Melanie Forde, author
I spent most of my writing career ghosting articles and white papers about international security, all while pining to liberate my Inner Storyteller. I finally got my wish and focused on creating the kind of novels I prefer as a reader: character-driven, quirky, with a dollop of darkness and a strong sense of place.
With first-hand knowledge of some very different corners of North America -- to say nothing of different lifestyles, ranging from inner city to deeply, wildly rural -- I've mined those adventures in my writing. West Virginia, Massachusetts, Quebec, and Virginia almost achieve character status in my first six novels.
The work in progress harkens back to Boston (in this case, gritty Southie), but eventually lands the main character on Chincoteague Island. That lovely retreat, I'm pleased to report, remains almost as unspoiled (at least in the off-season) as it was when it first charmed me thirty years ago.