Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi. My name is Melissa Wyld and I am a feral writer. By that I mean that I have no address, no location of residence. I live off-grid in my beloved Toyota Truck. Lately, I have been wandering the backroads and red rock canyons of Sedona in AZ. Last year, I was basking in the green forests of the New Hampshire White Mountains. Who knows where I will be next year. So far, I have written one full-length book. I have many more on the back-burner.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “Crazy Free: An Epic Spiritual Journey.” I didn’t have much of a choice about whether to write it or not. That story wanted to be told, and it wouldn’t take no for an answer. The book retraces two years of my life – pivotal two years: the years during which I transitioned from “normal” (suburban, career, marriage, etc.) to the fun, free-range, off-the-grid adventure I now call my life. It was a scary transition, one many people consider but feel is unattainable. Crazy Free is just one example of how to break away from expectations and step into the full richness of life. I am sure there are many ways to accomplish this. But I can only speak from my own experience.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Ha! I do. I wrote my book on the road. I circumnavigated the west coast and crossed the country to New Hampshire and back. Wherever I landed, I chose the most scenic landscape available and placed my truck with the back pointing towards the scene. I then set myself comfortably on my mattress in the back and let the story flow until my laptop’s batteries were drained. I recharged my laptop’s batteries in libraries and friends’ houses. Crazy Free was written in over 17 states. It was edited in the desert of Sedona, AZ.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
“Into the Wild”, by Jon Krakauer probably planted the original seed that ultimately led to my complete severance with my old life. Once I committed to walking a different path, “Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, “The Power of Now” by Eckart Tolle and “Frequency” by Penney Peirce helped guide me along the way.
What are you working on now?
First, I am planning an Appalachian Thru-hike, from Maine to Georgia. I might write a book about it, if sufficient adventures warrant a book. If not, I have a love story that would like to be told … what if you found your twin-flame, your other half, you soulmate, the One you hoped for and expected your whole life, and he/she turned out of be a bipolar, violent, unsuitable mate? How far would you go to fulfill your perceived destiny?
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)’s promotional free days. Most of the work involved is in informing dozens of free-books websites about the upcoming promotion. Luckily, I enjoy tedious processes.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write from your heart, not from your head. You will always create better prose if you love what you are writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I asked a published author what he does during the inevitable bouts of writer’s blocks. He answered “That’s when I go play. It’s ‘me’ time.” Not forcing the writing process has worked well for me. A walk in the woods will get you out of writer’s block faster than any “keep at it” discipline. For me, anyway.
What are you reading now?
I am reading “Grandma Gatewood’s walk” by Ben Montgomery and love-love-loving it! It is the story of the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian trail, a 65 years old lady with nothing but a small homemade shoulder bag, a shower curtain and out-of-this-world resilience.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More adventures. More book about adventures. Some surprises. Yes, mostly, that’s it.
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?
1 – I’d take my own “Crazy Free”. Every time I reread it, I find more it in. As I grow and evolve my own story takes on different perspectives. It’s like a different book every time I read it.
2 – I’d take “Grandma Gatewood’s walk” by Ben Montgomery, because I haven’t finished it yet.
3 – “Lost horizon” by British author James Hilton
4 – A fat mandala coloring book, with a box of pencils.
Author Websites and Profiles
Melissa Wyld Website
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