AMoRaR Interview: Melissa Stone

A Month of Rain and Reads Interviews4 months ago4 min read

Welcome to A Month of Rain and Reads, a celebration of self-published and indie SFF throughout the entire month of November. To find out how you can take part and view the whole list of content, visit our introduction post.

Today, we have an interview with Melissa Stone, author of the Keverynn Trilogy and the Stars of Destiny series.

Our theme for November is A Month of Rain & Reads. Do you subscribe to the idea of curling up with a good book while the rain pours down outside? What book would you read? Would you bring tea and a blanket? What would make the moment perfect?

There is really nothing better on a rainy day than to curl up on my couch with a book, a beverage, and a blanket. There are also usually cats involved.

As for what book, most likely whatever I happen to be reading at the time. Right now, that’s a seasonally appropriate thriller.

What else do you want our readers to know about you?

I play video games on easy mode. Life is perpetually on hard mode, so why would I make my entertainment hard?

Why did you decide to self-publish, and what has been your biggest success so far?

I tried to query publishing houses and agents for years, and it went nowhere. I got frustrated and looked into self-publishing. That was 13 years ago as of September 2025. I have enjoyed watching self-pub books become increasingly popular and respected.

My biggest success is that I don’t feel like I’m about to throw up when I publish a book. That first time was such a nerve-wracking experience.

What is your favourite thing about being an indie author?

I love having complete control over my stories. I also just love telling people I’m a published author.

You write primarily fantasy. What can a reader expect to find in your books? Are there any specific tropes you keep coming back to?

It’s not something I’ve done consciously, but there are strong themes of friendship and found family in a lot of my books. Also food. Most of my books have scenes where food is heavily involved. We’ve all got to eat, right?

What themes are important to you, and how are they reflected in your writing?

Growing up, family was always stressed as being supremely important. So I often find myself exploring different kinds of families in my writing.

What are you working on next? Can you tease us?

I’m working on the 3rd book of the Keverynn trilogy. I’ve also been plotting a potential sequel to Whisper for Eternity.

And a few quick questions. What’s your favourite…

…book, in recent times?

Ascendant by Michael R. Miller

…game, in recent times?

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

…writing advice?

Make friends with other authors, even ones outside of your genre.

…advice for someone who wants to publish their own book?

If you can only afford to hire one professional to go over your book, find one with a broad range of experience.

…source of inspiration?

Music.

…way to clear your mind when everything gets a bit much?

I switch to doing anything except what’s causing the stress. Cross-stitch and sewing have been my go-to things. How else can you stab something a thousand times without anyone so much as batting an eye?

Melissa Stone

Melissa Stone lives in Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and a cat. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, drawing, and a variety of crafts. She volunteers with her local animal shelter as a foster parent for cats.