Interview with Melissa Sell
We chat about Kindle Vella, publishing, and the blurred lines between naughty and nice!
I’ve written two reviews for this author, who likes to go by “Mel Sell,” as in Mel sells books. I wrote these reviews at my other substack, Kindle Vella Reviews. I’ll drop the links at the bottom of the following interview, which we did by email exchange (and Facebook Messenger) since there was no mutually convenient time to meet face to face on Zoom. “AR” is me, obviously, “MS” is “Mel Sell.”
AR: Tell me about your process as a writer. Since it’s Kindle Vella, do you truly write it one episode at a time, without planning it too much, or do you have it mostly worked out beforehand?
MS: I’m supposed to have a process? Uh-oh. I’m a planner for the most part. About 95% of my writings are outlined in detail before I start them. I write everything by hand in a notebook, sometimes multiple ones. When I type the story I may make changes, and if I do, I notate that in my notebooks. All but two of my Kindle Vella stories are finished works. The [unfinished] two I write as I go on my computer, then copy [them] over to KV. The only consistent thing I have in my writing process is my cup of coffee. lol.
AR: Where and how did you expose your writings prior to Kindle Vella?
MS: I have several novels published and those were mainly shared on social media, a tidbit here and there, and ads shared among friends and fellow authors. I share[d them] on my Facebook page, TikTok and Instagram mostly. I’ve only been on Kindle Vella for a year (give or take) and I do enjoy it. It is a good way to make extra money on the side once you grow a following.
AR: Are there any authors who serve as your “models”, or even ones who just inspire you in a particular way?
MS: In the sense of a role model for writing, in the traditional publishing world, I have always loved and admired Christopher Pike. He was my introduction to horror other than Stephen King. His writings and imagination toward unconventional subjects always left me feeling full after devouring his work. I also love the style of Nora Roberts and Laurel K. Hamilton.
AR: Tell me about your publishing company. You have an enormous amount of works. How many of them started on KV, or started on some other platform? Is there one that you’re most proud of?
MS: United Faedom Publishing started a few years ago and we’ve published many anthologies and two author collections from very talented writers. I’m proud to be a part of their first steps in those amazing creations! We aren’t doing any submissions at the moment as I am focusing more on my solo career. I hope to have submission calls out again in the next year. Legends and Legions, Hickery Hollow, Love Me, Anyway, and Mirrored Souls all debuted on Kindle Vella. Legends and Legions is an adult fantasy series with a new story in the same universe but with different characters. For KV I’m most proud of Hickery Hollow. It started as a dream I had one night when I hadn’t been feeling well. I wrote the whole thing in about a month and let my kids read it. They all loved it so much that I decided to try it on Kindle Vella first. I have plans for it to be 3 books.
AR: You mentioned in one of our Facebook Messenger chats that there might be something more to come for Edmund (of [the KV story] “Naughty or Nice.”) I’m excited to read more about the tricky elf! What’s that all about?
MS: I love Edmund! The story was originally published in an anthology several years back. I added it to my short story and poem collection (out in 2024) but I have plans to make an origin story for him. Plus, future collections of mine will include more shorts of the tricky little fella.
AR: Anything else you’d like to add? Upcoming releases, ideas, forthcoming projects?
MS: The Chronicles of Fey trilogy has its second release in 2024. The first book is already available on Amazon, and Diverse Shadows will return to publication after a small hiatus in the new year as well.
Keep scrolling down for links and teasers to all of Mel Sell’s works, as well as my reviews of Hickery Hollow & Naughty or Nice!
