In most love triangles I read, I can immediately tell which choice the main character will make. I wanted to write something set in a contemporary setting where it’s less easy to see which way the main character will go and where the reader is rooting for both options.
Melissa N. Wright – 10 October 2026
The Back Flap
Stewy, a socially hesitant and often reclusive author, recently moved to Ford Shore in search of the quiet, laid-back life only a small town could provide a writer looking for calm solitude. At first, it’s exactly what she hoped for. Cozy coffee shops. Dusty bookstores. Crisp autumn air and an oven that somehow bakes her current non-writing-related venture, pies, to perfection, and a grouchy older neighbor with decades of experience in the world of men…
A world that hits Stewy like a freight train when she meets Garner, the handsome barista at her favorite local coffee shop, who makes her question the rules of love and attraction.
And then Liam, who makes her question everything.
Stewy always thought love would find her eventually, just like it happens in her books. Her friends, old and new, want to ensure she doesn’t miss out on what the world has to offer, but when opportunity knocks twice, she quickly realizes love isn’t something that’s found. It’s messy, confusing, and there’s not a single recipe for it, especially with two men vying for her attention.
About the book
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing Of Pies and Men in fall of 2025.
How long did it take you to write it?
I don’t start writing until I have an actual story in my head. The story came from a single sentence (which ended up being the opening sentence in the book) that kept rolling around in my head until it snowballed into a full story. I knew that the first story I wrote would be a love triangle, so once the snowball was big enough, I put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) – it only took me a few months to write, but the editing process took longer than actually writing it to make sure I was doing the characters justice.
Where did you get the idea from?
I’m a sucker for a love triangle. They draw me right in. Especially love triangles where the choice isn’t easy, and it’s hard to choose a team. In most love triangles I read, I can immediately tell which choice the main character will make. I wanted to write something set in a contemporary setting where it’s less easy to see which way the main character will go and where the reader is rooting for both options.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
The parts of the book that were most difficult for me dealt mainly with “wrapping things up.” It took me a while to figure out on which line I wanted a chapter or scene to end, what I wanted the last line of the book to be, what teaser content I wanted to include in the bonus chapter, etc. It was sometimes hard for me to feel like something was “done” if I didn’t have a wrap-up line that tied a nice, neat bow on everything. It took me a while to tell myself that sometimes not having a concise or clear ending made the story more readable. Not everything has to sound complete in order for it to be complete.
What came easily?
The character dialogue came really easily to me. I have such clear pictures in my head of who these people are, what they want out of life, how they interact with people. So each scene’s dialogue came pretty easily, and when I went through the editing process, I was able to go back and add texture and focus on the environment rather than feeling like I had missed something from the characters. (I quickly discovered that I am a character-driven writer – I was usually sitting in the passenger seat while the characters determined how things were going to go.)
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
My characters are completely fictitious, but character traits from each of them came from real-world people I have interacted with at some point. I have known introverts, bold women, people who allow themselves to be vulnerable, people who misstep over and over again. But I was never thinking of one specific person while writing my characters. I just remembered a time when I myself was feeling confused, or when I spoke with someone who had a different set of traits than I do and had to have empathy, or when I’ve found comfort in the way someone was talking with me. I asked myself “why did I feel that way when watching/seeing/interacting with someone who behaved this way?” and was able to remember how certain types of interactions made me feel and transfer that to how those interactions would make each of my characters feel.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
My author influences are wide ranging. I am inspired by the style of Cyril Connolly, the stories of Alex Aster, the coziness of Julie Olivia, the intensity of Stephen King, the whimsy of Roald Dahl, and the characters from Helen Hoang.
Each author I’ve ever read that I’ve resonated with has played a part in how I craft characters, approach dialogue, and create environments for them to exist within. Sometimes it’s in a “WW[insert initials from author here]D” manner, and other times it’s because I want to have a complementary narrative somehow. If I’m in a rut, I re-read old favorites from my childhood, like The Twits or recent stories I read where I became attached to the characters or the location they took place in.
Just like I feel like I still have pieces of family and friends from my past that influence my personality, I feel the same about authors – each of them has played a role in the writer that I am, even in ways that don’t always present themselves overtly in my writing.
Do you have a target reader?
I would love for everyone who’s ever existed to resonate with my characters and their story, but I think it is the women who love a happy ending; who see supportive, green flag men as almost revolutionary; who understand that people are sometimes messy for reasons even they themselves don’t recognize; and who love cozying up with a mug of tea on a snowy evening with their favorite comfort show pulled up under a pile of blankets who will enjoy reading my stories the most.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I am a character driven writer. For me, that means I often feel like I’m in the passenger seat of the story. I have a basic outline and some “must haves” in my story, but it’s my characters who drive everything forward. Try as I might, I cannot control what they do.
I essentially create characters with a set of traits and ask them how they will respond if I place them in a certain environment. They take it from there, knowing how I want things to end up. Everything in the middle is up to them.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
The latter. Again, I’m in the passenger seat, so even if I have a detailed outline, I find myself erasing and re-creating it as my characters shake things up. So it’s less work in the end to have headings, a couple of sentences, and an end goal, knowing that the characters will take the reins and lead me there.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I proofread and do light line editing as I go. But it’s only when I am done that I do the developmental editing and adding of texture to the story.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I love listening to music while I write, especially the music that I know my characters would like, as it helps me channel them when writing their POV.
My go-tos that I know will get me in a productive mood are: Glue by BICEP, Anything by Whilk & Misky, Sever the Blight by Hemlocke Springs anything by Gidge, Cuatro Vientos by Rey&Kjavik and Danit, or anything by Zen/it.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did submit my work to agents!
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
It was a gradual process, and part of me learning more of the ins and outs of traditional vs. indie publishing. I had a couple of agents request a full copy of my manuscript after a couple of months of querying, but after talking with indie authors and publishers I encountered online, I came to the conclusion that working with an indie publisher was the best path forward for my book.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I work with an indie publisher who helped me get the book cover professionally done.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I am winging it and adjusting as I learn more about the publishing space. I have gotten very familiar with social media and algorithms, tools like Canva, and ways to reach new audiences online in order to get word out about my book. But, I am constantly learning new ways to be better at marketing myself and my story.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I would tell people that no path is superior to the other. Your story will find its way home. It is about the resources you have, the people you meet that you vibe with, and the skills you want to use to get the book out. Also, look at the differences in pay structure in indie vs. trad publishing and understand that before committing to a decision. Talk with people who have done both and ask questions. From my experience, the publishing and book community online is extremely supportive, and we often times are each other’s biggest cheerleaders.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the Midwest – corn fields galore!
Where do you live now?
I now live in New England with my high school sweetheart husband, my four cats, and my sourdough starter, Sourah Jessica Parker (yes, she is considered a pet).
What would you like readers to know about you?
I want readers to know that my stories will always have a happy ending – one of the main reasons I wanted to write was to offer people an escape from a world that feels very heavy very often. I hope people love my characters and feel like they are friends. But while I take my writing and my characters seriously, I don’t take myself too seriously. If you follow me on social media, I hope to provide some chuckles, sometimes at my expense.
Other bonus facts: My cats are the light of my life, I am often found in t-shirts four sizes too big for comfort, I try to inject whimsy into most things I do, and my husband and I play hours of video games together on the weekends.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the two follow-up books to Of Pies and Men, another contemporary romance series with a touch of whimsy, and a fantasy novel. There are lots of things in the works for me!
End of Interview:
For more from Melissa N Wright, follow her on Instagram.
Get your of of Of Pies and Men from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
