My Interview 2025 with Melissa Ingoldsby, Author of Silent Bites.(Part 2)

Melissa Ingoldsby is a remarkable writer. She has been creating stories on Vocal since 2021. She wrote over 1238 stories. Nine of her stories have been traditionally published with two are indie published, as well as self-published.

Mariann: What's the title of your newly published book?

Melissa: Silent Bites! It is published by Eukalypto Fair Publishers.

Fun Fact: Today, August 15, 2025, Silent Bites is officially release.

Melissa Resent Top Story, above

Mariann: How long did it take you to write this book?

Melissa: About 3 to 4 years. The actual book was completed in 1-2 years, but I added more chapters once Eukalypto got involved. They wanted to deepen the story and explore the characters' back stories.

Mariann: Where did the idea to write Silent Bites come from?

Melissa: It’s from a place where I was trying to process and understand many things about myself and my past. Identity is the most significant part of Silent Bites. I believe everyone is trying to understand themselves and, in a way, put words to our feelings to understand who we are. Sometimes words aren’t needed; sometimes we need self-validation.

Mariann: Why did you choose to go with traditional publishing versus self-publishing with Silent Bites?

Mellissa: I believe self-publishing was a great way to start building my confidence, and it’s something I value. It has helped me expand my catalogue and opened my eyes to the extensive work involved in publishing, editing, and the entire process. I've found that publishers can be extremely helpful in these matters, but as an indie author, I still need to promote my work.

Mariann:  What genres are most of your books that you have published, and why did you choose that genre?

Melissa: I really gear toward fantasy, romance, crime drama, and horror. These are my favorite genres to read as well, so it’s no surprise I love writing them!

Mariann: When will the next sequel to Silent Bite be published?

Melissa: The sequel is called The Loser, a superhero/supervillain type of story. It’s still very much underdone, like a half-baked cake, haha. That’s going to take probably another full year of work. By next year, it may have a first complete draft.

Mariann: What do you want your fans to know about you as a writer?

Melissa: I love reading just as much as I love writing, and I write things I want to read, hoping that someone else will enjoy it too. I heard somewhere that if you don’t see the book you want to read on a shelf, write it. I personally hope to find kindred spirits in that regard! I get very emotionally invested in my characters, whether in TV, film, or books, so when I write, I have a lot of emotional attachment to them.

Fun Facts: Melissa is a mother of three boys. She has a 18-month-old, 8-year-old and 15-year-old.

Melissa's Ideal Fun Fact Vacation: Hawaii eating lots of local food, drinking a tropical smoothie, writing, swimming and relaxing

Melissa Blog above

Mariann: Who was your favorite Character to write about in Silent Bites?

Melissa: Arturo is my favorite because he mirrors my identity and feelings about body image in many ways. His fun and light personality is down-to-earth, a little quirky, heartwarming, and soft. He is very easy to write for. I find Arturo a natural and wonderful character to write.

Mariann: What was the difficult part of writing Silent Bites?

Melissa: The most challenging part was trying to merge the destinies of four very different people, with distinct personalities and lifestyles, to come together to see how fate, circumstance, and choice can make or break their future. All of these characters have something in common, even if it’s small, or in most cases, huge. It’s like the Butterfly Effect going back since childhood. All of your choices and decisions, even the smallest ones, can drastically change your future. Sometimes, someone else’s future.

Mariann: What's the best time of the day for you to write your books?

Melissa: I like to write during the daytime. Usually, I set aside a few hours every week to do it peacefully and quietly.

Mariann: What's your favorite story you ever wrote and why?

Melissa: It's a toss-up between Silent Bites and I Am Bextey.

Silent Bites was how I first started experimenting with writing based on my feelings about identity, gender, body dysphoria, and fate.

Writing Silent Bites in the very beginning, with Arturo at the forefront, helped me process everything in a healthy way.

I am Bexley is also a favorite because I love my Zombie character Bex, and her world is expansive and fun to write. Bexley was the first time I wrote a female perspective in a freeing way. Both books are a great eye-opening experience for me as a writer.

Mariann: What advice would you give a first-time author?

Melissa: Do your own research into legitimate traditional publishers that are looking for what you want to sell. Usually, publishers will tell you exactly what they need and what they want. If it seems like your intentions, genre, and message resonate with them, they’ll most likely take you under their wing. Never pay for a publisher to publish your poems, books, or novels. That’s a vanity or hybrid publisher, and I don’t recommend that to anyone. I use the online email newsletter Author Publish. They have a better system that vets scammy publishers or vanities.