Melinda Leigh: You Need Writer Buddies
In this interview, author Melinda Leigh discusses wanting to dive deeper into a previously written character with her new thriller, You Can Tell Me.
Melinda Leigh is the #1 Amazon Charts and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Echo Road, the She Can series, the Midnight series, the Scarlet Falls series, the Morgan Dane series, the Bree Taggert series, the Olivia Cruz series, and numerous short stories, as well as the Rogue series novellas and the Widow’s Island series novellas. Melinda has garnered numerous writing awards, earned two RITA nominations, and been an International Thriller Award nominee for Best First Novel. She also holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate and has taught women’s self-defense. Melinda lives in a messy house with her family and a small herd of rescue pets. For more information, visit MelindaLeigh.com, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Melinda discusses wanting to dive deeper into a previously written character with her new thriller, You Can Tell Me, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Melinda Leigh
Literary agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Book title: You Can Tell Me
Publisher: Montlake
Release date: May 12, 2026
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: 40+, most recently Beyond Her Reach, book 10 in the Bree Taggert Series
Elevator pitch: When a podcaster friend mysteriously disappears, true crime writer Olivia Cruz is drawn into her friend’s darkest and deadliest secrets.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’ve wanted to explore true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s character since I first created her in 2018 in What I’ve Done. She played a larger role in the final book of the Morgan Dane Series, Save Your Breath, butI felt she had too much potential to let her go. She’d bold, resourceful, and wicked smart. I decided to give her some books of her own.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I write a book in about five months. The first month is mostly thinking, then I settle in with a few ideas and start typing. I’m not a plotter. I prefer the story to evolve as I write, but I do start with a few plot points for the mystery and notes on character development. Since I don’t outline in detail, I don’t have a set idea to change. I let the process unfold organically. My covers are usually done before I even begin writing. After I turn in the book, the actual book production process takes about 10 months with multiple rounds of edits and proofreading.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The hardest thing about starting a new series from a publication standpoint is finding the cover concept. A book series needs to have a recognizable style so readers can differentiate between series. That said, the new series should also represent my brand and reflect the genre. It’s a delicate balance. I’m grateful that I have a fabulous publisher that works hard to make sure we’ve pinpointed the right look for the series.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I’m working on book 11 in my Bree Taggert Series, so it’s been a while since I’ve needed to find a character’s voice or develop new personality traits. This made the writing process a little slower than usual. I know Bree well and I’m very comfortable in her point-of-view. Olivia and I needed to spend some page time together before we established a comfortable relationship.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Entertainment, enjoyment, and a surprise or two. They should close the book feeling satisfied. The characters resonated with them. Justice was served. I like to think of a book as a mini vacation that can take readers on a journey without leaving home.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Find a community of writers at the same stage of the process that you are in. Join a writing organization or two, meet up for lunch to talk craft and business, message each other when you get good and/or bad news. Your family and friends love you, but they can’t understand what it’s like to be a writer. You need writer buddies!
