BooksChatter: ℚ♫ I Won’t Break: A Broken Love Story [2]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author E. Mellyberry to talk about I Won’t Break (2 February 2016, E. Mellyberry, 342 pages), a New Adult Contemporary Romance, book two of A Broken Love Story series.

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Trailer | Teaser | The Series | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

A very warm welcome to E. Mellyberry; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter.

As we love music, E. Mellyberry has shared with us her music playlist for I Won’t Break - enjoy!

"The [first] three are the main songs for my book. The words, the mood, the melody, the singers are soooo perfect for I Won’t Break. The rest of the songs below apply to certain scenes in the book."

What was the inspiration for I Won’t Break?

"Fairy tale, but not in the way you think. I take the normal concept of a fairy tale and turn it upside down. I break the characters, and from there, I walk along with them to find the answers they’re seeking.

I wanted to write a story that’s real. I wanted to write a story that inspires people to bring out the best in them.

“Not all fairy tales start with a ray of golden sunshine or a chorus of angels sings. But no matter how the story starts, we have the power to decide how it ends.”

Andrew"

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Personality-wise, it’s a bit complicated. The story talks about choices: lemon or sugar, bitter or better.

Truthfully, I see myself as a person who would pick bitterness when things didn’t go my way. But by realizing that, I also notice that other people might choose sugar and light, making the best of their situation and always showing kindness despite whatever bleak circumstances they’re facing.

I am drawn to this, to those amazing people, to this ‘opposite of me’. I hope my readers are inspired by the possibility of kindness and hope."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for I Won’t Break - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"The cover of I Won’t Break is designed by the amazing Rebecca Berto of Berto Designs.

There are two important things in the cover: the face of the protagonist (along with her mood) and the necklace. Once you finish reading the book, you’ll understand why the model looks the way she does in the cover and why the necklace (or what it symbolizes) is important.

Rebecca took my vision and transformed it into this beautiful reality."

Why should we read I Won’t Break and what makes it unique?

It’s an angsty, roller coaster ride. If you like a story that will squeeze all the feels out of you, then I Won’t Break and My Lea (its prequel) are the best choice for you.

It’s a diverse read with diverse characters and diverse culture.

It talks about hard and sensitive topic, a topic that’s not easily defined as black or white, right or wrong.

It’s funny, it’s heart-warming, it’s heart-breaking, it’s cursing-out-loud kind of read."

Who would you recommend I Won’t Break to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend this book to whoever loves contemporary reads (perhaps fans of Colleen Hoover, Amy Harmon, or Gayle Forman).

My books come with a warning, yes. They’re not suitable for readers under 18 because they talk about trigger-sensitive contents such as assault and abuse."

If you could / wished to turn I Won’t Break and the A Broken Love Story series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Oh! I’d love to have Kristin Kreuk as Lea and Daniel Henney as Andrew. Main locations must include San Francisco and Bali.

I’m excited just dreaming about it!!!"

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I love everything about contemporary and fantasy. So far, I’ve written contemporary novels, but I’m sure I’ll try fantasy genre soon."

What is your writing process?

"Ideas come to me in the form of scenes. I capture them and write a few descriptions about each of them.

Next, I enter the second process called ‘gluing’. It’s when I glue those scenes together to make a rough plot. If I like the plot and I see the potential to it, I then begin my research: time, locations, and characters’ personality and background.

I don’t always write my book chronologically. I normally write the most tense or the hardest scene first. I can describe my writing process in one word: chaotic :-)"

What is in store next?

"I’m currently writing two novels, one is a YA contemporary and the other one is a new adult contemporary. Both are standalone novels. I’m planning to release them in 2017 *crosses fingers* You may find the Goodreads links to those books here: FLY and Love, the Second Time

As always with my books, my characters come from diverse backgrounds, and I use multiple locations as the story’s setting. My readers told me I have a reputation of making them cry. That’s not entirely true. I also make them laugh, right before and after I make them cry. LOL."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I’m a book hoarder and my husband is a toy collector. Our house is divided between book section and display section. He has no respect whatsoever when it comes to my book space boundary though. Look at how he fills my bookshelf with his stuff!"