Sit down and drink up... INTRODUCING

Melissa Face, author of  I Love You More Than Coffee, an essay collection for parents who love coffee a lot and their kids… a little more. 

Her essays and articles have appeared in Richmond Family Magazine, ScaryMommy, and twenty-one volumes of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Read more at melissaface.com

   Book Description: 

Are you trying to balance raising a family with maintaining your own identity?

Have you ever been so exhausted that you showed up to a meeting carrying your baby’s diaper bag instead of your briefcase?

In her debut collection, I Love You More Than Coffee, Melissa Face writes about the emotions we all experience as parents: anticipation, joy, fear, guilt, and worry. Whether you are a new or seasoned parent, you will find common ground in Melissa’s heartfelt, humorous, and authentic stories of her life with two young children.

If you love coffee a lot and your kids (a little) more, this book is for you. Fill your mug with your favorite brew and settle in with I Love You More Than Coffee.

Melissa Face, Author of I Love You More Than Coffee (Mascot Books, September 2020)
Facebook & Instagram - @MelissaFaceWrites melissaface.com

Linda:  Melissa, tell us about some of your roles in life, but first, we have to know how you came up with such an interesting book title! How did you come up with the name of your collection?

Melissa: Okay, the title actually came from my daughter, Delaney. She was three at the time, and she was questioning me about where she ranked in my life. She asked me if I liked her more than candy and cookies. Then, she looked at me very seriously and asked me if I liked her more than coffee. I pretended to be unsure, and then we both laughed. I knew at that moment that she had given me an idea for an essay, as well as the perfect way to package my collection. 

 Linda: Can you tell us a little about your life outside of writing?

 Melissa: Sure! I am mom to Evan (9) and Delaney (6) and wife to Craig, but I won’t say his age. Haha! And I’m a coffee lover.

 I am also an English instructor at the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology in Petersburg, VA. I have the privilege of teaching and working with artists every day, and it’s amazing. Of course right now, I am only with them virtually, but I am hopeful that this won’t be the case for too long. 

 Linda: That is a lot to juggle. When do you write, and where does your inspiration come from?

 Melissa: My kids are definitely my main source of inspiration. They are always saying and doing funny things, and my writing is a way to process whatever is happening in my life. It’s also a way for me to celebrate the hilarity of motherhood, which I try to do on a regular basis. If you can pause and take a deep breath between the arguments, spills, and chaos, raising kids is freaking hilarious!

I write a lot in the summer. I’ve been on a few writing retreats that were very productive, but I am also able to get a lot done at night and on the weekends. I try not to let it interrupt my family time, but sometimes an idea hits and I fear it will lose some of its magic if I don’t work on it right then.

 Linda: How does I Love You More Than Coffee differ from other parenting collections?

 Melissa: For starters, it’s not preachy, but there is still a takeaway and something uplifting with each essay. The most unique feature, however, is that the essays are written in real time, beginning with the moment when I discovered I was pregnant with my first child. The reader gets a real picture of my life and parenting mindset at that point in time. What’s funny about that is there is an obvious change in the tone of the essays from extremely optimistic to a little more realistic. But even the essays at the end are still hopeful, and that reflects my view on parenting and life in general. I’m always hopeful about a new day and another opportunity to be an even better mom.

 Linda: Tell us some facts about you or your writing life that you’ve never shared with readers before.

 Melissa: Ooh! This is a fun one!

1. You probably won’t find this too surprising, but I can drink coffee all day. I do sometimes switch between hot and iced and lattes and cappuccinos! 
2. I still write all of my drafts by hand. This includes essays, my freelance work, and my responses to these questions! It doesn’t feel right if I start typing first.
3. I love running 5k races with my family. My daughter ran her first mile at age 3, and she has since run three 5k events. She’s only 6! Races are so much fun, and we love all the positive energy and the freebies. I have an essay about one of our races in my collection.
4. This is a weird one, but I definitely haven’t shared it with readers. On my first cruise, I hopped up from the dinner table after just meeting our tablemates. (I didn’t realize before the cruise that they would pair us with other people.) The swaying of the ship was getting to me, and I knew I was going to get sick. That couple must have thought I was the rudest person in the world because I jumped up without explaining myself and never returned. 

 Linda: Who would you say is your book’s target audience? 

 Melissa: To be broad, my readers are parents and grandparents. I know as many men who have read my collection as women. It is definitely appreciated from a dad’s point of view, as well as a mom’s. I’m also marketing it as a gift book. It’s perfect for a holiday or birthday gift, in addition to a baby shower present or a gift for a new mother.

 Linda: What are some ways readers can get in touch with you and read more of your work?

 Melissa: Definitely check out my website at www.melissaface.com. I post a monthly coffee chat there where I interview moms and other authors about coffee, motherhood, and writing life. Readers can also find me on Facebook @MelissaFaceWrites or Instagram @melissafacewrites. And to purchase a copy of I Love You More Than Coffee, simply visit one of your favorite retailers including: indiebound.org and Amazon, Target, or Barnes & Noble.

 Linda: What a gift for expectant moms and dads, parents and grandparents, too. 

I Love You More Than Coffee is SURE TO MAKE YOU SMILE or laugh out loud.