Melissa J Cave
Author of the romantic fantasy series Empire of the Stars
Creative Roots & Inspirations
What inspired you to start writing? My siblings. I’ve always been a storyteller, whether it was making up stories for our Legos or (as soon as my parents bought our first computer) typing my first story at age ten.
Were there specific books, authors, or media that shaped your storytelling? Louis L’Amour was one of the earliest. His stories about what it takes to build on the frontier were a huge inspiration for Empire of the Stars. Clannad was one of the earliest musicians I ever wrote to, and Braveheart was life-changing; it was the first rated R movie I saw and it was a huge influence on the kind of stories I wrote.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote? The first one was about a monster story I wrote for my brother and sister. The second story I wrote was how my mother found out that a neighbor I was babysitting for had some spicy paperbacks.
Favorite Things
Favorite book(s) or series (besides your own)? Obvious ones are Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia, along with The Goblin Emperor by Katharine Addison, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, David Gemmell’s Druss the Legend, Conn Iggulden’s Genghis Khan series, and the Sackett saga by Louis L’Amour.
Favorite genre to read for fun? Fantasy. I’ll read just about anything, but fantasy is my home.
Favorite film/show you return to for comfort? The Simpsons, seasons 3 to 14. There’s something really special about the show during that time.
Favorite place in nature or a dream travel destination? My favorite place is the mountains, and if I’m going on vacation, that’s almost always where I want to go.
Favorite writing snack or drink? Ferrero Roche. Just a couple to munch on hits the spot.
Coffee or tea? I’m an American and a veteran, coffee.
Process & Behind the Scenes
Where do you write? What does your workspace look like? I am supremely lucky to write from a recliner in my living room. If I were any more comfortable, I’d be unconscious.
Are there any writing rituals or quirky habits you have? Not so much anymore; I’ve tried to train myself out of those. I used to have to write to music at a particular time of night after I had rewritten the previous scene when Mercury was in retrograde, but over the years I’ve learned you can choose not to be a temperamental artist. I’ve tried to teach myself to write no matter what’s on the TV, and though sometimes I have to put on the book soundtrack to focus, I’m much more productive and flexible than I used to be.
How do you build your worlds—maps first? Characters? Plot arcs? My characters usually come first. I knew Remin would be a war hero and traitor’s son and I knew Ophele would be a secret princess in exile. Answering how they both ended up in that position was the beginning of my world.
Just for Fun
A fun or unexpected fact about you? I sing to my dog while I brush his teeth. He wiggles less.
If you could live anywhere in the Empire of the Stars world, where would it be? Capricia. That’s the place for storytellers.
If you had a magical creature companion, what would it be and what would you name it? If it was from our world, a dragon named Calavan. (Just made up that name, but it sounds dragon-y.)
Philosophy & Connection
What do you hope readers take away from your stories? Hopefully a some new thoughts about what it takes to build a society, and more compassion for all the people that form it. We’re not supposed to be the same. Everyone has different strengths.
What’s the most meaningful comment or review a reader has ever left you? One reviewer recently said that it was like reading the real history of people that lived ages and ages ago, like this was the story of the people that made the world. That’s exactly what I was going for. I hope it feels universal and real.
What would you tell your younger writer self? Work on your process. The most important thing any author learns about writing is how to keep writing. There is no such thing as writer’s block. There are good days and bad days, and a good writer learns how to keep themselves going and knows when to throw in the towel for the day.
