Author Melanie Milburne on Revenge, Amnesia, and a Contest!
13 Comments November 28th, 2008 in amnesia, author, books, revenge stories Posted by Amyby Melanie Milburne, author of Bedded and Wedded for Revenge
Hi everyone,
As a romance reader for many years and now as a multi-published romance author I am always thinking about the archetypal romance themes that are the basis for so many memorable novels. Memorable is a particularly significant word when it comes to my latest release Bedded and Wedded For Revenge. The archetypal theme I used for this novel was amnesia. I did some research and found out some really interesting things about memory loss. The what if question I came up with which became the basis for the story was: what if you could not forget the things you so desperately wanted to forget, but could not remember the things you really needed to remember?
I spoke to several car accident victims who described the feelings they had of not being able to recall certain things, particularly about the accident itself. Unlike some amnesia novels I have read which have the hero/heroine suddenly recall everything again, in this novel I wanted to tell it as it really is in real life. The reality is most amnesia is permanent. Memories do not come back after a secondary bump on the head or a fall down the stairs.
My heroine Gemma is one of my favourite heroines. She is a young woman who has to confront her past behaviour, seeing it in a new light as a result of her accident and the responsibility she feels for how it occurred. Andreas is (not surprisingly!) one of my favourite heroes. He has good reason to hate Gemma for what she did to him in the past, and now he has his chance for the revenge he has craved for seven years. But the Gemma of now is not the Gemma of the past….or is she?
I am thrilled that this book was awarded a five out of five review from Cataromance as well as a Reviewer’s Choice award as I feel both Gemma and Andreas have a story to tell that is about love primarily but also about forgiveness. I hope you enjoy reading Wedded and Bedded For Revenge for I certainly enjoyed writing it and hope it lives in your memory for a long time to come.
With best wishes,
Melanie Milburne xx
Which treasured memory would you hate to lose the most? Share it in the comments for a chance to win a pack of signed books from Melanie! A random comment will be selected on Tuesday, December 2nd to win the prize.
Tagged with: autographed books • Bedded and Wedded for Revenge • contest • Melanie Milburne
Hi Melanie,
Something else to look forward to. I love amnesia stories. The mind is such a tricky thing, isn’t it, and quite amazing in the way it works. Some things I’ve heard about recoveries from trauma would make great stories, but I’m not sure they’d sound believable enough! Your book sounds fascinating.
Annie
Hear, hear, Annie. This story does indeed sound fascinating. And I’m sure it will have the Melanie Milburne magic and excitement that we all love and look forward to every time.
Can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Cheers
anna
PS So enjoyed having breakfast with you at that Melbourne RWA conference, Melanie. And dinner as well, wasn’t it? –with you and your so lovely personal hero.
Hi, Melanie
Congratulations on the five out of five and the Reviewer’s Choice award – this sounds a great read. I’m really looking forward to it!
To echo everyone else, this book sounds great, I love the idea of the more realistic approach to amnesia, that it’s not as simple as all of Gemma’s memories suddenly returning at the most convenient moment.
As for one of my own most treasured memories that I wouldn’t want to forget? I guess, sleepovers at my grandmother’s house when I was a little girl. She always had pink peppermints at the ready in her pockets (anything pink and I was in heaven), we’d watch Golden Girls together, and drink chocolate milk before bed. Definitely some of my favorite times.
Summer.
Melanie,
The book sounds intriguing. I remember years ago reading another amnesia book where the memory did not return. The couple had to “fall in love” all over again. It was quite different from the norm.
There are so many things that I wouldn’t want to forget. But probably the most important would be times spent with my daughter. For some reason I think that spouses can more easily accept the fact that a person has amnesia and doesn’t remember things. I think that for children, it is much more difficult to accept that a parent doesn’t remember.
Hi, Melanie, I look forward to reading your book. I see that you have one as an “extra” for december in my area that I want to read also.
Congratulations to you on your award..must make you want to write more and more books!
My most treasured memories are of my husband. When he was diagnosed with leukemia, lost his job, was depressed & lamented how we would never go away together to retire to an exotic location- then a few months later for my december birthday, he gave me a small gift but the card was special as it showed a couple having fun doing so many things on an exotic island & it meant to me never giving up a dream even when you are dying & how close he has been to me as a friend against painful times. I dont want to forget that ever.
Hi Melanie
I think it’s a really interesting idea. Its so spooky, I recently re-read an old Michelle Reid book about amnesia, The Unforgettable Husband. It was such a lovely book, Andre was so desperate to find Sam, I loved it.
Something happened to me, when I was 14. I was knocked down by a motor bike, I was told afterwards that I apparently sommersaulted in the air 6 times, and hit the road. To this day I remember nothing about it, the pain I suffered, nothing! Its really strange, I think its the way the brain blocks horrible things from your memory.
Looking forward to reading it Melanie.
xx Karen
This sounds like a fascinating twist on the amnesia theme!
Like Karen, I was also involved in an accident which caused anmnesia, when I was 19. At first I could remember nothing at all of the days leading up to the accident or anything that happened for about 12 hours after it. Gradually memories seeped back of the lead up to the accident, but I still can’t remember the accident itself or the period afterwards before I “woke up”.
I guess the memory I would least like to lose is my wedding day. That memory of how sure I felt that day that I was doing the right thing is sometimes all that keeps me hanging in there when we are going through a rough patch. Though then I feel humbled when I read other people’s stories of courage and love. Thinking of you and praying for you, redlighting.
Thanks everyone for sharing your memories! There’s still another day to go for anyone else who wants to try to win those free autographed books from Melanie!
The memory I’d hate to lose the most…probably when my boyfriend plucked up the courage to ask me out. He told me later he was so nervous, but I didn’t think so at the time — it was just adorable
But don’t worry, I’m not trying to steal the prize from you all, though!
~Amy from Harlequin
Probably the memory I treasure and would hate to lose are of my daughters and grandchildren.
I just purchased this book and looking forward to reading it tonight. Amnesia is one of my favorite themes in romance novels.
Hi, Mulberry
I have several assorted books I won from the contest here once & if you would like some or all or one or whatever let me know & I will box them up & send them to you wherever you like. my email is redlitng@yahoo.com & I can email u the list of authors, titles so you can choose whatever you like. If you dont want any, that s ok too as I know I only read certain types of books or authors. lmk
thanks redlitng
Hi Melanie,
Not sure if I’m too late for your competition. About a year ago I was getting re-occurring dreams about a country lane, and that I had been somewhere before but couldn’t quite place it – really annoying those dreams! You know where it was, when it was – but where was it?
Then after re-establishing contact with an ex I started to remember bits of it. Of course, that particular ex is now happily married and has moved on – but a brief trip up to my ex’s old house… beautiful garden, lots of flowers, a small English cottage like Howard’s End, and of course that lovely country lane.
Then I recalled that I had been there before, but there had been a painful separation and house move – plus my ex getting wed to the person that I was dumped for (so not exactly M&B happy ending there!). So I think I just blotted the whole thing out.
I’ve thought it might make a good story, but it would need a bit of reworking to give it a happier ending.
OMG I am so surprised that I won. Quite frankly I join tons of online contests and this is the first time I came out a winner! Thanks so much. Looking forward to MM’s books. She has become a fav author of mine through the HP’s.