I'm so excited today to be hosting author

Melissa Bourbon 

aka Winner Archer

and helping her celebrate the release of her newest book

THE TROUBLE WITH HOPE AND GLORY

Melissa's contribution to the Trouble In Tumbleweed Mysteries

Hope and Glory McIntyre are about as different as sisters can be. Glory is the quintessential Texas beauty queen, while Hope wants nothing more than to dismantle Tumbleweed’s beauty queen scene with the mighty stroke of her journalist pen. Glory’s dreams of becoming Mrs. Tumbleweed might be over when her rival is found dead, and while they might be as different as water and Texas oil, Hope won’t rest until she clears sister of wrongdoing and gets to the truth.

(Four authors. Four stories. One Town. And a whole lot of trouble ...

The small town of Tumbleweed might sit in the remote desert of west Texas, but trouble still seems to find it. Someone's always trying to kill someone else for one darn reason or another, and things get as tangled and twisted as a tumbleweed. The Trouble in Tumbleweed series is an entertaining and interrelated collection of mystery novellas from some of the genre's most popular and bestselling authors, including Diane Kelly, Christie Craig, and Larry Kelter.)

Getting to Know Melissa

LKBR: Thank you for being here today, Melissa! 

MBP: I’m so glad to be here! Any excuse to talk about 2000 year old Irish curses and murder.

LKBR: Please tell us a bit about you, and your book/series.

MBP: I write as both Winnie Archer and Melissa Bourbon. I actually have two new books out in the last couple of weeks. One is called The Trouble with Hope and Glory. It’s part of a collaborative with three other authors (Trouble in Tumbleweed). We created a town together, along with some shared characters, then each took our stories in our own directions. It’s a very fun project!

And the other is Murder and an Irish Curse, which is the 4th full length book in the Book Magic series. I LOVE THIS SERIES! I’d shout it to the moon if I could!

This particular book deals quite a bit about that 2000 year old Irish curse I mentioned above.

It’s pretty action-packed and so much fun. And there is an unexpected twist at the end!

 

LKBR: Any hints or spoilers you can give us about your next book?

MBP: The Book Magic series will continue because there are some things left unresolved. I can’t say more than that!

And as for Tumbleweed, Texas, I’ll soon be working on The Trouble with Pushing Up Daisies, which will be a lot of fun!

 

LKBR: Have you ever written a scene that you loved but had to remove it for the sake of the story?

MBP: I have! It’s hard to do, but less so at this point in my career. After 28 books, I’ve learned that I have to let go if the scene doesn’t work in the context of the book. I do save anything I think I will be able to use with a different story, though, and I have been able to repurpose discarded scenes a few times.

 

LKBR: Have you ever gotten reader’s block? Just find it hard to get into reading because you are so into your writing?

MBP: I have! Once in a while I go through a lull in my reading where I just can’t find a book that lights my fire, so to speak. I always get out of the funk by discovering a great book, but when I’m in it, it’s so frustrating! I read every night before bed…it’s my ritual…and if I’ve got Readers Block, the world feels off.

 

 LKBR: Are there any magazines/publications that as a writer you subscribe to? Are these or others something readers could also benefit from?

MBP: I don’t subscribe to any publications. I have created my own website just for writers of all levels, as well as a series of online courses. WriterSpark Academy is a labor of love. I have created courses on the fundamentals of writing (Ready, Set, WRITE!), how to write a cozy (Field Guide to Writing a Cozy Mystery), and am in the process of wrapping up a course on writing memoirs (What’s Your Story?). I am a teacher at heart, so this site and the courses are something I’m passionate about. You can check it out at http://writersparkacademy.com :)

 

 LKBR: Is there anything you would give up if you thought it would make you an even better writer?

MBP: What and how I write now is quite different than what and how I wrote in 2008 when my first book was published. I think writing well takes a lot of hard work and commitment to honing the craft. I’ve put in that time!

If I could have gotten here sooner, I’d certainly have given up a few foods I find disagreeable…like lima beans. Just don’t like ‘em!

 

 LKBR: Any new projects in the works?

MBP: Yes! My agent is shopping a new project—a new mystery series, and I’m in the process of developing a new series that pulls in magic in the same way bibliomancy is part of the Book Magic series. I love having that thread of magic in my books. :)

 

LKBR: If you could ask your readers 3 questions, what would they be?

MBP: Oh, interesting question! I’d start with:

1. What series got you into mysteries?

2. Do you share your favorite books with friends?

3. What are your current top 5 books?

LKBR: Where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?

MPB: You can find me at:

My Website: http://melissabourbon.com

My Facebook Book Club Group, the Book Warriors: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookWarriors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBourbonWinnieArcherBooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissabourbonbooks/

My YouTube Channel (author chats and more!): https://youtube.com/channel/UCmyAuh_IzHHYkzWzuZg9OVA

And you can check out WriterSpark Academy at:

http://writersparkacademy.com

And the online courses at:

https://writersparkwritingacademy.teachable.com/

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