Melina Druga | Updates

An Interview with Rose: The Main Character of Rose’s Assignment

Melina Druga — Fri, 08 May 2026 10:11:55 -0400

When I first imagined Rose Goodwin, I knew she would be defined by her motivation to help at all costs. In Rose’s Assignment, that trait drives much of the story’s tension. Today, I’m “interviewing” Rose to explore what lies beneath the choices readers see on the page.

Here’s a closer look behind the scenes.

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An Exclusive Interview With Irene Hill

Melina Druga — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:58:22 -0400

Irene stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss her recently release, Cold Vows.

“Writing is absolutely for my soul,” she says. “And, I write about a character with alcoholism. Some of the most damaging adults in my life growing up were alcoholics and addicts. When I started developing this character, I planned to write his sobriety journey and then have him do right by the people in his life. Somehow, I thought if he made the right choices, it would heal my wounds. But he chose violence and hasn’t stayed sober throughout all the books. He’s hurt the people he loves the most, and he’s had to make amends. And it turns out, writing that journey has healed me a lot more than the redemption arc I thought he should have.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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Finishing a Draft Matters More Than Loving It

Melina Druga — Mon, 04 May 2026 15:58:39 -0400

Struggling to write that book?

In my latest Substack post, Finishing a Draft Matters More Than Loving It, I explain why finishing a rough draft is better than perfection.

Highlights:

Fear stops many aspiring authors
It’s a mindset
I share my experience

Join me over on Substack, and let me know what you think.

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What They Knew Before They Were Ready to Admit It

Melina Druga — Fri, 01 May 2026 15:43:46 -0400

What if you knew your relationship had an expiration date? That’s exactly the dilemma main character Cassie and her boyfriend Corey face in my steamy women’s fiction novel, Mr. Right is a Myth. Cassie soon will be graduating college and moving on while Corey will remain behind to study for his doctorate. The couple knew this since the beginning, so why is it so difficult to admit aloud?

In the excerpt below, the couple must confront for the first time that their time together is running out. In crafting it, I wanted to explore their mixed emotions.

I hope the scene gives you a meaningful glimpse into a relationship that is on the brink of change.

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An Exclusive Interview With N.D. Testa

Melina Druga — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:48:24 -0400

N.D. stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss The Sapphora Series.

“It’s a romantasy that combines Egyptian mythology and sorcery, epic adventures and mystery,” she said. “I wanted more fantasy books that feature strong female heroines. I grew up reading Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Eragon. I wanted to see a female version of these types of books so I created one. I decided to incorporate Egyptian mythology because I always loved learning about it but never saw many fiction books featuring it. I have always been a lover of magic and sorcery so that was important to incorporate in my books.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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Life in the 1880s: Creating the World Featured in The Unmarriable Kind

Melina Druga — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:10:22 -0400

In my latest Substack post, Life in the 1880s: Creating the World Featured in The Unmarriable Kind, I explain what life was like for the average person in the 1880s.

Highlights:

It was a period of recovery from a global depression
Canadians push west
The dollar purchased more but rent was high
Child labor laws went into effect
Technology was increasingly what we consider modern
The bustle was in fashion

Join me over on Substack, and let me know what you think.

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An Interview with Alexis: The Main Character of I Don’t Hate You

Melina Druga — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:32:55 -0400

As the author of I Don’t Hate You, I spend a lot of time inside Alexis McNeil’s head — but today, I’m giving her the floor. Known for her rough childhood, Alexis has agreed to answer a few questions about her life at the start of the novel. Let’s see what she tells us.

Here’s a closer look inside the pages.

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An Exclusive Interview With Christopher Link

Melina Druga — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:47:34 -0400

Christopher stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss his book, Coming Out of the Illusion: Realizing the Real You.

“I had a personal spiritual awakening experience and I wanted to be in service to others through my gift with creative writing,” he says, “The name of the story is simply my book title.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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The Biggest Writing Lessons Are Learned from Reading Bad Books

Melina Druga — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:58:28 -0400

What has taught you more? The classics or imperfect writing?

In my latest Substack post, The Biggest Writing Lessons Are Learned from Reading Bad Books, I discuss how more can be learned from the bad than the good.

Highlights:

Samples of bad narrative and dialogue
A list of the top classics taught in schools
Many don’t believe the classics reflect modern demographics
Changing curriculum is easier said than done

Join me over on Substack, and let me know what you think.

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The Difference Between What He Wants and What He Thinks He Deserves

Melina Druga — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:58:07 -0400

Who? What does he want, and what does he deserve? In this excerpt from my historical fiction, women’s fiction novel, Those Left Behind, we explore sibling relationships.

This scene takes place near the beginning of the story when Freddie must come to terms with his sister Hettie’s wedding. The brother and sister are close, and Freddie’s melancholy over his sister moving out of the house overshadows what should be the happiest day of her life. Freddie’s statement “Her happiness means more than mine” mirrors what Hettie says in Angel of Mercy about Freddie’s happiness meaning more than her own. Freddie wants his relationship with his sister unaltered, but that’s not realistic in 1910s Canada.

This passage also could be viewed as prophetic. World war will soon begin, clouding his sister’s marriage and causing the entire family unhappiness.

I hope this scene gives you a meaningful glimpse into the relationship between Freddie and Hettie.

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An Exclusive Interview With Matthew John Meagher

Melina Druga — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:10:21 -0400

Matthew stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss his book, Sweet Evil.

“I believe writing from experience is essential,” he says. “I observe life and attempt to incorporate events, or dialogue to encapsulate the reader in my world. I am a panster writer. I write without planning. What you see is me.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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Life in the 1850s: Creating the World Featured in Rose’s Assignment

Melina Druga — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:58:05 -0400

In my latest Substack post, I explore what life was like for the average person in the 1850s.

Highlights:

Slaves escaped north into Canada from the American South
Canada was still a collection of sparsely populated colonies
New technologies were making communication faster and providing women with some freedom
Railroads made travel easier
The crinoline was at the height of fashion

Join me over on Substack, and let me know what you think.

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An Interview with Claire: The Main Character of Journey of Hope

Melina Druga — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:49:01 -0400

I created Claire Appleton to test the limits of survival in the early 19th century wilderness.. In Journey of Hope her and her husband’s decisions change everything. Today, I’m asking her the questions readers might be too polite — or too afraid — to ask.

Here’s a closer look inside the pages.

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An exclusive interview with Tina McLachlan Brassington

Melina Druga — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:28:14 -0400

Tina stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss her latest release, The Forgotten Lore.

“I wanted to use the atmosphere of the place to add to my story of lost treasures and ghostly presences,” she says. “I love to try to evoke a feeling of warmth, with found family and colorful descriptions of the settings of each story.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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Which is Better?: Series or Standalone Novel

Melina Druga — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:11:00 -0400

In my latest Substack post, Series or Standalone Novel: Which is Better?, I explore this very topic.

Highlights:

There are varying opinions online
Each option has pros and cons
Cliffhangers rarely work

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What They Do When Parents Aren’t Watching

Melina Druga — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:38:51 -0400

What happens when two sisters who aren’t permitted to date break the rules? They have no one to confide in but each other. In this excerpt from my steamy women’s fiction novel, Sexual Awakening, main character Cassie seeks advice regarding her pushy boyfriend.

In this passage, Cassie receives advice regarding her boyfriend and also learns a lesson on respect. Like many young women, though, will she listen or will consequences be damned?

I hope this scene gives you a meaningful glimpse into Cassie’s mindset as she dips deeper into the dating pool.

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An Exclusive Interview With Leon Stevens

Melina Druga — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:16:49 -0400

Leon stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss his science fiction books.

“I'm currently working on book three of my Orion Arm Alliance series,” he says, “which I hope to publish in the spring. Book one, Euphrates Vanished, was meant to be a humorous story called "How Sci-fi Saved my Life" but I found it becoming to difficult to maintain the momentum so I kept a few elements and wrote it as a sci-fi mystery adventure. I knew I was going to write a series, but with many of the character's backstories missing in book one, A Matter of Sabotage, became a prequel.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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Life in the 1820s: Creating the World Featured in Journey of Hope

Melina Druga — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:09:40 -0400

Ever wonder what life was like in the 1820s?

In my latest Substack post, Creating the World Featured in Journey of Hope, I explain what life for the average person was like.

Highlights:

Daily life was a struggle of endurance.
Claire was born into a sparsely populated colony.
Many Loyalists fled north after the American Revolution.
The Battle of Lundy’s Lane is the bloodiest of the War of 1812.
Fashion was often decades behind in the colonies.

Join me over on Substack, and let me know what you think.

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An Interview with Cassie: The Main Character of The Rock Star’s Wife Series

Melina Druga — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:17:36 -0400

As the author of The Rock Star’s Wife series, I spent a lot of time inside Cassandra “Cassie” Economos’ head — but today, I’m giving her the floor. Known for her observations of the people around her and her love of music, Cassie has agreed to answer a few questions about her life at the beginning of the series. Let’s see what she tells us.

Here’s a closer look inside the pages.

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An Exclusive Interview With Barbara Latinka

Melina Druga — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:31:49 -0400

Barbara stopped by Confessions of an Indie Author to discuss her book, Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood.

“I was inspired by my trauma therapist to write down my life story,” she says, “and that's exactly what Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood is. I chose to write my story in an effort to help others who have also walked a dark and lonely path. The “spells” laced through the series are meditative building blocks, meant to guide the reader towards awareness and help build resilience through shared or similar experiences. My character, the narrator, remains nameless throughout the series, drawing readers in my feeling as if this book was written for them.”

Join us over on Substack to read the full interview.

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