Does breaking
free require breaking the rules?
Cassie Gilbert lives every day in the
shadows of her deceased mom’s rebellion. But now that she’s seventeen, she
finds herself longing to break away from her grandmother’s suffocating rules,
experience what it’s like to be a regular teenager, and fulfill her songwriting
dreams.
James Russo, former American Spotlight contestant, escapes to small town Willow Creek,
SC hoping to flee from his tarnished past. When a school project pairs him with
the shy principal’s granddaughter, he’s determined to get to know this
Emily-Dickinson-obsessed and typewriter-using girl. His plan? Convince Cassie
to co-write songs for his demo album.
As Cassie gets to know James over “project
meetings” (more like opportunities to match her lyrics with his melodies), she
becomes intrigued by his sense of adventure and contagious passion for music.
But soon, his past becomes exposed. Cassie’s left to wonder—did she make the
same mistake Mom did by falling for the bad boy?
Then, Grandma’s control pushes her over
the edge. Cassie must choose between remaining in the chains of yesterday, or
delving into her own freedom by completing the melody her mom left behind.
Book
Links:
Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show others they’re not alone—and because she remembers the teen life like it was yesterday (or a few years ago). The debut novel she wrote at 16-years-old, PURPLE MOON (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) was a Selah 2014 Finalist. Her second novel, UNWRITTEN MELODY, released with Clean Reads November 2016. She’s the Founder of PursueMagazine.net, a magazine that inspires teens to embrace their calling. She also enjoys helping writers achieve their dreams through her internship at Hartline Literary Agency.
What was the inspiration behind Unwritten Melody? I loved the idea of having a songwriter (Cassie)
mesh her lyrics together with a musician (James), and for the pieces to fit
together like a puzzle—almost as though the lyrics and songs were created for
each another. I also knew that I wanted to somehow incorporate the
life and poetry of Emily Dickinson into the novel. I first learned about this poet in my 8th grade English class. I
remember becoming fascinated – not only with her works, but also with the
unique story of her life. After I brainstormed the premise to Unwritten Melody, I knew Cassie’s own
life would shadow perfectly that of Dickinson’s and highlight the book’s theme
in the process.
What is the message you hope
readers will grasp after reading Unwritten
Melody? It’s my hope that, through any book that I write,
readers will realize they are not alone in their life’s journey – in the
questions they wrestle with, emotions they deal with, situations they
experience, etc. And hopefully, through following the journey that my
characters take, readers can find a solution for their own problems as well. I specifically hope readers will come away with Unwritten Melody with newfound hope for
their current circumstances and a deeper revelation of the power of God’s
unending love.
Could you give a brief overview
of the writing and publication process behind Unwritten Melody? I brainstormed the plot when I was
seventeen-years-old—the spring of 2011. I was working on my debut novel, Purple Moon at the time, so I filed the
idea away until I could have dedicated time to focus on it. Finally, I wrote
the first draft when I was eighteen and working on the edits to Purple Moon. That draft continued to
develop and transform as I went through the editing/revision process for over a
year. When I was twenty-one, my agent sent me a long edit
letter, detailing the major areas that needed to be fixed in the plot. I was
extremely grateful for the feedback—yet at the same time, a part of me was
discouraged, because it would require a great deal of “book surgery” to fix the
errors in the plot. That was a lot to take on, especially after I’d already
spent over a year in edits. So, I stepped away from the book and poured my
energy into another project. Yet the story didn’t let me avoid it for long. I
knew that the book didn’t exactly match the original story that was first laid
on my heart several years before, and I was determined to make that happen. To make a long story short—I spent the fall of 2015
applying my agent’s suggestions and rewriting the entire book from scratch. It
still has the same characters, premise, and setting, but now the novel matches
the original novel I had first brainstormed when I was seventeen. The book went on submission to publishers winter
2016. One day in May, while I was packing to leave for a writer’s conference, I
received a phone call from my literary agent with the great news—Clean Reads
had offered a contract. J (I knew they were considering it because they had
requested the manuscript about a month before.) The moral of the story? Never give up on the story
of your heart!
What’s next in your writing
journey? I’m currently working on the sequel to Purple Moon (which has been another
lengthy project) and hope to finish it by winter 2016. I’ve also been working
on a teen devotional that I’m really excited about! After that? Well, I hope to continue writing
inspirational and authentic novels for teens and possibly write another
installment in the Purple Moon
series. I don’t see myself switching genres any time soon! But I do hope to
delve more into non-fiction as well. Although God is the
Ultimate Author of my future, I always ask Him to give me the desires He wants
me to have. Right now, my burning desire is this: To write books that transform
lives—stories that portray the power of God’s steadfast love and His unending
grace.
What advice would you like to
give aspiring authors? First of all, stay fueled with a passion for writing. Build your
writing journey on a foundation that consists of a love for both reading and
writing. Write because you can’t not write, because honestly, if you don’t
begin with this kind of passion, then it’s going to be far too tempting to quit
when the discouragement comes. (Notice that I said when, not if!)
It’s important to also find the time to write and stay disciplined with your
writing time because perseverance is the only way you’ll produce an actual
book. Then, learn as much about the craft and industry as you can through
blogs, books, workshops, and conferences. Apply what you learn to your
manuscript. Network with other writers on blogs, social
media, critique groups, and at writing conferences. Keep a teachable spirit.
Remember that, no matter how naturally gifted you may be in writing, every
writer could use improvement to grow. Finally, create long-term and short-term goals
for your writing journey. I’ve met so many writers who never pursued their
writing dreams because, A) They didn’t push themselves to finish a book, B)
They gave up too soon, C) They didn’t learn how a book is published, therefore
never pursued publication and believed that “being an author” was an impossible
achievement. I love to mentor young writers through my course, Write Now. You
can find more info about this 3-month program at this link: http://www.tessaemilyhall.com/teen-creative-writing-mentorship
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