At first glance, the word “brave” may spark several images in our subconscious, the iconic superman “S,” or a prince in shining armor. For less mystical minds, first responders may be synonymous with bravery. However, bravery also lies in more common, quotidian acts of everyday life. Coconut Creek novelist Melody Maysonet perfectly displays a case of this “common bravery,” a special possession of valor required to produce something truly raw, honest and authentic. Maysonet has been writing ever since she can remember. As a young girl, her dreams were to become a writer and a teacher. She has already accomplished both. Maysonet’s previous work experience includes her positions as an English teacher, editor, columnist, and ghostwriter. It was not until her son, now 14 years old, started school that Maysonet decided to tackle her dream of becoming a published novelist. She began attending workshops and conferences to hone her writing skills, inching closer to her goal.
In 2015, Maysonet published her first novel, A Work of Art, and has since then achieved several accolades including Best Book of 2015 by YA Books Central. A Work of Art is a captivating story about a 17-year-old girl, Tera, who struggles to determine if her father is guilty of a crime he is accused of. Recently, Maysonet opened up about the inspiration for A Work of Art sparking from her own personal experience with sexual assault. “It just kind of came out on its own because the book… was a completely different story… I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to write about and so I scrapped it and started over,” Maysonet said. “I think I just needed to do it, and to start healing.”
In addition to the countless hours practicing her craft, Maysonet also attributes part of her success to the honest critique from her writers’ group, Tuesday Writers. Tuesday Writers consists of six different writers and was founded by mentor and YA author, Joyce Sweeney. Sweeney started the group as an invitation-only writers’ group, requiring the writers to have a certain level of expertise. “We were all beginners at one time,” Maysonet said, “and over the years, we’ve watched each other grow.”
Maysonet takes her writing
very seriously; she has a very disciplined work ethic and always tries to
improve. Most recently, she took on the insurmountably difficult task of
reading deprivation, as recommended by her workbook titled, The Artist’s Way.
“It really was helpful and I’m not sure exactly why but I’ve been thinking about
doing it again,” Maysonet said. Currently, Maysonet is
revising her second YA novel, tentatively titled, What We Wish For,
about a 15-year-old girl living with her alcoholic mother who wishes for a
different lifestyle. It is as Maysonet describes, “a genie-in-the-bottle
story,” when “things are never what they seem.”
Maysonet is also starting the
first draft of her third novel. It
is too early for Maysonet to confirm the synopsis but it’s intended for an
adult audience.
With A Work of Art, Maysonet fearlessly ignited a much-needed
conversation about the highly stigmatized topic of sexual assault. In addition
to her groundbreaking novel, Maysonet continues to tackle more ordinary
struggles whether it is becoming a better creator through The Artist’s Way workbook
or fighting her introversion by attending conferences. Maysonet truly encapsulates
what it means to be brave. In her Tuesday Writers blog, Maysonet writes, “I’m
going to play the “What if” game. And I’m going to search the hidden cavities
of my soul to find what it is I’m afraid to write about, because someone once
told me that those types of stories—the ones we don’t want to touch—are the
ones that push us to the next level.”