Welcome Melanie Campbell, Christian Author

Welcome to Melanie Campbell, a domestic abuse survivor and author who lives in Eugene, Oregon amidst the mountains, trees and beach. She is a member of Oregon Christian Writers and ACFW. Her debut novel, One Woman Falling, won the 2020 Oregon Christian Writer’s Cascade Award for contemporary fiction. It is also a finalist for the Selah Award for first novel. One Way Home, the second novel in her Whispers of Grace series, is scheduled for release on November 1, 2020.

We appreciate and applaud authors who choose to highlight domestic abuse in their stories. Such stories often come from their own experiences and writing them is sometimes are a part of their healing. It’s a celebration when survivors choose to heal, thrive and help others talk about a difficult subject.

Thanks, Melanie, for stopping by!

1. In your first book, “One Woman Falling”, a character struggles with an abusive marriage. Why did you choose to write about this difficult topic?

I wrote “One Woman Falling” because of my own experiences in an abusive marriage. My hope was to help other women going through the same struggle know that they are not alone. Shedding light on this pervasive issue is so important. God works through other people in our lives and never stops pursuing us. He doesn’t see the abusive situation we are in or escaping from as our failure or fault. Instead, He wants to help us be safe and know that we are worth fighting for.

What Do People Think?

2. Have you received any positive or negative feedback in regards to writing about difficult topics?

Yes. I was told for years that no Christian publisher would take on “One Woman Falling” because it dealt with domestic abuse. None of them wanted to deal with that sticky topic. At the same time, I was told a traditional publisher wouldn’t want anything to do with my story because it had a Christian theme. However, the Christian market has changed. I was able to find a small publisher who was both excited about the story and passionate about the subject matter.

I’ve had many women tell me how they have been in an abusive situation and appreciated me sharing the story. I’ve also had many people who have not been in those situations thank me for making them more aware. They know it will help them recognize abuse and help others. Both of those things make the years of effort worth it.

The Effects of Alcoholism and Abuse

3. Tell us about your new book, “One Way Home”. Why did you feel called to write about this particular storyline?

I wanted to explore the effects of alcoholism and its generational repercussions on family. In my first book, “One Woman Falling”, the heroin flees from her abusive, alcoholic husband. She also has a mom who is a recovering alcoholic. We don’t really see redemption or restoration of either of these alcoholic characters. In “One Way Home”, I wanted to take the reader into the shoes of the alcoholic and her struggle to overcome her addiction. To show God’s redemption and that it’s never too late to turn our lives over to Him.

There are threads of my own story intertwined in “One Way Home” as well. Like Cassie, I am the adult child of an alcoholic. Like Sharon, I never knew my biological father. I have used DNA companies to try and track down my biological father (but with no success.) I’ve heard many stories, however, of others who were successful. This got me thinking about what it means to be a father, and what it means to be a daughter. Those elements play an important part in “One Way Home”

ARMS Her Journey Leadership Program

4. You’ve taken our program, Her Journey, as well as our leadership course. Did you find it helpful for you and would you recommend it to other ladies?

I found Her Journey to be very helpful! I wish I had been able to take it eighteen years ago when I went through my divorce. Its definitely recommended it to other women who have been in an abusive relationship of any kind. We don’t really realize how much we have been affected by abuse until someone shows us the way things are supposed to be. The Her Journey class does an excellent job of doing this, and the best thing is it’s based on biblical principles. I think a lot of women who have been through abuse and divorce experience so much shame. It keeps them out of the church and from growing closer to God. Her Journey shows us how much God loves women and wants them to be healed.

5. What is next on your writing agenda?

I’m currently working on the third and final book in Whispers of Grace series: “One Last Stand”. If all goes well, it’ll be released about a year from now!

Thanks Melanie! We look forward to reading both books!