Authors Interviewing Characters: Melissa Payne

IN THIS LIFE OR ANOTHER

On the brink of death, a man comes to terms with the life he lived versus the one he never pursued in an emotionally rich novel of parallel lives, redemption, and finding purpose.

On the eve of his sixtieth birthday, mechanic Rusty Wilson takes a bullet to save the patrons of a small-town Colorado diner—and awakens to a strange realm between life and death.

However, he finds that this limbo is not the end. There are still choices to be made and a lifetime to review. Paths open for a man who believes the life he did live was one of disappointments, grief, and devastating family estrangements. Given a chance to experience an alternate reality, Rusty is visited by figures from his past and present, sees what could have been if he had pursued a woman he loved from afar, and confronts a family secret that shaped everything. Now it’s Rusty’s choice: accept the imperfect existence he knew, or the what-if that could still be his.

At the heart of this poignant exploration of mortality, memory, and second chances is the profoundly simple question: What makes a life truly meaningful?

Author Melissa Payne sits down with In This Life or Another characters Rusty Wilson and Ike the turtle to discuss love, loss, death, and the infinite possibilities of the great beyond at Rusty’s in-between location, Yvonne’s diner. 

Melissa (knocking on the door): How exactly do I get inside?

Rusty (shrugs): I had to die first.

Ike: Not everyone who enters here is dead, and not all who leave are alive.

Rusty (sighs): This guy is full of helpful information. 

Melissa finds herself inside the diner and sitting at a booth across from Rusty and Ike. She’s shaken by the suddenness of it.

Rusty (in a kind voice): It’s okay; you get used to it.  

Melissa: Is that Yvonne’s famous strawberry cake? 

Rusty (sounding sad): It tastes terrible here. 

Melissa: I thought you loved it. 

Ike: Yeah, like you luuvv Yvonne.  

Rusty (shoots the turtle a dark look): It tastes terrible because they don’t want me getting too comfortable here. That’s what the turtle told me.

Melissa (turns to Ike): Who’s in charge in (she gives the darkened diner a look and shudders) the in-between?

Ike (shrugs, if turtles can do that): No one knows, but it’s just me here, and I’m only a turtle.

Melissa: Rusty, you saved the patrons of Yvonne’s diner on the eve of your sixtieth birthday. 

Ike: He’s a hero.

Melissa: When you look back at your life, do you have any regrets?

Rusty (looks down at the table): I had a disagreement with my father right before this happened. I wish I’d worked harder at my marriage. I should have made Pete’s garage business more successful. I waited too long to ask Yvonne out—

Melissa: So a few. 

Ike (waddles across the table, nudges Melissa with his shell): Ask him about his purpose. 

Rusty: I believe that my entire life’s purpose was to save someone else. 

Melissa: Why?

Rusty: Because my brother died saving my life when I was only two years old. My father always said it was a miracle I survived. 

Ike (shaking his little head): Here we go again.

Melissa: Wow, that’s a lot for a little boy to take on. So, you believe your life’s purpose was to earn the miracle of surviving? 

Rusty (forehead wrinkles): Well, yes, and that’s what I did tonight by stopping that gunman, but now my spirit guide (points to the turtle) won’t let me out of this place or show me how to move on, so I’m stuck here. (He looks around suspiciously) And let me tell you, this place is nothing like the real Yvonne’s diner. Her place is warm, and the strawberry cake doesn’t taste like sawdust, and there aren’t dead people hanging around, either. 

Ike (sounding bored): Not everyone who enters here is dead and—

Rusty (sits back in seat, arms crossed): Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ve heard that before. 

Melissa: So Ike, why won’t you let Rusty move on?

Ike (sounds exasperated): As I’ve told old Rusty, I’m not a spirit guide; I’m a turtle. And this is only a stopping place, not a destination.

Melissa: A stopping place for what?

Ike (nodding vigorously): Exactly.

Rusty (head in hands): See what I mean?

BUY HERE

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, Interviews, On Writing