ABOUT
Melody Johnson is the award-winning author of the “out of this world” Love Beyond series and the gritty, paranormal romance Night Blood series published by Kensington Publishing/ Lyrical Press. She graduated magna cum laude from Lycoming College with her B.A. in creative writing and psychology.
Earning the 2021 Maggie Award of Excellence, Beyond the Next Star (Love Beyond, book 1) is an exciting branch from Melody's paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series and taking it to new worlds. Sight Beyond the Sun (Love Beyond, book 2) is the newest installment, and Sherrilyn Kenyon, New York Times and international bestselling author of the Dark-Hunters® series, praised it as, “Unforgettable, this book stays with you long after you leave it.” After moving from her northeast Pennsylvania hometown for some much needed Southern sunshine, Melody works as a digital media supervisor at Southeast Georgia Health System. When she isn’t working or writing, Melody can be found swimming at the beach, reading at the pool, and exploring her new home in southeast Georgia. Stay in touch with Melody on social media or email: authormelodyjohnson@gmail.com. |
MEDIA
Media Kit: Download my media kit to use for professional/ promotional purposes; includes bio, photos, series list and order, buy links, reviews, and social media links.
WILD WOMEN WHO WRITE: PODCAST FEATURE
July, 2023
I am so thrilled to be featured on the Wild Women Who Write podcast! On episode 45, Levels of Love: This World and Beyond, we discuss my Love Beyond sci-fi romance series. Particularly, we talk about my heroines, Delaney and Kinsley, and how they both tackle social issues like human trafficking and child abuse while pushing the boundaries of love.
I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with these sassy ladies! You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the play button below, or check out the Wild Women Who Write podcast page to see all their many exciting author interviews. |
ANTHOLOGY FEATURED ARTICLE: TRIBUNE & GEORGIAN
JULY, 2023
40 UNDER 40 FEATURE: TRIBUNE & GEORGIAN
June, 2023
STRONG WOMEN, STRANGE WORLDS: BOOK TASTING
June, 2023
I’m thrilled to share that my online “book tasting” event from June 2, hosted by Strong Women, Strange Worlds, is now available to watch on YouTube! All six authors, including myself, read excerpts of their science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories. You can watch my reading of Sight Beyond the Sun at the 10 minute, 45 second mark.
This Strong Women, Strange Worlds QuickRead features: Patricia Miller, Melody Johnson, Quinn Connor, Natalie Wright, Faye Snowden, and Casey E. Berger with Kate Pope as host/emcee and support from authors Terri Bruce and Anne Nydam. Strong Women, Strange Worlds QuickRead events happen live, via Zoom, the First Friday and Third Thursday of every month. Learn more and check out future online events on their website. |
THE BOOKSHOP AT THE END OF THE INTERNET PODCAST
April, 2023
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet is a podcast hosted by Stacey Horan, author and book lover. "In episode 177, Author Melody Johnson discusses her latest book, Sight Beyond the Sun. In this follow up novel to Beyond the Next Star, Melody brings us fresh main characters and a whole new world to explore in this stand-alone alien romance that involves espionage, an intergalactic human-trafficking ring and an enemies-to-lovers romance. Melody has been writing and publishing for quite a while now, and she’ll give us some insight into mistakes she’s made, lessons she’s learned, and her experiences as hybrid author dealing with both traditional and indie publishing. In this episode, I’ll chat with Melody about her writing journey, how she continues to grow as a writer and editor with each book she produces."
|
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
December, 2022
"A BRILLIANT BLENDING ROMANCE WITH SCIENCE FICTION"
"A brilliant blending romance with science fiction, Sight Beyond the Sun is a fun and original read by an author with a genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for a memorable novel — the kind that lingers in the mind and memory long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sight Beyond the Sun" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99)." — Midwest Book Review |
2021 MAGGIE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
October, 2021
BEYOND THE NEXT STAR WINS MAGGIE AWARD IN PARANORMAL ROMANCE CATEGORY
Georgia Romance Writers, Inc., a chapter of Romance Writers of America, proudly presents The Maggie Award for Excellence to Melody Johnson for Beyond the Next Star, an outstanding work by a published romance novelist in paranormal romance. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW). The Maggie, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention. Books are ranked by librarians, booksellers, and other industry professionals in the publishing industry. "Eight years ago, I attended my first Moonlight & Magnolias conference, and I didn’t know anything about pitching or publishing. I just wanted to write and somehow, share my stories with the world. Even just being a finalist is a huge honor." |
TRIBUNE & GEORGIAN ARTICLE
OCTOBER, 2021
KIRKUS REVIEW
AUGUST, 2020
"AN ENGAGING AND UNUSUAL OTHERWORLDLY TALE."
"Johnson effectively introduces readers to the planet Lorien and its alien inhabitants, the lorienok, in this opening series entry. Overall, the novel does a good job of immersing readers in a strange new realm, and its use of Delaney’s perspective allows them to learn details of the culture and characters organically, as the protagonist does. Along the way, the author describes her alien creations in exquisite detail—“two rows of sharp predator teeth filled his overly large mouth, and pointy bearlike claws tipped each finger and likely each toe on his boot-shod feet”—and her comparisons to familiar Earth creatures make for easy visualization. Even pacing and smooth transitions to different characters’ points of view make for a quick, solid read that remains consistently compelling." ~Kirkus Reviews |
THE BOOKSHOP AT THE END OF THE INTERNET PODCAST
AUGUST, 2020
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet is a podcast hosted by Stacey Horan, author and book lover. "In episode 84, Author Melody Johnson discusses her latest book, Beyond the Next Star, the first sci-fi romance novel in her new Love Beyond series. Melody has kept the dark grit from her paranormal romance Night Blood series and upped the stakes by taking the drama, danger and romance to outer space. Beyond the Next Star allowed Melody to world-build and even create her own language for her alien characters. As with all of her books, this new series includes plenty of danger and excitement as the romance unfolds."
|
TRIBUNE & GEORGIAN ARTICLE
JULY, 2020
THE BOOKSHOP AT THE END OF THE INTERNET PODCAST
JUNE, 2019
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet is a podcast hosted by Stacey Horan, author and book lover. "In episode 30, we feature, Melody Johnson, the author of the acclaimed urban fantasy, paranormal romance Night Blood series. Melody has always been a fan of the vampire genre. When she decided to write her series, she wanted to put her own spin on the genre while still filling her stories with copious amounts of both danger and romance. Tune in to hear Melody discuss her writing journey, her love-hate relationship with the editing process, and her belief that, when it comes to vampires, danger and romance go hand in hand."
|
TRIBUNE & GEORGIAN ARTICLE
FEBRUARY, 2018
St. Marys resident Melody Johnson will be releasing the final book in her Night Blood series, an urban fantasy vampire romance that spans four novels.
|
LYCOMING COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT
JANUARY, 2018
Lycoming College featured Melody in their "In the Spotlight" section of their monthly e-newsletter! Throughout the article, Melody reflects upon her time at Lycoming and how her experiences shaped her professionally and as a person:
"Although my dream was to become a published author, the reality is that an unpublished author with a new manuscript gets feedback, makes revisions, submits queries, throws away rejection letters and makes more revisions – not money. While I pursued my dreams, I landed a copyeditor position at Internet Inspirations, and after four years with them, I moved to southeast Georgia and enjoyed a brief temp position at Wounded Warrior Project as their publications coordinator.
Writing is a skill that transcends industry, and it has taken me on an adventure I’d never envisioned for myself."
"Although my dream was to become a published author, the reality is that an unpublished author with a new manuscript gets feedback, makes revisions, submits queries, throws away rejection letters and makes more revisions – not money. While I pursued my dreams, I landed a copyeditor position at Internet Inspirations, and after four years with them, I moved to southeast Georgia and enjoyed a brief temp position at Wounded Warrior Project as their publications coordinator.
Writing is a skill that transcends industry, and it has taken me on an adventure I’d never envisioned for myself."
LYCOMING COLLEGE FEATURE
SEPTEMBER, 2015
Melody's alma mater, Lycoming College, featured THE CITY BENEATH in their quarterly magazine. Throughout the article, they delve into Melody's purpose in writing fiction, her inspiration, and how the professors at Lycoming helped shape the writer she is today:
"A chilling vampire love story, THE CITY BENEATH, takes place in New York City and explores the less-than-savory underside of the city. "While her topics are dark, there is always room for redemption in John's novels. "No one is purely good or evil, and it's important to explore why people are the way they are," Johnson asserted. "I hope my books will help people connect with issues like this in a way that will broaden their views. " |
DEBUT AUTHOR FEATURE
JUNE, 2015
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.
In their June 2015 edition of the Romance Writers Report, Romance Writers of America congratulated the following authors on the publication of their first romance novel/novella: Melody Johnson: The City Beneath, a paranormal romance, published by Kensington Publishing Corp. in April, 2015. |
First Coast Romance Writer Membership
AUGUST, 2015
First Coast Romance Writers, an affiliate of Romance Writers of America®, is an organization for both published and unpublished writers, as well as any individuals involved in the writing/publishing industry. The membership includes writers of all levels, from those working on their first manuscripts to award-winning authors, and I am excited to announce that I have joined this wonderful, local Jacksonville chapter!
AUGUST, 2015
First Coast Romance Writers, an affiliate of Romance Writers of America®, is an organization for both published and unpublished writers, as well as any individuals involved in the writing/publishing industry. The membership includes writers of all levels, from those working on their first manuscripts to award-winning authors, and I am excited to announce that I have joined this wonderful, local Jacksonville chapter!
PAN Membership
SEPTEMBER, 2015
RWA welcomes writers at all stages of their careers. The purpose of the Published Authors Network (PAN) is to establish within the Romance Writers of America (RWA) framework a network of communication and support to effectively promote and protect the interests of published romance authors. After publishing my debut novel, The City Beneath, I was accepted as a PAN member of RWA!
SEPTEMBER, 2015
RWA welcomes writers at all stages of their careers. The purpose of the Published Authors Network (PAN) is to establish within the Romance Writers of America (RWA) framework a network of communication and support to effectively promote and protect the interests of published romance authors. After publishing my debut novel, The City Beneath, I was accepted as a PAN member of RWA!
MIDTOWN SCHOLAR READING
PENNLIVE.com, 2015
"The Midtown Scholar Bookstore will host an evening of fiction and poetry titled "Stories we tell ourselves in order to live," on February 28, 2015. Readers at the event will include Washington, D.C. author Amber Sparks, Boston's Carissa Halston, Hershey's Curtis Smith, Pittsburgh's Jeffrey Condran and Baltimore's Jen Michalski. Novels, chapbooks and other works published by the various authors will be available for sale at the event. A second event is planned for March 28 with authors Erin Dorney, Sarah Rose Etter, Carina Finn, and Melody Johnson."
PENNLIVE.com, 2015
"The Midtown Scholar Bookstore will host an evening of fiction and poetry titled "Stories we tell ourselves in order to live," on February 28, 2015. Readers at the event will include Washington, D.C. author Amber Sparks, Boston's Carissa Halston, Hershey's Curtis Smith, Pittsburgh's Jeffrey Condran and Baltimore's Jen Michalski. Novels, chapbooks and other works published by the various authors will be available for sale at the event. A second event is planned for March 28 with authors Erin Dorney, Sarah Rose Etter, Carina Finn, and Melody Johnson."
2014 CLEVELAND ROCKS ROMANCE CONTEST
THE CITY BENEATH - 3rd place, Paranormal Category
NEORWA is the Northeast Ohio Chapter of Romance Writers of America. They were founded in 1986 by a group of dedicated writers who were as passionate about the romance industry as they were about becoming published. The Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest finalists are judged by leading agents and editors within the publishing industry.
THE CITY BENEATH - 3rd place, Paranormal Category
NEORWA is the Northeast Ohio Chapter of Romance Writers of America. They were founded in 1986 by a group of dedicated writers who were as passionate about the romance industry as they were about becoming published. The Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest finalists are judged by leading agents and editors within the publishing industry.
2014 FOOL FOR LOVE CONTEST
THE CITY BENEATH - 5th place, Paranormal category
Fool For Love is a contest presented annually by Virginia Romance Writers as a mark of excellence in unpublished romantic fiction. The Fool For Love Contest finalists are judged by leading agents and editors within the publishing industry.
THE CITY BENEATH - 5th place, Paranormal category
Fool For Love is a contest presented annually by Virginia Romance Writers as a mark of excellence in unpublished romantic fiction. The Fool For Love Contest finalists are judged by leading agents and editors within the publishing industry.
RWA PRO MEMBERSHIP
MARCH, 2014
RWA welcomes writers at all stages of their careers from the unpublished, to the "almost" published, to the published and the multi-published. The purpose of the PRO is to establish a network of communication and support to effectively promote and protect the interests of romance writers in the areas between manuscript completion and PAN eligibility. After writing at least one full-length manuscript, pitching and querying agents and publishers, and showing proof of their correspondence, I was officially eligible for PRO Membership within RWA!
MARCH, 2014
RWA welcomes writers at all stages of their careers from the unpublished, to the "almost" published, to the published and the multi-published. The purpose of the PRO is to establish a network of communication and support to effectively promote and protect the interests of romance writers in the areas between manuscript completion and PAN eligibility. After writing at least one full-length manuscript, pitching and querying agents and publishers, and showing proof of their correspondence, I was officially eligible for PRO Membership within RWA!
THE ROMANCE DISH "SHOE" FEATURE
OCTOBER, 2013
Large or small, one aspect of romance conferences remains the same. The shoes! Whether you're attending a conference of 2,000 people or one of 200, romance writers and readers know how to rock the fabulous shoes and of course, your intrepid Romance Dish photographer was on the hunt for the best of the best to share with you. Here's a look at some of the photo highlights of the 2013 M&M Conference: Cool shoes come out for the book signing too. Here's a pair worn by Melody Johnson who was attending her first M&M conference."
OCTOBER, 2013
Large or small, one aspect of romance conferences remains the same. The shoes! Whether you're attending a conference of 2,000 people or one of 200, romance writers and readers know how to rock the fabulous shoes and of course, your intrepid Romance Dish photographer was on the hunt for the best of the best to share with you. Here's a look at some of the photo highlights of the 2013 M&M Conference: Cool shoes come out for the book signing too. Here's a pair worn by Melody Johnson who was attending her first M&M conference."