Posts tagged interview

Making Space With Oklahoma Contemporary: Interview With Pablo Barrera

In light of the COVID-19 public health crisis, Oklahoma Contemporary has postponed the opening of our new arts center.

You can read more about their plans for a delayed opening celebration here.

Hi artsy and writerly friends! Today, I have a very special blog post/ article for you! I got the amazing opportunity to sit down and interview Pablo Barrera, Oklahoma Contemporary’s inaugural curatorial fellow. You can find out more about him here. This is just the interview I conducted with him—if you’d like to read the 6420 article, stay tuned until the end for further reading. In this interview, we discuss their first and second mural series—Making Space, what Oklahoma Contemporary is doing to pair mentoring artists with emerging artists, and how they are helping to shape public art in OKC by showcasing artist’s work along their construction fence line.

Pablo Barrera, Oklahoma Contemporary’s curatorial fellow.

What is Oklahoma Contemporary’s purpose behind the murals decorating the construction area?

Oklahoma Contemporary’s temporary showroom fashioned from four repurposed shipping containers. Photo taken by Payton Hayes.

Barrera: Making Space: Summer Mural Series was designed to support emerging artists through mentorship in order to expand the number of artists contributing to Oklahoma City’s visual culture. Making Space reflects a new version of Guerrilla Art Park, an annual exhibition of outdoor public art by Oklahoma artists, held in the summers of 2016, 2017 and 2018. The mural series shares Guerrilla Art Park's goals: to showcase local talent, give artists an opportunity to grow and develop their skills, and offer free public art to enrich downtown Oklahoma City. The mural series had two rotations of three murals in June and September 2019.

What inspired the project?

Barrera: This summer and fall, Oklahoma Contemporary’s former space at the State Fairgrounds was closed in preparation for the move into our new building site in winter. This meant that we would not be able to offer exhibitions or programming during those months. We saw an opportunity to continue our mission to provide the public with free access to art, as well as to support the local art scene, by exhibiting a series of murals along the construction fence of our new location. In this way, our new home was able to provide art experiences for OKC before its doors even open.

What was the artist selection process like? How did you find prospective artists?

Barrera: Each rotation of murals features work from established Oklahoma artists collaborating with up-and-coming artists. Preference was given to those from backgrounds/communities not widely represented in Oklahoma City public art. These murals serve as a mentorship project to introduce new artists to public mural creation. Artists were found through a combination of research, networks, and artist submissions, in which artists themselves introduced us to their portfolio.

How did you know which artists to put together for the project?

Barrera: Artists were selected based on their style: we wanted a range of mediums and techniques, but we also wanted to show styles side-by-side that complemented each other. We researched each artist’s color palette, preferred subject matter, and aesthetic, then we created a short-list of artists that could work well within the scale of the painting surface and share powerful messages. In choosing the mentors, we looked for artists that demonstrated or expressed enthusiasm about helping a new generation of mural artists to gain experience. Finally, we approached these selected artists to see who was available and felt strongly about participating in this project.

How long did each piece take to complete?

Barrera: It depends on the experience of the artist, the medium, and the design. In the first rotation of murals this past June, Tank Ramirez and his mentee, Iliana Barrientos, finished their mural in a matter of hours during our Second Saturday Live Painting event. Tank is an experienced graffiti artist, so he could have probably finished it much faster, but as a mentor, he was making sure to give his mentee, Iliana, many tips and opportunities to develop her skills. Some murals took about a week or two because of family and work obligations. We try to accommodate the various life contexts that artists come from: supporting emerging artists means maintaining enough flexibility to work alongside their lived realities.

Were the artists required to sign VARA waivers? Did they know the artwork would be temporary?

Barrera: Yes, currently, Oklahoma City regulations for mural projects require a VARA waiver in order to obtain the necessary permits. All artists were made aware of this fact before formally agreeing to participate. One of the goals of the Mural Series is to help guide artists on how to better navigate the lengthy proposal process for murals in OKC. Our aim is to demystify the application for getting a mural design approved by the city. We worked with artists to generate drawings and proposal diagrams in accordance with the Arts Commission Mural handbook. We also presented to the Arts Commission on behalf of artists, and revised all materials for the Downtown Design Committee review and permit process. We also let artists know that the lengths we would display artwork are similar to the run-time for a gallery exhibition, which ensures that the contemporary art on display is fresh and more accurately reflecting the art world today. However, since the life of a mural usually doesn’t exist beyond the display period, we provide an online platform where the works can remain visible, and we take professional, high-resolution photographs that artists may use to sell prints. We defend the artists’ rights to owning their artistic ideas, and we do not use the images for commercial purposes. Our goal as an institution is to support artists and address challenges so that they can continue to make work and be recognized for their artistic contributions.

What is the title of each project and the thought process behind them? Please be specific. I know when we met with you, you told us all about the artwork, the meanings behind them, and elements present throughout each piece, so feel free to expand as much as you’d like.

Barrera: The first rotation of murals were on display from June 8 – September 3rd. These murals were painted live during our Second Saturday event on June 8th:

Making Space #1

Rosa, 2019

Mentoring Artists: Checo “Tank” Ramirez

Mentee: Iliana Barrientos

Rosa, 2019, by Checo "Tank" Ramirez and Iliana Barrientos, for Making Space: Summer Mural Series Part I. Photography by Brandon Seekins.

Rosa depicts a woman wearing vaguely traditional clothing, gazing over her shoulder, and surrounded by Monarch butterflies. Tank and Barrientos combine two art styles: the Graffiti “Piece” and the “National” style of Diego Rivera, to create a more “Chicanx” style of painting to celebrate Latinx communities’ contributions toward contemporary visual culture.

Checo “Tank” Ramirez has been painting for over 15 years until finally being discovered by local artist, Dusty Gilpin, who recognized Tank’s contributions to Oklahoma City’s burgeoning mural scene. Some of Tank’s public works can be found in 23rd and N. MacArthur Blvd or in Capitol Hill. You can also find his murals at The Mayan in Paseo, and you may have seen his murals commissioned by the Oklahoma City Thunder during the playoffs throughout April. Tank will also have an upcoming mural at Diamond Dawgs in Norman, OK. Tank thinks that the most meaningful aspect of Oklahoma Contemporary’s Summer Mural Series is the opportunity to mentor the next generation of artists.

You can find Ramirez here.

Iliana Barrientos is a mixed-media artist, whose paintings tend to use a mix of acrylics, inks, and colored pencils. Making Space: Summer Mural Series was her first big project with the city; previous work has been exhibited for Latino Heritage Month at the University of Oklahoma in 2018. Barrientos plans to continue learning about murals and taking on any projects that will require her acquired skills. As a young artist she feels like there's so much to learn, and is excited to take what she learns from artists more experienced than her so that one day she could do the same for any upcoming artist.

You can find Barrientos here.

Same Source, 2019

By Jaiye Farrell

Same Source, 2019 (detail) by Jaiye Farrell, for Making Space: Summer Mural Series Part I. Photography by Brandon Seekins

Same Source uses white lines on a black background to create a rhythm and circulation of marks. The black “void” immerses the viewer, and the white patterns act as moments where light touches this “void” to reveal forms. Same Source explores how in previous works, people from diverse backgrounds have mentioned seeing fragments of patterns that resemble motifs from their particular cultural heritage.

Jaiye Farrell is an Oklahoma-based artist that has cultivated his style of painting from abstract patterns that transcend societal and cultural divides and remember the communal roots of humanity. From his infatuation with archeology emerged a creative and ambitious talent: to craft signature designs that inspire self-reflection. Farrell has exhibited work at Art Hall under Inclusion in Art, as well as various live-painting events. He continues to develop and express his signature style throughout the city.

You can find Farrell here.

Resilience, 2019

Mentoring Artist: Amanda Zoey Weathers

Mentee: William Walker Larason

Resilience, 2019 (detail) by Amanda Zoey Weathers and William Walker Larason, for Making Space: Summer Mural Series Part I. Photography by Brandon Seekins

For Resilience, Weathers and Larason painted flowers surrounding a face arranged in Weathers’ geometric, paint-by-numbers style. The larger composition is composed of separate fields of color that never intersect, carefully arranged to form features that feel harmonious and uplifting. Native foliage represents the locality of Oklahoma City.

Amanda Zoey Weathers has been cultivating her art form over the years in a variety of expressions. From painting to jewelry design to her recent works with paper and metal, she incorporates these interests into pieces that depict her personal experience and life philosophies. With a background in art and graphic design, in 2007 she began her full time artist career and launched an artist-made retail store and gallery in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District. For the past few years she has begun expanding her media to large-scale murals and public art projects in Downtown Oklahoma City.

You can find Weathers here.

William Walker Larason is an artist living in Oklahoma City, with an emphasis in working with the medium of gum wrapper foil. They also work in painting, printmaking, and photography. After completing a spotlight exhibition in Oklahoma Visual Art Coalition’s Momentum OKC in 2016, Larason began at Factory Obscura. Larason continues to work on their own personal art.

You can find Larason here.

Making Space #2

The second rotation of murals were painted live on Thursday, Sept. 5th, and will be coming down soon as we remove the construction fence:

Voodoo Fairy, 2019

Mentoring artist: Kris “GERM” Ermey

Mentee: Jonathan De Luna

Voodoo Fairy, 2019 by Kris "GERM" Ermey and Jonathan De Luna, for Making Space: Summer Mural Series Part II. Photography by Brandon Seekins

GERM and De Luna’s collaborative mural celebrates women of color entrepreneurs. GERM renders a Zimbabwe model/designer, Manaka Voodoo Fairy, in his gray monochrome portrait style. De Luna completely transforms a quote from renowned artist, Banksy, into a bold, colorful calligraphic pattern.

Kris “GERM” Ermey has been writing graffiti for over 20 years. Known for his clean, crisp lines and detailed illustrations, GERM’s skill and importance in the Oklahoma graffiti scene was recognized in fall of 2017 when he was one of ten featured artists in Oklahoma Contemporary’s exhibition, Not for Sale. His work has been featured in many events/showcases, from the outdoor graffiti exhibition, Made You Look, to the Oklahoma State Fair Mural Demo. He curated the showcase When Letters Collide (2018) and creates private and public commissions, with clients including the Linked Church. He is very involved in educating youth, partnering with both Youth Services of OKC and Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation, most recently helping to teach a 10-week hip-hop workshop for students at John Rex Elementary.

You can find Ermey here.

Jonathan DeLuna has been developing his style for the past 12 years inspired by west coast artists. He works on large-scale murals and small panels, and has become known for his unique calligraphic style. DeLuna’s work has been featured in the Inclusion in Art exhibition at Art Hall (December 2018 to March 2019) and in Oklahoma Contemporary’s Dia de los Muertos exhibition during their Celebration of Latino Culture (2018). His work is part of several private collections. In addition to his artwork, Jonathan is inspired by his role as a father. His 3-year-old daughter is already painting, and carrying the family skills on to the next generation.

You can find DeLuna here.

Invisible No More, 2019

J. NiCole Hatfield (Nahmi-A-Piah; Comanche/Kiowa)

Invisible No More, 2019 (detail) by J. NiCole Hatfield, for Making Space: Summer Mural Series Part II. Photography by Brandon Seekins

Hatfield’s mural raises awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#MMIW), a movement to bring an end to violence against Indigenous women. Dancer, Kayla Marie (Kiowa/Comanche/Omaha), is painted in Hatfield’s signature colorful, expressionistic style. Four figures standing in a sun represent the four directions. A red handprint over the mouth has become a symbol of #MMIW, and handprints on the dresses are from an interactive painting session with the Oklahoma Contemporary Teen Council.

J. NiCole Hatfield (Nahmi-A-Piah) draws inspiration from archival images of her proud tribal women, painting them to acknowledge and honor their voice within a contemporary world. Her art frequently incorporates Indigenous language to teach it as well as keep it alive. J.NiCole uses her preferred medium of acrylic to translate bold colors to canvas; after attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, J. NiCole explored other mediums and was launched into a successful art market career, winning numerous awards and becoming part of many exhibitions, private collections, live-painting events, lectures, and workshops throughout the region. Born and raised in the Southern Plains of Oklahoma, J. NiCole, of the Penetukah band of Comanche’s and the Kiowa Nation, has a profound understanding of the unique paradox in which Native American artists find themselves, challenged with Art’s demand to “make new” while still honoring and appreciating the unchanging spirit in all things, as well as traditional tribal values.

You can find Hatfield here.

Blooming, 2019

Mentoring artist: Brooke Rowlands

Mentee: Shakurah Maynard

Blooming, 2019 (detail) by Brooke Rowlands and Shakurah Maynard, for Making Space: Summer Mural Series Part II. Photography by Brandon Seekins.

Rowlands and Maynard's collaborative mural uses blocks of intense color and delicate line drawings to create a whimsical painting. Rowlands is known for her flowers within fields of paint, but experiments with Maynard to contribute a different style for the jellyfish and vivid color combinations.

Brooke Rowlands comes from central New Jersey, and has been a proud resident of Oklahoma since 2002. Brooke is inspired by artist Franz Kline and illustrator Clare Leighton, experimenting with ideas/methods to develop a homogenous blend of both contemporary art and still life, often incorporating flowers, birds, trees and fish into abstract backgrounds. Color is a driving force behind Brooke’s art, whether it be acrylic painting or paper collage, and her strong contrast and sense of complimentary hues and patterns command attention toward their simple beauty. Her work has been featured nationally from Texas to Times Square including features in national television series like The Vampire Diaries and Houzz project with Actress Olivia Munn.

You can find Rowlands here.

Shakurah Maynard is a fine artist and graphic designer. Born in the historic West End neighborhood in Atlanta, Shakurah is currently a student at Oklahoma City University School of Visual Arts. Her work is whimsical, colorful, and dynamic, interested in the ever-changing way we express identity on the internet. In 2017, she was selected to participate in Symbiotic, a collaborative show between working and student artists on the importance of art in communities, organized by the OVAC. Recently, she worked with local muralists to paint and distribute homes for the feral cat population in OKC.

You can find Maynard here.

Support for Making Space: Summer Mural Series provided by Downtown Oklahoma City Initiatives.

Is this a project you will continue with a spring series? Would OKC Contemporary be interested in continuing this project after construction has completed and the new location is official open in March?

Barrera: In light of the success of the mural project and excitement from the artistic community, we have decided to continue the mentor/mentee pairing for a new rotation of murals throughout the year. We are in the process of setting up a mural wall near our new art studio buildings hopefully before the closing of the inaugural exhibitions, Bright Golden Haze and Shadow on the Glare. Oklahoma has a growing and thriving mural art scene, and we hope to support this exciting part of our city’s artistic landscape.

How likely is it that OKC Contemporary would collaborate with other construction projects to integrate more artwork throughout the OKC area?

Barrera: We will always help Oklahoma City celebrate and support art in all its forms, and we are happy to lend our experience and expertise in realizing such projects across our communities. Our Curatorial and Exhibitions Director, Jennifer Scanlan, is involved in the Oklahoma Public Art Network (OPAN), which helps both artists and organizations work through the public art process. (You can find more information on the OPAN website and Facebook page). Additionally, stay tuned for exciting information about projects connected to Oklahoma Contemporary that will bring art to many different spaces across the city!

What have you learned from this project?

Barrera: I have seen that Oklahoma City and our neighboring towns have a wealth of artists waiting for an opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities. I have also come to admire Oklahoma City’s spirit of collaboration, and I have learned that we are ready for the types of conversations these underrepresented voices carry. We are giving artists a chance to share incredible perspectives, but we are also giving the city a chance to appreciate the complex, wonderful diversity that makes Oklahoma City’s visual culture so special. These artists are making OKC beautiful, both literally and as a community.

How can artists benefit from collaborating with each other?

Barrera: Every rotation of murals saw artists trading tips and networking for future collaborations. Emerging artists were able to witness the power of mentoring, and experienced artists were able to see their art as part of an inter-generational process. I imagine that if artists continue to harness this spirit of collaboration, the projects will become more ambitious and far-reaching. Also, on a practical level, mural arts becomes sustainable as more artists share their experiences.

Do you have any closing comments for the article?

Barrera: In March, 2020, Oklahoma Contemporary will open its new downtown on 11th and Broadway. This is a rare moment in the history of the city, and we want everyone to be a part of this major achievement. You may find more information on our website here. As our mission statement says: “Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center encourages artistic expression in all its forms through education, exhibitions, and performance.” Our 30 year history of activates and exhibitions are too numerous to list, but you can read more about what we do here.

—Payton

Artsy ThingsPayton HayesMarch 6, 2020making space, okc, oklahoma, oklahoma contemporary, art exhibit, art museum, art gallery, COVID-19, pandemic, pandemic events, murals, interview, art, local art, 2020

Author Interview: Melanie Martins (Author of Blossom In Winter)

Melanie Martins *Blossom In Winter* Press Kit Photo.

This is a spoiler-free interview!

Hi reader friends, meet Melanie Martins, author of Blossom in Winter, on romantic thrillers, the writing process, becoming an author, and upcoming news!

Melanie Martins has been quickly gaining attention and avid readers within the bookish community and specifically, the romance community for her spicy, controversial, and heart-wrenching romantic thriller, Blossom in Winter. Known by many as one of the most followed Luxury Travel Influencers on Instagram, Melanie flipped her corner of the internet on it’s head by changing her career path so dramatically—from travel blogging to novel writing—that’s quite a leap!

She did an interview with Thrive Global that gave us insight into the change in her career path, self-publishing and so much more. Now, I’ve gotten the incredible opportunity to sit down with her and discuss her debut novel, Blossom in Winter, which has earned her a 4.7/5-star rating on Goodreads and 4.1/5-star rating on Amazon. Considered on Goodreads as a “real page turner”, “engrossing and addictive” and a “damn roller coaster”, Blossom in Winter is definitely a must-read for Romantic Thriller enthusiasts everywhere.

Blossom in Winter very clearly falls into the Romantic Thriller genre. What do you think of Romantic Thrillers both as a reader and a writer? Have you ever written in this genre before?

Blossom in Winter is actually the first novel I ever wrote. I did write a short novel in Portuguese when I was seventeen but it was just for fun and it never saw the light of day. Although it also had an age-gap and a judge in it. I personally love writing thrilling love stories full of mystery, secrets, and twists and turns—it makes the story-line so much more engaging and different than the usual romantic plots which only focus on the development of the relationship between the main characters. As a reader, I feel much more hooked and entertained when there is an underlying plot going on, leaving me on the edge of my seat, which is probably why I’ve a hard time to connect with a predictable romances that only focus on the relationship with no real external conflict.

Do you think you will write more Romantic Thrillers?

Yes, Blossom in Winter is the first book of a series and the second book “Lured into Love” will have even more thrilling events, twists, and difficult choices our main characters will have to make. Actually, the second book will be even more unpredictable and my goal is to make sure no reader will figure out the ending.

What do you think makes a compelling Romantic Thriller?

The build-up of events that take unexpected turns is definitely a must, along with creating some mystery around a particular character, event, or situation. This is something we see a lot in Blossom in Winter, especially around the Van Dieren’s family. In sum, when the reader thinks she’s got everything figured it out, and the unexpected happens leaving the reader surprised (and sometimes even shocked) is what makes, in my personal opinion, a great thriller.

Can you tell me a little bit about where you drew your inspiration while writing this book?

Romeo & Juliet, first and foremost. It’s by far my favorite story because of the eternal question “How far would you go for Love?” We may question if it was Love or pure lust, but in my opinion, Shakespeare wanted to explore, on a deeper level, the human nature and how far we can go for what we believe in and care about. I adapted the story to fit a contemporary romance, but there are a lot of resemblances—from the forbidden relationship between Petra Van Gatt & Alexander Van Dieren and all the external events that make it even more forbidden, to the ending. The quote from Elizabeth Elliott at the beginning of the book says it all: “There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.” which would’ve been the perfect opening quote for Romeo & Juliet too.

What is your writing process like?

I always start with creating a board with the story-line, the external conflicts, the inner-trouble/worries, the characters’ personalities and bios, and how the ending is going to be. When it comes to the writing itself, I never wrote from start to finish, but rather by scenes. I might do the Prologue first and then jump to write a scene on Chapter 15. Since I knew the story-line and how it would go, I wrote the most important scenes first, and then the connecting ones.

Is there anything you’d do differently with your writing process next time?

Not with the writing process itself but rather with the post-writing, which is when the first draft of your manuscript is done.

In an interview with Thrive Global, you advise aspiring writers to write for their readers as opposed to themselves, but I’ve heard quite the opposite from many other writers. I know by this; you mean all works of writing can benefit from a second set of eyes. What did you learn from working through various stages of editing and how do you think it made you a stronger writer?

I worked with 3 editors; my development editor is a creative writing professor at the University of New York and former-executive editor at Harlequin, and the two others worked at Penguin and Simon & Schuster, and even today I’d consider myself an amateur. The best way you learn is actually through your readers and by reading in your genre. And by readers I mean your paying readers— those who pay to read your work. This is where I received the best advice ever. They were cold, harsh critiques but important nevertheless, to improve and become a better writer. I believe editors are great, but sometimes they don’t tell you all the harsh, cold truths you need to hear (they might not even know about them themselves). The more your novel is read, the more opinions you can gather and some of them can be as valuable as the opinion of an editor (and sometimes even better).

I’ve heard you are planning a launch for February. Can you give me any details about that?

I did what is called a soft launch on October 28, which is when you launch the e-book first. The idea of a soft launch is to gather as much feedback as possible and make any necessary adjustment before it goes to print (this is when you do offset/traditional printing of your book, not print-on-demand). On Valentine’s Day, I’ll have the 1st Edition of Blossom in Winter available on paperback which is an offset print. As a new self-published author, I’m a firm believer on gathering as much genuine feedback as possible before it goes to print and the best way to do so is by readers who [willingly] paid to read your work.

I know you made quite a career shift, from travel blogger to self-published author. Now that you’ve taken the plunge into writing, do you notice any overlap? Will you continue to do Luxury Travel Influencing or is writing your focus for now?

I’m actually a writer at heart. When I was nineteen and a Law school student, all I wanted was to travel to exotic places (think Morocco, Egypt, Maldives, French Polynesia, Seychelles, etc.) and escape my rather boring college life, so becoming a travel blogger seemed the right path to achieve it. My boyfriend and I purchased a camera and we started to create content for hospitality/travel brands allowing us to travel and build my personal brand out of it. However, writing fiction is what I enjoy the most. Eight years ago, I would’ve never been able to write a novel in English since my level was quite basic (I’m French and Portuguese, English is my fourth language). For now, writing and the business aspect of self-publishing is what I want to focus on, but I will definitely continue to collaborate with some of my favorite brands such as the Four Seasons, the Ritz-Carlton, etc. in the future.

What advice would you give to new writers?

First, find your writing style. I realized after finishing my first manuscript of Blossom in Winter (a 125k words manuscript) that I hated reading it on the 3rd person and past-tense. It was so impersonal that I had to change it. I changed from 3rd person to first person but something was missing. Then I changed the past-tense to the present-tense and that was my eureka moment. Multiple first-person points-of-view became my writing style. Second, plan your story. There is nothing worse than not having a planned story-line; you will get stuck and not know what to write about. I wrote my first manuscript in three months because I had everything figured it out beforehand. Third, once you have a first draft, hire a development/line-by-line editor. A development editor will check everything from plot holes, pacing, characters development, etc., and might even do some copy-editing (if it’s a line-by-line editor). Your first manuscript is always horrible, believe me. Once you have a revised version, hire a copy-editor and lastly, a proofreader. It’s an investment, but if you are serious about your writing career, you should do it. Also, read as much as you can in the genre you want to write about.

What book are you reading right now? Do you have a favorite?

I’m currently reading The Kiss Thief (an arranged marriage novel by L. J. Shein and it’s the first time I’m reading from this author). I read mostly dark erotic romances, so one of my favorites is The Dark Duet series by C. J. Robert (for the plot—not the writing style, though). An easier read for me was Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas, but both of them explore Stockholm syndrome which I find fascinating.

Click here to view The Kiss Thief by L. J. Shien on Amazon

Click here to view Captive in the Dark (The Dark Duet Book 1) by C. J. Robert on Amazon

Click here to view Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas on Amazon

Where can readers find and keep up with you?

I’m mostly active on my Facebook group Blossom in Winter (by Melanie Martins) but they can also find me on Instagram and Facebook under @melaniemartinsblog.

Click here to view Blossom in Winter by Melanie Martins on Amazon

Click here to view Blossom in Winter by Melanie Martins on Blossominwinter.com (Free worldwide shipping)

In closing, I’d like to include my own Amazon review of the book. I’d highly recommend it to every romance reader out there and especially if you enjoy reading Romantic Thrillers.

Click here to view my review of Blossom in Winter on Goodreads

And that’s it for my author interview with Melanie Martins. Have you read Blossom in Winter? If so, what did you think about it? And if not, why not? Get on with it already! I know you’ll love it! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Click here to view Blossom in Winter by Melanie Martins on Amazon

Click here to view Blossom in Winter by Melanie Martins on Blossominwinter.com (Free worldwide shipping)

Thanks for reading my interview with Melanie Martins! If you’re looking for her contact links or where you can find the book, you’ve scrolled a bit too far. No fear though, just scroll up to the section above these pictures ^ and you should find it!

—Payton

Bookish ThingsPayton HayesJanuary 31, 2020melanie martins, author, author interviews, bookish things, books, blossom in winter, novel, debut novel, romantic thriller, romance novels, romance books, romance reads, 2020, forbidden romance, interview

Making Space #1

Making Space #2

Further Reading:

—Payton

—Payton