Brain to Books Blog Tour
Fast Facts
Bio
Mel has a master’s degree in storytelling from East Tennessee State University. She is a defeater of depression, eLearning Pro, and (other than writing) she loves: bodybuilding, the arts, and nerdy stuff.Blurb
Review
“I have had the opportunity to read and do the exercises suggested by Mel Edwards in her new book: The Bold Way. She uses a simple no nonsense approach to help you get out of the rut you are in and living the life of your dreams. I highly recommend this book and the companion workbook that goes with it” – Jocelyn Jones
Interview with Mel Edwards
Angela B. Chrysler: I want to take a moment to welcome Mel Edwards author of The Bold Way, The Bold Way Workbook and As Spirit Moves Me: Poems and Photographs of Everyday Life available on Amazon.
ABC Question: Thank you so much for speaking with me, Mel. Please take a moment to tell us about The Bold Way.
Mel Edwards: The Bold Way is about finding, claiming and living your truth. Your truth is who you essentially are. For example, from an early age I was a creative person. One of my first memories was of my mom asking me to sing her a song. Instead of just singing where I was, I found it necessary to move the hassock (ottoman) into the middle of our little living room floor, stand on top of it, stretch out my arms and belt a tune of nonsense sounds that were very operatic, in my opinion, at that age. That is what I thought singing was, and I honestly haven’t gotten far from that idea. For me, singing is performing. If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it big.
ABC Question: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
Mel Edwards: There a hundreds of books out there about finding your passion, but I am passionate about many things: being kind to everyone, equality, empowerment, gardening and feeding yourself/family/community, learning all I can to create the life that I want and encouraging others to do the same. It is not a simple one word, one phrase answer for me, and, frankly, most people I speak with can’t put their passion into a word, phrase or box of any kind.
I want everyone to create joy by being who they’re best at being, as long as that causes no harm to themselves or others. Your best skills and greatest joys are part of your truth, and can be used in your passions, but they don’t have to be. For me, my truth is that I am a creative, curious person with an immense appreciation for beauty and excellence. I use all those things in my writing, teaching, art, gardening, and even watching others in action – from students to those I see in public. These things bring me incredible joy, and to foster that is to empower my own success and growth. Everyone deserves growth, successes, and excitement as they navigate their life journey. It is my hope The Bold Way will lead to such realizations for the readers.
ABC Question: What happens if you get so busy with your life that you don’t have time to work on your truth or passions? After all, most of us have bills to pay.
Mel Edwards: I’m glad you asked. In 2008 I had the opportunity to interview 75 creative women for a project I was completing called Shout: Kiss My Art! As I interviewed everyone I kept coming across this thread that when life got in the way, and they ignored their truth, bad things happened, almost as a warning or omen to take care of themselves. Those who ignored the warnings eventually had horrible things happen to them, including cancer, being told they’d never walk again, and multiple failed relationships from family and marriage to work.
In the end, I also ignored my truth to do a job that paid the bills, but had many shackles on my freedom of expression. People I loved and admired told me to keep at it because they loved my work, but I was miserable, and ended up clinically depressed. I wanted this book to come out immediately so people could hear the warnings and perhaps avoid the pitfalls that many of others experience when ignoring their truth.
ABC Question: Where can we find you and your book?
Mel Edwards: It is a Kindle book on Amazon, and the Spanish translation is coming out on my birthday, August 27th, with the German version coming out soon after that. The audio book is due out on Audible on my birthday as well. I picked that day because it was one I would remember.
ABC Question: What are your next steps?
Mel Edwards: The Bold Way was the first steps in getting people to realize how important being true to yourself really happens to be, but I also know stubborn folks, like myself, will say, “Sure, that might happen to others, but not to me!” just like I did. So, I’ve written Depression Smackdown, a book that spends half of it detailing my journey into depression and how I stopped my slide down the rabbit hole once I found myself in a position that I never dreamed I’ve be in. One day I woke up and said, “This is not me, my life or my path,” and went back to my truth.
That will be out on October 19th, on Evaluate Your Life Day.
ABC Question: I understand you have some special gifts for those who purchase The Bold Way?
Mel Edwards: Yes. If someone purchases The Bold Way on Amazon (or the audio book on Audible later in August) and joins my email list via my website www.MsMelEdwards.com during August or September (2015), they can send me proof of purchase to me via email at mel@MsMelEdwards.com and I will send The Bold Way Workbook and The Bold Way Playbook as free pdfs via email.
Also, if they review The Bold Way on Amazon, Goodreads, or Audible, and email me a link to that written review, I will also send my chapbook As Spirit Moves Me: Poems and Photographs of Everyday life for free.
In the end, one purchase, combined with joining my mailing list and writing a single review can give a reader not only the one purchased book but two more (The Bold Way Workbook and As Spirit Moves Me) as well the special bonus The Bold Way Playbook, not published anywhere else at this time.
I’m all about paying it forward.
ABC: Thank you again, so much for speaking with me.
Mel Edwards: Thank you, Angela, for your time and consideration. It is a pleasure to be part of your world and to speak to your readers.
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