Giveaway!

Hey! Are you on Goodreads? They are hosting a giveaway of my book, "Imperfect". Why not throw your hat into the ring? Good luck!

 

 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

 

   

       

   

   

     

          Imperfect

     

     

          by Melissa  Clark

     

     

         

            Giveaway ends October 19, 2012.

         

         

            See the giveaway details

            at Goodreads.

         

     

   

   

      Enter to win

Three Rivers: Full Circle

In 2008 I ran into my sister's friend Emily at a bar. She had just purchased a cabin up in Three Rivers, CA and told me it would make an excellent writing retreat, and if ever I wanted to write there to get in touch with her. I think I got in touch the next weekend. I was struggling with my novel at the time and needed a place to clear my head. I set out on a rainy day in February armed with my laptop and not much else, and when I arrived 3 1/2 hours later I marveled at the setting. I spent the next three days marveling at the setting, taking walks, taking naps, having dinner with a neighbor, reading books, watching movies. I did everything but write.

But a funny thing happened. About a month after returning from my "writing retreat" I had a dream about a character named "Ruth Tichner" and in my dream she was having sex with her boyfriend and somehow in that dream I knew she was a hoarder. I woke up and started writing the dream down (which ended up being one of the first scenes in the book) and soon I started writing more than the dream. Soon the cabin in Three Rivers started playing a role in the novel - at first a small role and then a bigger role. And soon after that I realized I had two major characters in my novel and that I had to figure out how to unite them.

This past Thursday, the whole thing came full circle when I had a reading of "Imperfect" (only $4.99 wherever ebooks are sold!) at the Three Rivers local library. You see, in May I ran into Emily's sister Anna at a party and she suggested I get in touch with Christina, the neighbor with whom I had dinner 4 years ago on my "writing retreat". One thing lead to another and before I knew it, Chris had organized a reading for authors who have been inspired by the town of Three Rivers.

I grabbed my friend Maggie Marr and we road-tripped it up to the cabin. At the library we set out about 25 chairs which were all filled by members of the community. I loved hearing the other authors read. Later, we had an excellent dinner at neighbor Chris' house (who has her own novel coming out in November) before retiring to the cabin that inspired the subplot.

Isn't life funny?

Setting up with Chris and Maggie

Reading from "Imperfect"

Author Dalan Smith

Poet Bill Haxton

In front of the library.

Yummy dinner

Maggie and I walking in Three Rivers...

Connections Clark

It's official, my 2nd novel Imperfect has launched. I celebrated last weekend with a little gathering of friends and family at a great bar in Culver City. I gave a presentation and a short reading and as I looked into the audience I was so overcome by gratitude - what amazing people I have in my life - many whom I've known since childhood and many new friends who I feel like I've known forever.

Yesterday, when I heard of Dick Clark's passing, I couldn't help but think about the time I worked for him back somewhere in mid-90's. He produced a game show called "No Relation" about contestants trying to identify who didn't belong in a family (there was always a decoy family member). It was actually a pretty fun game. I was brought on as a writer - interviewing the family members and creating questions for the contestants to ask. (see? these are the fun jobs you can have while living in L.A.) Dick Clark wasn't really part of the day-to-day of that show, but since I worked in his building, I'd see him every now and again in the hallway, and I always saw his dogs.

One afternoon while filming the show on the CBS lot, Mr. Clark walked into the room where I was and sat down. I'd never formally met him, so I approached him with an outstretched arm and said, "I wanted to introduce myself, my name is Melissa Clark, no relation..." What I meant was I was not related to him, but the name of the show I was working on was also "No Relation" so it sounded like I was just rattling off my credits. At the time I found this to be hysterical.

 His offices, on Olive Street in Burbank, were allegedly once a mortuary and while it was a little bit creepy coming to work every day, I have fond memories of that job, the people with whom I worked and my little encounter with the Rockin' New Year's Eve legend. R.I.P.

Sisterly Blogging

Hey! You!

You know what? If you become a follower of my sister's blog, you have a chance at winning a copy of my new novel!

Meremade is a blog full of crafts, recipes, ideas, kid's stuff, etc. This month is Pet Month on the blog. Check it out!

Thanks for your familial support.

Novel #2

In preparation for tomorrow's publication of "Imperfect", I'm posting a photo from my very low-budget 'recording session' of a section of my book. Once I figure out how to post the actual audio, I will.

I hope that everything goes smoothy up in the world wide web tomorrow. Only time will tell...

Meanwhile, a fantastic blurb from a fantastic writer arrived in my in-box today. I am so thrilled.

"Unusual, unputdownable, unforgettable" --Lauren Baratz-Logsted.

Somehow this DIY publishing process is even more exciting than my original experience with mainstream publishing. I don't think I've ever worked so hard in my life.

Children of the Waters

Carleen Brice won the 2009 First Novelist Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and the 2008 Break Out Author Award at the African American Literary Awards Show. Orange Mint and Honey was optioned by Lifetime Movie Network.

Her second novel, Children of the Waters (One World/Ballantine), a book about race, love and family, just came out at the end of June. Booklist Online called it “a compelling read, difficult to put down.” Essence says, “Brice has a new hit.” You can read an excerpt at her website www.carleenbrice.com.

She is at work on her third novel, Calling Every Good Wish Home, and she maintains the blogs “White Readers Meet Black Authors” www.welcomewhitefolks.blogspot.com and "The Pajama Gardener" www.pajamagardener.blogspot.com.

Please find my interview with Carleen:

mc: Which came first, the title or the novel? 

cb: The story.

What other art form inspires you as much as writing? 

Probably film and then music come closest, but writing is most inspiring to me.

 

Which comes easier for you - beginnings or endings? 

Both. Middles are the hardest!

 

How many drafts until the final draft? 

Who knows? Some scenes have many, many drafts and some scenes stay pretty much as first written and the whole thing goes through the thresher a few times, at least. I really wouldn’t be able to guess.

 

What are you reading right now? 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston (it’s her autobiography).

What's next for you? 

A 3^rd novel called Calling Every Good Wish Home and maybe a graphic novel!