Melanie D. Snitker
Texas Hill Country
Good morning, Melanie, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for art and authors. What have you written?
I published my first book, Calming the Storm, in August of 2014. Since then, I’ve published six books in the complete Love’s Compass series, a novella for the Fall Into Romance collection, and I have two other series I’m working on now. The third book in the Brides of Clearwater series, Marrying Chrissy, will be available sometime in August.
What is your favorite genre to write?
I love to write contemporary inspirational romance. I try to touch on subjects that matter to everyone and show how God makes a difference in our everyday lives. In the end, it’s my hope to weave together a story that stays with the reader long after the last page has been turned.
Favorite food.
I enjoy Mexican food of almost any kind. I could probably eat good fajitas every day and never get tired of them. LOL
Tea or coffee?
I like unsweet iced tea, but I’m not a big fan of hot drinks in general.
Pizza or ice cream?
Pizza – especially if it’s supreme or Hawaiian. Though seriously, both pizza and ice cream would be awesome!
Where would you like to visit?
I’d love to go to Hawaii someday.
Favorite musical artist. Do you listen to music when you write? What?
Oh, it’s so hard to narrow it down to one musical artist or group. I guess, if I have to choose, I’d have to say DC Talk as my ultimate favorite. I enjoy listening to music when I write, but I usually choose music that’s a little calmer, otherwise I do more singing along than writing. LOL Favorites include Michael W. Smith, Jamie Grace, Sierra, 2Cellos, and some of the praise albums from Petra and Newsboys.
What makes you laugh?
Watching our little girl play in the sprinkler with her dog. The two of them always have so much fun together.
How old were you when you started writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I’d create my own coloring books—and later comic books—for the Chip N Dale’s Rescue Rangers. A few years later, I wrote a script for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I wrote a science fiction novel in high school. It needs a great deal of editing, but it wound up being over 75,000 words long. It wasn’t until I was in college that I started to consider writing inspirational romance. It’s a genre I enjoy reading, but back then, it was difficult to find clean romance. I decided more people needed to write it, and I may as well be one of them. Being a published author is truly a dream come true.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I started out just writing with very little planning ahead of time. It worked fairly well for me, but I often had a great deal of editing afterward. Now I’m trying to do more outlining before I begin to help the story come together more smoothly. I have a notebook that I use for each book. I jot down ideas, character traits, and try to at least line up the major events. I’ve found that I can’t plan everything out because my characters tend to have minds of their own. Many of the things I write I had no idea about ahead of time, and I’m about as surprised about them as my readers are.
Describe your perfect evening.
My days tend to be somewhat high-stress, so a laid-back evening is always wonderful. Usually that includes putting my feet up and watching new episodes of our favorite TV shows with my husband or playing our favorite computer game together.
Where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from a variety of sources, including my own experiences, books I’ve read, my favorite movies, and even music. Subjects involving infertility, adoption, autism, and homeschooling are all important to me, and often find their way into my books.
What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I usually read one of my favorite books or watch a favorite movie. That almost always helps. The other thing I do is listen to a song that makes me think of the story in my book.
Who is your favorite author?
If I have to choose one favorite, I’d have to say Lori Wick.
Best book you ever read.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Last book you read.
Engaging Mr. Darcy by Rachel John
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
I’d probably be a photographer that focused on landscape and nature photography. One of these days, I want to travel around and take photos of the different fields here in Texas: cotton, wheat, etc. I think they are beautiful.
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My wonderful husband, Doug. He’s always encouraged me to follow my dreams, make time to write, and is the perfect balance to my introverted personality.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
I would love to sit down and visit with my dad. He passed away in November of 2011. I’d love to talk to him about his grandkids, about the books I’ve written (I dedicated the first book I published to him), and just chat about the little things in life. So many things have happened in the nearly seven years since he’s been gone.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Never give up. Don’t let people tell you that you have to write a certain amount each day. The truth is, everyone goes through seasons in their lives. It’s easier to write during some seasons than it is others. The most important thing is to write when you are inspired and believe in yourself. What you have to say matters!
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Social Media Links:
Brides of Clearwater Series:
Love’s Compass Series (complete with six books):
Life Unexpected Series:
Calming the Storm (debut novel):
Fall Into Romance Collection:
Later in life, he would recall being fascinated and stimulated by colour as a child. His fascination with colour symbolism and psychology continued as he grew. In 1889, he was part of an ethnographic research group which travelled to the Vologda region north of Moscow. In Looks on the Past, he relates that the houses and churches were decorated with such shimmering colours that upon entering them, he felt that he was moving into a painting. 
This experience, and his study of the region's folk art (particularly the use of bright colours on a dark background), was reflected in much of his early work. A few years later he first likened painting to composing music in the manner for which he would become noted, writing, "Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand which plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul".[8] Kandinsky was also the uncle of Russian-French philosopher Alexandre Kojève (1902-1968).
