the information age. We are barraged with information from every direction. It is mostly free and available and we are often too busy to question. It is imperative that we do question the source of such information. What does the person giving you the information have to gain? More veiwers or your vote? Or is the provider trying to get you to buy something out of fear. Most of the distillations of the flossing study said mouthwash was just as effective as flossing which is patently false. Many mouthwashes have alcohol which is proven to cause oral cancer. Floss only causes good breath and increased oral health. Yes, mine are flossed regularly, can’t you tell?

Did you think I wasn’t going to tie it to my book? No such luck. Giacomo Casanova was the king of “tell them what they want to hear,” and it lifted skirts all over 18th-century Europe. In CONJURING CASANOVA, Casanova spends a good deal of time telling modern Lizzy, what she wants to hear. Guess what happens.

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

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?

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?