Interview With Author Melanie Rhora
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and for the last several years I’ve called Nova Scotia home. My family and I are in the middle of a big transition now ~ moving to Costa Rica. It’s me, my husband, our teenage son, as well as our two fur babies, a dog and a cat! I’m so excited to be on this new adventure together.
I have self-published four books and written seven in total. Some of my earlier works are no longer publicly available, though a couple can still be found floating around online. Each one was a stepping stone that led me to my most current and heart-aligned work, The Phoenix Path: A Woman’s Guide to Healing, Rebuilding, and Rising Stronger. I’m also one of the authors in the collaborative best-seller With Grace and Grit: Inspirational Stories for Entrepreneurial Women.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Before writing my latest book, The Phoenix Path, life threw me a series of curveballs. I ran a very successful digital agency, but I was working around the clock, sacrificing my life in the name of success. I was overwhelmed by the pressure to be everything to everyone. For years, I skated on the edge of burnout.
My breaking point came when a devastating house fire shattered the illusion of control I had. I felt broken in every aspect of my life ~ my marriage, family relationships, my health, and even my business was lost. I realized at that time that I hadn’t built a life that supported me, but a cage that kept me small!
I had a choice: I could stay in the ashes of what no longer served me, or rise and rebuild everything — my home, my confidence, my relationships, and my identity. I decided to create a life that supports who I am right now and inspires who I am becoming.
That’s the place I created this book from. It’s not just a memoir and not just a manual. It’s a mix of my stories and the tools that helped me rebuild my life — things like exercises, affirmations, somatic practices, and reflections. My hope is when a woman picks it up, she doesn’t just get inspired, she feels the shift in her body as she rises into the woman she wants to be. It really is the book I wish I had when I didn’t think I could keep going.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if this counts as unusual, but The Phoenix Path is the first book I’ve written in a remote location. It was always a dream of mine to be that writer who went on retreat to finish her book, and I finally did just that. Most of it was written poolside in Costa Rica. Other guests at the all-inclusive resort would wander over, curious about what I was doing with my computer in such a beautiful place. Once they found out I was writing, some people started bringing me drinks, ice cream, and snacks. I barely had to get up except for the occasional swim to cool off. I’d definitely do it again.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite genre is definitely personal development. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without the insights and inspiration from Gabby Bernstein, Denise Duffield-Thomas, and Tony Robbins. I’d love to have breakfast with Mel Robbins. ‘Let Them Theory’ was the first personal empowerment book I read with my teenage son. I think we’d have the most amazing conversation about resilience, boundaries, and what it truly takes to rise stronger.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m planning a women’s retreat for the end of January based on The Phoenix Path and my training as a Master Circle Facilitator. It is for women who’ve spent years holding it all together and are finally ready to step out of the ashes, set boundaries without guilt, and rise like a phoenix into their own power. We’ll be heading to Costa Rica for this one, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
This probably isn’t the answer you want but some days it feels like I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks! What I’ve found is that the most powerful promotion comes from connection. For me, that’s been a mix of guest leading women’s circles, doing interviews, and creating content that really speaks to my reader’s heart. When she sees herself in my story, she wants to dive deeper.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t let perfectionism stop you from publishing your book. Even when you feel it’s finished, the next time you read it you’ll find something you would change. If you make that change and start reading your work again and again, you’ll always find something else. The truth is it will never be perfect. Sheryl Sandberg said, “Done is better than perfect.” And I try to work from that lens. That said, I had 16 versions of The Phoenix Path before I decided I was done.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best “advice” I ever heard didn’t come in the form of a neat little quote. It came from Tim Urban’s TED Talk about the Instant Gratification Monkey. If you haven’t seen it, the monkey takes control of your brain’s steering wheel and won’t let go ~ it pulls you off course into doomscrolling, organizing drawers, or doing literally anything other than the thing you know you really need to be doing. The problem is the monkey only lets go of the driver’s seat when the Panic Monster shows up at the last minute before a deadline.
What struck me most was realizing how many areas in my life don’t actually have a deadline (like self-publishing a book, rebuilding my self-trust, or healing a relationship). So, the Panic Monster never comes, and the monkey just runs wild. That hit me hard.
Now when I catch myself waiting for the “perfect time” to do something that matters, I remind myself: the perfect time isn’t coming. I have to create my own little pockets of accountability. I create a list of the top 3 things I will accomplish each day. I have an accountability buddy that I meet with every week. And sometimes I’ll even put sticky notes on my iPad so I don’t pick it up but instead go do the other thing.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading three books so it depends on my mood. I just started reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros for fun. I am finishing up Jefferson Fisher’s The Next Conversation: Argue Less Talk More which I highly recommend to anyone wants to up their conversation game. And lastly, I’m re-reading “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks which is about overcoming our own internal glass ceiling.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I love writing and I have at least three more books in my head. The next one will come out late next year. Its working title is The Queen’s Path: Where Self-Abandonment Ends and Sovereignty Begins.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Only 3 or 4! I think I’d be in trouble!
One would be “Awaken The Giant Within” by Tony Robbins – there is so much great information in there that would help me survive that kind of ordeal. Maybe “May Cause Miracles” from Gabby Bernstein because it would give me something to do every day for 42 days. And an omnibus edition of something long and fictional – like “The Lord of the Rings” from J.R.R. Tolkien. That would keep me busy for quite a while. And of course, The Phoenix Path, because I’m never too far away from my own book and it would be a challenge to rebuild your life on a desert island so a great reminder as I move forward.
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