It’s Author Thursday on my blog! Today, please get to know one of my fellow Christian authors, Melony Teague, author of A Promise to Keep.

Melony is a freelance writer and author. She writes contemporary romance with a dash of humor and loves to inspire and motivate others through her written words. She believes everyone has a story to tell. Melony is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Word Guild. She is the co-author of As the Ink Flows, a devotional for authors. Her fiction debut, A Promise to Keep, released Jan, 21, 2020. Melony was born in South Africa and now lives in Toronto with her handsome husband, their two teens, and does the bidding of her two adorable cats.

Connect with Melony through the links at the end of this interview.

—By Jessica Brodie

JB: Tell us about yourself and your faith journey. How did you get where you are?

Melony: I grew up knowing God was close to me. To me, He wasn’t just someone up there beyond the clouds. Having lost both my parents at a very young age, I grew up with my grandmother and she was a woman of faith. It wasn’t until I was 16 years old until I really understood what it meant to give my life to Jesus and make Him Lord of all. I went from knowing about Him to actually knowing Him personally, beginning a walk with him that changed everything. The change in me was somewhat startling, and I’ve never looked back. I know I would not be where I am today, or who I am today if I’d chosen a different path. God has been faithful all the way, through the ups and downs.

JB: When did you know you wanted to become a writer?

Melony: Looking back, I really should have known this all long. The signs were there, but I never saw them, until a decade ago when I finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grow up. I mentioned to someone at a party that I wanted to write a book (although I thought my first book would be a recipe book) and they laughed me off, so I took that as a challenge. And here I am….a decade of journalism, freelance writing and communications and now, finally, my debut novel is out. My first book was written with my wonderful writer’s group and it’s a devotional for writers titled, As the Ink Flows; Devotions for Christian Writers & Speakers, which continues to inspire writers today. The devotional was shortlisted for The Word Awards.

JB: How does your faith influence your writing?

Melony: Since I write from who I am, it has everything to do with my writing. I view the world through the lens of my faith in Christ and the way He sees the world. As a Christian, we see past the here-and-now, into the future, to the eternal, and that affects the way we live and how we treat others. Or, at least, we should, because when I understand how much I’ve been forgiven, and accept that amazing grace, then it changes everything.

JB: When did this particular story first start stirring in your heart?

Melony: I started writing A Promise to Keep in 2018 and the working title was a lovely, boring, “High School Reunion” and then I finally came up with a better title. I began to think about what it would be like to attend a high school reunion if your high school experience wasn’t all bubble gum and pom-poms. What if one reconnected with an old crush? What would make someone attend if they really didn’t want to go? That lead me to think about promises made and kept and how friendships can last decades of not seeing each other and can just be picked up where you left all. We all have that one friend we can go years without seeing and then when we do, it’s like we were never apart. This book is also the first I wrote while following a synopsis. Before this, I’d just write by the seat of my pants.

JB: Do you have other books coming out in the future (or any you are actively writing now?)

Melony: I was working on a sequel to A Promise to Keep but because of the pandemic, any in-person research or trips to locations have been put on hold, and so the writing is somewhat on hold. My concentration and productivity took a big hit, especially in the first months and by the time I could concentrate again, we were into back to school for my high schooler and prepping my daughter for university. I’m looking forward to September when I can sit down and hammer out some writing. We’ll see how that goes under the new circumstances with everyone learning from home.

JB: What do you hope readers take away from this book?

Melony: A Promise to Keep is about promises made and kept, about God’s promises. It’s about living without regrets and letting go of fear. Along the way I tried to sprinkle in some humor. We all need more of that these days.

One of my favorite quotes by Michael McCann is this one and it gives us something to think about: “The things in my life that bring regret are not so much things I did. More like things I didn’t do. Words I should have said. Moments I should have cherished. It’s funny, but in hindsight, I see them all clearly. It’s harder to recognize an opportunity you’re missing while you’re in it.”

I hope readers will be inspired by and enjoy Michael and Savannah’s story.

Connect with Melony:

Sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/nyNaD