Melissa Schroeder has always believed that romance and humor go hand in hand. Love can conquer all and as Mark Twain said, "Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand." Combining the two, she hopes she gives her readers a thrilling love story, filled with chuckles along the way, and a happily ever after finish. A LITTLE HARMLESS OBSESSION is a very special book.

BYS: What went Between the Sheets of this book? Either what was happening in your life when you wrote it, or what was happening with the book as you wrote it.

MS: This is a very special book. Evan and May are HUGE reader favorites and they have waited for over two years to get to read their story. For me, I wanted it perfect for them. Evan and May have been reader favorites since A Little Harmless Pleasure came out in 2008, and more readers have sent me email about them. Their story was a bit painful to write because Evan had a lot of baggage from his childhood. He is a complex character who hid a lot of things from me. Which was very aggravating. But, once I had the chance to pull back all the layers he’d wrapped around himself, I was totally in love with him.

BYS: Where did you find the idea to write this novel?

MS: Evan really. While this is May and Evan’s story, a lot of it is from Evan, from his struggle as a child, what he survived, and how it affects him still today. May is struggling to find her sexual identity, and that is a huge part of the book. But her search pulls Evan into her life in a way that makes him deal with things he has avoided for years. When he appeared in A Little Harmless Pleasure, I knew that he HAD to be the next story. There was no doubt about it.

BYS: Why this story at this time?

MS: I am afraid of my readers. I think a few of them threatened to shave off my eyebrows, lol. No, really, as I have been saying, it is Evan. He pulled at me so much that I had to write it. (and I like my eyebrows).

BYS: Take us through a typical writing day and your creative process.

MS: Once I Demon Seed the First and Demon Seed the Second, otherwise known as DSF and DSS, off to school I sit down to write. Important emails first, then writing. I have found that most of my writing needs to be done first thing in the morning. Otherwise, things get in the way. I will lose time and then DSF and DSS are on their way home.

When I sit down to start a book, I use a lot of Dr Wicked’s Write or Die program. It is a great little program that times your writing and keeps me totally on track. I have ADD so I need someone cracking the whip.

Before I write, I know the characters pretty well. I am a character driven writer so I spend a lot of time with them. I usually have an idea of the big points, a conflict grid filled out, and most of the plot in my head when I sit down to write. But, anything can change and usually does, lol. First draft is horrible, messy, but I write it as fast as I can so I can set it aside and not look at it for awhile. When I pick it back up, I edit it at least four or five times before sending it in.

BYS: Are you a visual writer? Do you see scenes and characters in your head? Or do you hear the characters voices?

MS: I am a visual learning so I guess that is why I am a visual writer. Especially with my futuristics. There are a lot of action scenes in those books so I see them as if I were watching a movie. I do see a lot of scenes in my head and from the POV of my character. And yeah, I hear characters. Cynthia, from A Little Harmless Pleasure came off as sort of a bad person in A Little Harmless Sex. The woman would NOT leave me alone until I wrote her story, lol

BYS: What are your thoughts on First Person verses Third Person? Which is your preference?

MS: I like first person, but it has to be almost perfect. It is such a deep pov, the author needs to make sure he/she understands the character very well. I wrote first person when I wrote literary, but I tend not to like it in romance. I like to know what everyone is thinking. I don’t like living through the hero or heroine, but experience the full force of emotions from both of them.

BYS: What is your re-writing and editing process? Do you let anyone read your work in progress before it goes to your editor?

MS: My rough draft lives up to its name. I have tried writing different ways, but I have realized that I need to just write like a crazy woman to get the basis of the book. Like the bones of a body. Then, once it is cold, I add the other things. Many times I leave out room descriptions, emotions, etc, to get the plot worked out, then I go back through and add those things, fill out each scene. My mind just seems to work that way.

Sometimes I get people to read for me. A lot of times, my friends are too busy, but I like to have someone read it over to let me know at least that it doesn’t suck.

BYS: Do you have time to read now? What authors do you read?

MS: I am with Stephen King. Authors need to read. The best advice I ever received from my creative writing instructor Jim Hoggard was to read everything you can get your hands on. The good, the bad and the ugly. I read close to 300 books in the year after I discovered how much I loved reading romance. Now, I don’t have time enough to read that much, but I use them as payment for turning in work. Right now, I have about three books waiting to be read on my Nook as soon as I turn in A Little Harmless Lie . I am a big Nora fan. Just really love her. Shayla Black, Jayne Ann Krentz, Stephanie Laurens, Liz Carlyle…this list could go on, lol.

I have recently discovered RG Alexander. I have been devouring everything she releases. :-)

BYS: What are you working on now?

MS: I am about to turn in A Little Harmless Lie, which will be coming out this December in digital. I am very excited to have the back to back releases. :-) Then, I am finishing up my third Hawaiian Holidays book for Siren, then editing The Spy Who Loved Her, releasing in digital this coming March from Samhain.

BYS: What advice do you have for aspiring writers? And how did you keep your spirits up until the first book was published?

MS: Don’t ever give up. Published authors aren’t better, a lot of times they just wouldn’t give up. You need to remember that things do not happen overnight. It took me four years to get my first contract. And I still have to work at it, hard. Grow some tough skin and when an editor or agent gives you advice with a rejection, pay attention. Reassess your writing on a regular basis. As a writer, you need to learn to work on your weaknesses but make sure not to be too tough. We are our worst critics.

I had a very supportive husband. Les is my anchor and always will keep me going in my writing. Through rejections, bad reviews, or even just bad writing days, he is always there to keep me going.

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