Q & A with Author Melony Teague

Today on Becky's Bookshelves we have a Q & A with author Melony Teague.  I met Melony at CFFR over two years ago.  She is a delight, and I have enjoyed keeping up with her through the years.  Melony has a brand new book coming out January 21 called A Promise to Keep.  It is fabulous!  Today she answers some of my questions on the story.  (no spoilers!)  Thanks for stopping by, Melony!    

Thank you so much for having me on your blog!

Your story involves a class reunion.   Have you ever attended yours?  Why did you choose a class reunion for part of the setting in A Promise to Keep?  

I’ve never attended my class reunion because I went to high school in Estcourt, South Africa and it is a little bit far from Toronto to go for a reunion. If I could, I would. For the most part, my high school years were good and I’d love to catch up with friends. I chose the class reunion to kick off A Promiseto Keep because I wondered what it would be like for someone to attend that never really felt like they fitted in. What would they feel? How would they react to reuniting with high school crushes, and how would they have moved on in life since graduation. The whole concept of whether young dreams come true or not was a fascinating subject to ponder. Savannah’s life didn’t turn out the way she thought it would.

I loved your descriptions of places your characters visited. You do a great job helping your readers visualize the scenes in your book. Do you have a favorite place from the story? 

Thank you Becky. To be honest, I’ve only been to Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake, so those are a favorite. My daughter and I went to the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory and spent hours, taking photos and enjoying seeing the butterflies flit around in the humid air. The town of Point is totally fictional, but I hope that it seemed real to readers.  

What do you hope your readers walk away with from your story? 

I hope that readers would appreciate the every moment in life and see life as a gift. It’s easy to take the people we love for granted. A Promise to Keep is about love, loss, healing and grace, and most of all, it’s about living without regrets.

I loved your characters, Savannah and Michael.  Do you have a picture of them in your mind, or who do they look like that we know?  Michael’s physical appearance was modeled after Henry Cavill, but with longer hair and blue eyes. Savannah has caramel colored hair and blue eyes and I didn’t model her on anyone really. So if an actress were to be cast in a movie adaption, then it would be interesting to see who they’d pick.  (One can dream, right?)

I loved reading about the main characters Savannah and Michael, but I was intrigued by a couple of the secondary characters, Donavan, Gillian and Johnnie.  Do you have any plans for them in their own books?  

I’m so glad you asked this. My first thought was to write Donavan’s story, but my editor is more interested in Gillian and Johnnie’s story. So I’ve started brainstorming and researching possible story lines for them. I’m excited to dive in and find out where that will lead me. Stay tuned. I do, however, have a soft spot for dear Donavan.

Thank you for stopping by Becky's Bookshelves today Melony!  I can not wait for more readers to read your new book A Promise Keep  I will post more information below.  Next week my review will be up on the blog.  

ABOUT THE BOOK  A Promise Book

She never imagined that keeping her promise would change everything.

Research librarian Savannah Sanderson wants nothing more than to escape into her happily-ever-after novels with their larger-than-life fictional heroes. But a promise to her late husband has her attending her dreaded twenty-year high school reunion, drinking ghastly punch, and taking desperate measures just to keep her vow, even if she has to hide behind the décor to do it.

Once a reckless troublemaker, Michael McCann fled town after graduation. Now a professional technical rescuer, he’s back for the reunion, but on his trip down memory lane, he soon comes face to face with unresolved issues, namely Savannah.

Before the night is over, a pact between these two old friends will lead them on an adventure into uncharted emotional territory where Michael must confront his past regrets and find the courage to reveal the truth. But can Savannah fly from her sheltered nest and risk her heart on a real-life hero?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melony Teague is a freelance writer who believes everyone has a story to tell.  As co-author of As the Ink Flows, she loves to inspire and motivate others through her written words. She writes Contemporary Romance with a dash of humor. Teague is a member of ACFW. She has never met a Starbucks she didn’t love and has been known to eat vegetables for breakfast—well, pumpkin pie—same thing. Melony was born in South Africa and now lives in Toronto with her husband, their two teenagers, and two cats.

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