#visible

Featured Author- @TFmelissa

This months Featured Author is the winner of 'The Big Collab' TFmelissa

A  supporter of #visible since the beginning, I was thrilled to learn that the judge of The Big Collab writersblockinmyhead - Dorothy- had picked her as the winner. Her short story 'Defeating The Habit' can be found in the Anthology book on our profile, as well as her personal works, so please go and support her!

Check out the interview we did with her down below!

To get us started, why don't you introduce yourself, why you like writing and what you love writing about?

Alright, well, I'm Melissa and I'm from Ireland. For me, my imagination is an escape, always has been, and writing allows me to share this with other people in a way they can come to understand. Although I'll try my hand at different genres if the need (or urge) arises, I love writing fantasy. Magic, swords, struggles between good and evil, I love it all.

You won The Big Collab 2016 with an amazing short story our readers can now find in the visible anthology- what was your inspiration for the story?

Well quite a bit of inspiration came from the prompts provided by the competition itself, but a lot of it came from my own personal experience. In short, the character Louise reflects myself and Warren of a relative who had a similar eating disorder and got through it. The main message of the story was inspired by several things and I hope now it's an inspiration to others itself.

I think it will! The friendship you created with Louise and warren was one of my favorite parts of the story. What made you write this in, when so many of the other stories had the main character going through their struggles alone?

Well that's simple. I wanted to show everyone that no-one is ever alone, even when their battles are seemingly their own to bare. There's always someone who cares for you and is willing to share the burden struggles place on your shoulders.

That's a lovely sentiment, and something I'm sure a lot of people do need reminding of! Why did you choose to enter The Big Collab contest?

I found it interesting and wanted to challenge myself in writing a different genre, though that took me quite a while to decide. In the end, I cut it close, finishing my story with only a day to spare before the contest's deadline.

What made you choose the prompts that you did?

All the ones I chose were relatable to me one way or another, especially the official-visible one.

For those who have yet to read it, what are the things your two main characters are battling with?

Louise has both albinism (a visual impairment) and anxiety to a degree. Warren on the other hand is gradually recovering from Binge eating disorder (BED).

Both are faced directly and indirectly with bullying, while certain activities prove challenging for them because of their struggles.

What would you say to the people who are facing the same challenges as your two main characters?

Keep your head up. Things will always get better. As I said before, no-one is truly alone in their battles. If you find yourself struggling, reach out. There'll always be a helping hand to take yours, that I promise you.

And finally, what does the word 'diversity' mean to you?

To me, diversity is an ever-growing thing that is gradually becoming part of almost every aspect in life. It is an amazing thing to see and I hope it continues to grow, breaking down boundaries between people, making stereotypes, ill-understanding and discrimination a thing of the past.