Books By Melissa

Those folks who are fortunate enough to live in an area of beauty, know of a place that they referred to growing up as “The Point”. It’s that place where you can look out over the view in front of you and just be in awe of what lies before you. No matter what part of the country you live in, there is beauty to behold everywhere if you see beyond yourself.

This point, that was so important to two little girls, Anna and Beth, had been enjoyed often as they
dreamed about a future life together. What happens to each could put an end to those dreams, if they allow it. They struggle and fight and just try to survive the day to day of life. Both feel their opportunity was lost many years ago. Sadness and desperation initiate a series of events that may just bring them back to their point where it all began.

What a strange world this is. Sometimes what is old is new again. As the world changes so do all the things we know to be true, until we find out different. Most people say the best part of the week is the weekend. If you could choose anything to do on the weekend, what would it be? Many say travel; many would just like to get five minutes of peace and quiet. Dana's life is already very quiet and lonely. Maybe what she needs is someone to invade that quiet with passion.

We all meet new people every day or week. Whether or not we hit it off with that person depends on so many aspects of our own lives and theirs. It’s all about levels, first level you’re just pleasant day to day, no real connection. Second level, you enjoy spending time together and can become friends. When we approach the third level and beyond, things become more intricate and intimate. How well do you really know this person? What happens when you find that you have differing opinions about important matters? Do you dissolve the relationship with this person or try to work through it? My guess is that it depends on what that differing opinion is about, and just how important a part of your life it is.

Winter Solstice

Some folks see the past as just that, the past. Some see it as the future; history repeats itself, that’s the saying. Then there are those who feel history is LIFE… the blood that made the past and flows through the present and will become the future.

Which of these you are, depends on what speaks to you, what speaks to your soul? Do you treasure the items of your ancestors? Do you just consider them junk? Or are you somewhere in the middle?

How we feel about the past is important to our future, but we can’t allow it to rule our future. We have to live and love, grow and evolve. Our existence is an ever changing process of surviving and moving forward into the next generation.

Christmas Sweets

Into each one’s life a varying amount of bad luck must fall. There will be a point in time that you’ll need the help of another and if you’ve been pleasant and not too bitchy, you could be surprised.

A close group of friends wants to allow a new member into their circle, with the exception of one.

What will it take to change the opposing member’s mind? Is there such a thing as too many friends?

New Year’s Eve Promises

Teachers are said to have hearts of gold. They go above and beyond for their students; because often they spend more time with the kids then the parents are able to.

When a new child enters Tessa Hudson’s first grade class, she does what’s needed to help the new child acclimate.

When Tessa meets this new child’s mother, she has more questions than answers, but is willing to put in the extra time needed to get those answers as well.

You just never know when IT could find you. There is no way to plan for love. You can want it and look for it and pray for it but if it isn’t ready for you, it won’t find you. But when IT is ready for you – you better be ready for the heart fluttering – blood pumping – mind blowing ride of your life. You will do things you would never have thought of before. You will be silly and you will be serious. Then when the realization hits you that you are really truly head over heels in love, you will be afraid – afraid of screwing up the best, most perfect piece of heaven you have ever been in.

Into each one’s life some grief is felt. No one is free of the tortured heart crushing agony that accompanies the death of a loved one. It’s what we do with that tormented pain that determines who we are. Moving forward with life is so much more difficult than shutting down and existing in the darkened abyss.

Chellie runs a dog training center in Northeastern Vermont. She does several different types of classes from simple obedience to Service dogs up to Search and Rescue dogs. She is a Veterinarian as well and has a long list of clients waiting for an opening in her schedule. Chellie often adds another class when enough are on the waiting list. She throws herself into this life since it’s her only joy.

Colleen owns a pub. She still runs it alone since losing her husband years ago. She continues on, knowing that’s what he would want her to do. Her path was not complete yet and she still had things to do.

Maggie is the most recent member of the club nobody wants to be in. She is very deeply stuck in darkness. She doesn’t want help, refuses it at every turn. What will it take to allow the light back into her life?

Love and happiness are the most difficult aspects of life that we as humans continue to try and obtain. They are the most complex emotions and when we are lucky enough to find them, we will do almost anything to hold onto that incredible feeling. We have no control over whom we will fall in love with. We do however have control over whether or not we will allow ourselves to truly feel that absolute joy. Emma Sawyer tried to find love once, but it didn’t end well. She left the one place she called home and moved to another state to escape the hatefulness of her ex. Now that she has found happiness within herself once again, the question is whether or not she will allow her heart to try again. Chris Monroe has no time for love. Computers fill not only the apartment but Chris’s life. Love is pretty low on the list of wishes. It holds very little importance and Chris feels no immediate need to fulfill that innate desire. Chris is busy with the computer work, being an amazing hacker. Chris makes a great living and also is a watcher of the watchers along with others all over the world. They keep watch for the tiny hints of mayhem that can cause the breakdown of economies or countries. This is very important work, if you’re into that kind of stuff. You just never know when and how hard cupid’s arrow will hit.

Brother and Sister, Will and Abby Trask, share a secret. They have owned the family business since Will was twenty and Abby turned eighteen. What they did, they did out of love and family responsibility. With their parents dead as well as their grandfather, all they have left is Nora, their grandmother. When she decides to retire to Florida the kids find themselves without family or a home to live in. Now it’s time they start their own journeys. The two of them work very hard every day. Drake Marin is the one close friend they have. He knows the secret and keeps it and his friends protected. When a new person Briena Summers moves into town the fireworks begin. Briena wants to update and occupy her families old haunted Estate and the town is all a buzz. This group of friends finds more secrets to share and they become a family of a different kind.

If you had the chance to right a wrong, would you? How about not righting a past wrong but maybe keeping that kind of wrong from continuing to happen. Would you have the strength and fortitude to fight that good fight? Arianna Simpson teaches the first grade at a tiny little school in a tiny little town in the mountains of Maine. She really doesn’t want to be a teacher. The kids love her and she loves them, but she feels her life is being wasted. Arianna is well trained in self-defense and martial arts. She is a marksman with most any firearm, and never wants to feel vulnerable again. She has been training since she was fourteen and has been waiting for twelve years for her chance to be the person she is supposed to be. Arianna is about to get her chance. It is known that someone is transporting guns and drugs through this sleepy little town, but the how and the by whom are the big questions. Not able to trust anyone, she is alone in her quest for information. These answers are her assignment, not to take them down all by herself, just to gather information. After all she is just first grade teacher.

Molly is a sweet young woman, with bright green eyes and beautiful red hair, she is also a gifted artist. Molly has family and friends, and big plans for life. When the unthinkable happens and Molly ends up alone and in the hands of a monster, she fights for her life, every single day for seven years. She survives the room of sexual torture and the beatings day after day. She even lives through the birth of her child and the anguish of her child being raised by the monster. When Molly amazingly finds herself free she has to decide what she wants to do with her life now. Molly tries hard to keep herself from becoming involved with others, but those she encounter are persistent and caring. With the help of her new family of friends and some much needed therapy Molly starts to make her way back into the world of the living. It won't be easy for her to be able to trust, never mind love again, but she is a very strong woman and she is determined to be happy.

As much as Flora tries to stay clear of the complications life throws at her, sometimes life just happens. Coming upon a freak accident on Thanksgiving Day starts Flora’s course change in life. Then when she allows herself a passionate afternoon after another accidental meeting her path is paved. Follow along with Flora as she finds she has to immerse herself into a life she left, an area she left, and an emotion she quelled, sixteen years ago all for the sake of the tiniest creature. They say you can never go home again, well you can – you just may not come back from it fully in tack. What could be perfect could also be tragic, and sometimes what we sacrifice can be more than our hearts can bear.

In this second leg of Flora’s journey she is trying to get over the heartbreak of her time with Ben and Peter in the northwestern part of Maine. When she is finally ok with moving on she decides to take a winter rental in No Carolina. She needs peace, quiet, and inspiration to write again. What she finds instead are a group of characters that frustrate and delight her. When she comes upon a horrific find at the beach on a cold and foggy day in February she takes comfort in the eyes of a four legged mutt named Dog. But Dog is not the only creature that ends up captured by her attention. With her winter rental nearing its end a complication brings Flora great anguish and a little bit of happiness. What will Flora’s next step be? Only time and maybe a little luck will tell.

Within these final pages you will learn so much about our dear Flora. She will take many trips within this last journey. With Harland still missing she is desperate for any clue as to what has happened to him. When the pieces start to fill in, she finds she has even less control of her life than even she thought. You will realize why she is the way she is about love, guns, trust, and most of all her legacy. You will be amazed by the truth, cry with her pain, and understand her quirks. Is it possible that Flora will ever be able to allow absolute happiness into her life, or will she continue pushing those who love her most away? With the wedding date set, will either actually make it to the altar? Flora truly is a creature of complexities. Pull for the happy ending.